Pregnant women from China are increasingly traveling to the United States to give birth, a practice known as “birth tourism.” This trend has grown significantly in recent years, with estimates suggesting that as many as 100,000 Chinese babies may be born as American citizens each year. This phenomenon raises concerns about the implications of granting citizenship to children whose parents may have little connection to the United States.
In a recent excerpt from his book, The Invisible Coup: How American Elites and Foreign Powers Use Immigration as a Weapon, author Peter Schweizer describes how this practice has evolved. On January 1, 2025, a newborn baby, the child of Chinese parents, marked the start of the year by being born in the U.S. territory of Saipan. Over 70% of newborns in Saipan are born to Chinese families who take advantage of the territory’s visa-free entry and the U.S. birthright citizenship policies enshrined in the Fourteenth Amendment.
The scale of birth tourism is difficult to quantify, as the U.S. government does not track these births specifically. A 2012 study estimated that approximately 36,000 foreign-born women gave birth in the U.S. annually, but many scholars believe this figure is significantly understated. Some suggest the actual number of births could be as high as 1.5 million since the practice began gaining traction in the last 15 years.
Chinese birth tourism has largely been driven by the elite class, who seek to secure U.S. citizenship for their children. These children, often raised in China, will have the opportunity to apply for residency for their parents once they reach 21 years old. This situation could lead to a significant influx of individuals who have been educated under the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) influence, raising questions about their potential loyalty to the United States.
Concerns also extend to the use of surrogacy arrangements in the U.S. to facilitate birth tourism. Guojun Xuan, a senior CCP official based in California, has been implicated in operating a surrogacy network that produces children for CCP members. Authorities discovered over 15 children living in Xuan’s residence, all connected to these surrogacy arrangements. His business dealings, including ownership of numerous properties in California, highlight the complex interplay between wealth, citizenship, and loyalty.
Additionally, companies like You Win USA have emerged to cater to this market, charging clients between $40,000 and $80,000 for services that facilitate undocumented entry into the U.S. and provide prenatal care. These operations often instruct pregnant women to disguise their condition and misrepresent their travel intentions to immigration authorities.
The Obama administration’s policies inadvertently made birth tourism more accessible, as directives issued during his presidency encouraged consular officers to grant visas to applicants who intended to give birth in the U.S. This shift has complicated enforcement actions against fraudulent visa applications related to birth tourism.
Despite the apparent drawbacks, the Chinese government has not sought to restrict this practice. Instead, it appears to view birth tourism as a potential economic opportunity, with officials promoting the idea that the children born in the U.S. will have access to superior education and welfare benefits. The narrative communicated by birth tourism companies often emphasizes the advantages of American citizenship while downplaying any negative implications.
The broader implications of this trend extend beyond individual citizenship. As the children of Chinese elites grow into adulthood, they may carry the values and ideologies instilled in them by the CCP, potentially affecting U.S. society and politics in the future.
As this wave of citizenship by birth continues to unfold, it raises critical questions about national identity, loyalty, and the long-term impact of foreign influence on American democracy. The rise of this “Manchurian Generation” could reshape the landscape of U.S. citizenship and political engagement in the coming decades, with profound implications for both nations.
