Bill · S. 5527· Senate(119-S-5527)
Birth Tourism Elimination Act
- Introduced
- 9/24/2026
- Last activity
- 9/24/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Sponsored by
- Tim Scott
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
S. 5527, known as the Birth Tourism Elimination Act, targets foreign nationals who travel to the United States primarily to give birth so their children can obtain citizenship. The bill makes these individuals inadmissible for nonimmigrant tourist visas and blocks them from using the Visa Waiver Program. It codifies Department of State rules regarding tourist visas and requires secondary inspections and expedited removal for violators. Additionally, the legislation increases criminal penalties for anyone who facilitates, sponsors, organizes, or profits from birth tourism. Finally, it mandates semiannual reporting requirements to various congressional committees regarding enforcement actions.
Yes· 3 of 4
Does this tighten control of the border?+5
The bill tightens border control and immigration enforcement by making birth tourists inadmissible, establishing secondary inspections, and mandating expedited removal.
Does this give the federal government more power?+3
The bill expands federal authority by codifying Department of State visa rules, increasing criminal penalties, and mandating semiannual reporting requirements to Congress.
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+2
The legislation requires semiannual reporting to multiple congressional committees detailing enforcement actions, visa denials, and removals related to birth tourism.
The opposite
Would immigrants be better off under this?-5
The bill imposes strict visa denials, inadmissibility rules, and expedited removal procedures specifically targeting foreign nationals engaging in birth tourism.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Protection of Taxpayer Funds: Section 2 notes that birth tourists sometimes leave unpaid medical expenses that are ultimately paid for by United States taxpayers, and this bill attempts to stop that burden.
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Exemptions for Legitimate Medical Care: Section 3 amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to explicitly state that the rules do not apply to aliens seeking legitimate medical treatment relating to childbirth if obtaining citizenship for the child is not the primary purpose of the visit.
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Exemptions for Families of Citizens: Section 3 also ensures that the new inadmissibility rules do not apply if the child being carried is the biological offspring of a United States citizen, lawful permanent resident, or a person granted permanent resident status as a refugee or asylee.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Visa and Entry Denials: Section 3 and Section 4 authorize consular and border protection officers to deny visas and admission to individuals based on a reasonable belief or presumption that a pregnant applicant is traveling for the primary purpose of obtaining United States citizenship for her child.
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Expedited Removal: Section 7 mandates that individuals deemed inadmissible under these birth tourism provisions are subject to expedited removal and may be quickly sent back to the country from which they traveled.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Immigrants-5
- Governance And Ideology
- Increases Federal Power+3Improves Government Transparency+2
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Border Security+5
- Economy And Finance
- Reduces Government Spending+2
- 9/24/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Introduced in Senate