Thursday, January 31, 2019
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — Twenty people have been charged in the largest-ever crackdown on businesses that help Chinese women travel to the United States to give birth to babies who automatically became American citizens.
The U.S. Attorney's office in Los Angeles says three people were arrested today on charges including conspiracy, visa fraud and money laundering. More than a dozen others have also been charged in cases stemming from three so-called birth tourism businesses.
Authorities say it's the first time the U.S. has criminally prosecuted birth tourism operators.
The businesses allegedly billed Chinese women thousands of dollars to travel to California to deliver their babies so the children automatically obtained U.S. citizenship. Authorities say the women hid their pregnancies and lie about details of their trips.
Federal agents raided the businesses in 2015.