Texas Governor Targets “Birth Tourism” With New Executive Order
By Easton Martin | July 22, 2026
Governor Greg Abbott issued Executive Order GA-57 on Tuesday, taking a firm step to defend the integrity of American citizenship and protect public resources from exploitation. The directive commands multiple state agencies to investigate and eliminate organized birth tourism operations throughout the healthcare industry.
Birth tourism refers to the practice where foreign nationals travel to the United States, often illegally or under false pretenses, specifically to give birth so their child automatically secures U.S. citizenship. Commercial entities and regulated facilities have increasingly sought to monetize this loophole, marketing structured birthing packages directly to foreign customers. The state order targets these commercial facilitators, ensuring that businesses and medical providers aiding the practice face immediate oversight and legal consequences.
”Texas will not tolerate the exploitation of our immigration laws by individuals traveling to the United States illegally or under false pretenses to give birth and secure citizenship for their child,” Governor Abbott said. He added that U.S. citizenship is not for sale and affirmed that Texas will put a stop to individuals seeking to profit from such fraud.
The executive order delegates investigative authority to six state regulatory bodies, including the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, the Texas Medical Board, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, and the Texas Board of Nursing. Licensed individuals or facilities discovered advertising, soliciting, or facilitating birth tourism face severe state penalties.
Consequences include the revocation or suspension of operating licenses, banishment from receiving state contracts, and denial of state benefits, alongside potential joint enforcement with federal prosecutors
