Colin McDonald, a senior official at the US Department of Justice, announced on 30/6 to federal prosecutors that individuals entering the US under "false pretenses" to give birth and secure US citizenship for their children will be prosecuted. Such prosecutions will fall under laws against visa fraud, money laundering, identity theft, and online fraud.

McDonald stated in a memo to all Department of Justice personnel, "The Department of Justice will resolutely protect the sanctity of US citizenship by investigating and prosecuting those who exploit our immigration system."

This directive was issued hours after the Supreme Court rejected an executive order by President Donald Trump. That order aimed to prevent children born in the US from automatically becoming citizens if neither parent was a US citizen or legal permanent resident. The Supreme Court's ruling affirmed citizenship for nearly all individuals born in the US.

Colin McDonald, a senior official at the US Department of Justice, in Washington on 26/5. Photo: Reuters

Colin McDonald, a senior official at the US Department of Justice, in Washington on 26/5. Photo: Reuters

The Department of Justice's memo indicates the Trump administration's continued focus on efforts to abolish or restrict the "birthright citizenship" policy. This stance is part of its broader tough immigration approach, despite the setback at the Supreme Court.

The memo instructs federal prosecutors to coordinate investigations with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In April, DHS directed its investigators to focus on the new "Birth Tourism Initiative."

One argument the Department of Justice used to defend Trump's order was that birthright citizenship facilitated "birth tourism" schemes. These schemes involve pregnant foreign women seeking entry into the US on tourist visas, then remaining to give birth, which enables their children to obtain US citizenship.

Currently, there are no official statistics on the number of foreign nationals entering the US specifically for birth tourism or the exact costs taxpayers incur. However, the Center for Immigration Studies estimates that approximately 20,000-25,000 mothers arrived in the US under this category between 2016 and 2017. Compared to the 3.6 million births in the US in 2025, this figure represents a small percentage.

By Ngoc Anh (According to Reuters, AP)