Maternity Tourism and Anchor Babies

(1:05) Guest: Andy Semotiuk, Immigration Attorney in the U.S. and Canada, Former UN correspondent  Federal agents swept into several birth centers in Southern California last week said to be connected with multimillion-dollar-businesses that bring pregnant Chinese women into the United States so their babies can be born as U.S. citizens. The investigation could result in the biggest federal criminal case ever against the “anchor baby” or “birth tourism” industry. The search warrants cite suspected visa fraud, tax evasion and harboring illegal immigrants.  “The key thing is the 14th amendment says all persons born in the United States are citizens of the United States. That is a pretty fundamental law,” says Semotiuk.  “Coming to America is not a right, it’s a privilege. The concept of coming to the US to come and have a baby,” says Semotiuk, “is not one of the normal reasons that the US gives foreigners to visit the United States. It’s a violation of those privileges.”  “American passport is one of the greatest gifts a person can have,” says Semotiuk.