IRVINE, Calif. (AP) – Women who come to the U.S. from China to give birth to automatic American citizens may not be breaking the law by doing so, but it’s illegal to lie about why they’re coming into the country.
That was the clear message federal agents sought to send when they searched three dozen California homes Tuesday in what may have been the biggest federal crackdown yet on so-called maternity tourism.
The raids came as homeland security agents investigated three rings catering to such women, who must tell the truth about their visits on visa applications, authorities said.
Recent cases in California have catered to wealthy Chinese visitors, most likely due to the country’s large population, economic boom and ties to the region. Their numbers are unclear, and no arrests have been made or charges filed.
“It is fertile ground for this kind of scheme,” said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge for Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s homeland security investigations in Los Angeles. “These people were told to lie, how to lie, so that their motives for coming to the U.S. wouldn’t be questioned.”