Texas State Rep. Brian Harrison (R-TX) has proposed legislation to make birth tourism a state-level felony [1].
This move follows a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling regarding birthright citizenship. The proposal signals a potential shift in how Texas handles foreign nationals who travel to the state specifically to give birth to children who would then acquire citizenship [1].
Harrison said he wants a special legislative session to address the issue this month [1]. He said the practice of birth tourism imposes significant costs on Texas taxpayers and strains the state's public resources [1, 2].
The proposed bill would criminalize the act of traveling to Texas for the primary purpose of giving birth to secure citizenship for the child [2]. By elevating the offense to a felony, the legislation seeks to create a stronger deterrent against the practice [1].
Harrison's push for a special session indicates an urgency to align state law with the new judicial landscape created by the Supreme Court [2]. The lawmaker said the state must protect its resources from being utilized by those seeking to bypass federal immigration pathways through birth tourism [1].
If passed, the law would represent one of the strictest state-level crackdowns on birth tourism in the U.S. [2]. The legislation would target both the individuals traveling to the state, and potentially those facilitating the arrangements [1].
“Texas State Rep. Brian Harrison has proposed legislation to make birth tourism a state-level felony.”
This legislative push reflects a broader effort by Texas to implement restrictive immigration-related policies in response to federal judicial shifts. By categorizing birth tourism as a felony, Texas is attempting to use state criminal law to regulate a process traditionally governed by federal birthright citizenship standards, potentially creating a legal conflict between state penalties and constitutional rights.
