Federal Agents Raid 20 Suspected 'Maternity Hotels' In California

[zuluweta 250]

Federal Agents Raid 20 Suspected 'Maternity Hotels' In California

By Steve Gorman, Reuters

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Federal agents raided about 20 Southern California locations on Tuesday suspected of involvement in "maternity tourism" schemes offering travel and lodging services to pregnant foreign women seeking to give birth in the United States, U.S. immigration officials said.

Authorities say the so-called maternity hotels targeted in the sweep catered largely to women from China who paid $15,000 to $50,000, depending on services provided, in hopes of obtaining U.S. citizenship for their children.

The locations searched included apartment complexes and other sites in Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties that were suspected of housing foreign clients, according to a statement issued by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, or ICE.

No criminal arrests were anticipated from Tuesday's raids, which were carried out by federal agents and local law enforcement, the agency said.

The U.S. Constitution grants citizenship to any child born on U.S. soil, regardless of parentage, and immigration experts say there was nothing inherently illegal about women coming from abroad to give birth to children in the United States.

But investigators are seeking evidence related to such possible criminal offenses as visa and tax fraud, money laundering and conspiracy, immigration officials said.

Any women encountered at the locations raided on Wednesday were to be interviewed, and those identified as potential material witnesses will be instructed where and when to report for further questioning, ICE said.

Businesses engaged in maternity tourism, also known as "birth tourism," are believed to have been operating for several years, relying on websites, newspaper advertising and social media to promote their services, immigration officials said.

Based on the results of previous investigations, the women who subscribe apparently pay cash for pre-natal medical treatment and actual delivery of their babies.

As part of the package, clients were promised they would receive Social Security numbers and U.S. passports for their infants - documentation the mothers would take with them when they returned to their home countries, ICE said.

Once the children, who by birth are U.S. citizens, reach adulthood they can apply for visas for family members living abroad.

More expensive packages "include recreational activities, such as visits to Disneyland, shopping malls and even an outing to a firing range," the ICE statement said.

The practices came to public attention in California in recent years when residents of some Los Angeles-area communities complained about what they said were maternity hotels springing up in their neighborhoods, causing sanitation and other issues.

(Reporting by Steve Gorman; Editing by Susan Heavey and Lisa Lambert)

Link here:

http://news.yahoo.com/federal-agents-raid-20-suspected-maternity-hotels-california-175144236.html

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

We read that story yesterday in the other Chinese birth tourism thread. Twice.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/539036-why-chinese-moms-want-american-babies/page-2#entry7505921

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/539036-why-chinese-moms-want-american-babies/page-2#entry7506100

[Janelle2002 3,865]

I just want to know what happened to the women? This is illegal. Any children they find should have their citizenship revoked.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I just want to know what happened to the women? This is illegal. Any children they find should have their citizenship revoked.

That's not going to happen.

[Janelle2002 3,865]

That's not going to happen.

I know. The should at least tell the citizens because of the illegal action they will not be able to petition their mothers later. I think it is a fair trade.

[Umka36 781]

It would be a huge undertaking to change the 14th Amendment, because it has to pass each house of Congress with a 2/3 vote, then it has to be ratified by 3/4 of state.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

It would be a huge undertaking to change the 14th Amendment, because it has to pass each house of Congress with a 2/3 vote, then it has to be ratified by 3/4 of state.

There is a school of thought that it would not take a change to the Constitution. Rather it would take only legislative clarification on the issue of whether a child born in the US to non-resident parents actually is subject to the jurisdiction of the US as required by the 14th amendment to bestow US citizenship onto said child. Bills to that effect were introduced in the last several Congresses.

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

I remember back in the late 90's women from Honk Kong could freely travel to Canada and a huge number were doing so just before the return of Hong Kong to China to give them an option in case things went bad after the turnover..

[novedsac 355]

I just want to know what happened to the women? This is illegal. Any children they find should have their citizenship revoked.

What is illegal?

[Janelle2002 3,865]

What is illegal?

Traveling to the U.S. with the purpose of child birth.

[Dakine10 5,452]

Traveling to the U.S. with the purpose of child birth.

That is not illegal in and of itself. They are paying for their own medical care.

It remains to be seen if they did anything else, such as misrepresentation, but on the surface they don't have anything worth charging them with yet, which is why they have not been charged. Like it or not, it may turn out that there is nothing to see here.

[novedsac 355]

Traveling to the U.S. with the purpose of child birth.

Really? What law would that be?

[Janelle2002 3,865]

Well, they are traveling here to have a baby and get them citizenship, not to be a tourist. I doubt they put they were traveling here for medical benefits.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

Welcome to the Hotel California, such a lovely place.

[Dakine10 5,452]

Well, they are traveling here to have a baby and get them citizenship, not to be a tourist. I doubt they put they were traveling here for medical benefits.

That's not illegal.

They appear to be going after the companies since the women themselves are only being interviewed as material witnesses.