The United States Government on Thursday gave visa officers more power to block pregnant women abroad including those from Nigeria from visiting America.
Under a new rule, the US Department of State directed visa officers to stop “birth tourism” — trips designed to obtain citizenship for children of pregnant women to the country.
The President Donald Trump’s administration is using the new rule, which takes effect on Friday, to push consular officers abroad to reject women they believe are entering the United States specifically to gain citizenship for their child by giving birth.
The visas covered by the new rule are issued to those seeking to visit for pleasure, medical treatment or to see friends and family, a report by The New York Times, said.
Conservatives have long railed against what they call “anchor babies,” born on American soil and used by their parents to bring in other family members.
President Trump has also criticised the constitutional provision that grants citizenship to most babies born on American soil.
It is not clear whether such “birth tourism” is a significant phenomenon or that “anchor babies” do lead to substantial immigration, but many conservatives believe both issues are real and serious.
“Birth tourism poses risks to national security,” Carl C. Risch, Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs at the State Department, wrote in the final rule. “The birth tourism industry is also rife with criminal activity, including international criminal schemes.”
Consular officers were already unlikely to grant visa to women, who they believe were travelling to the United States solely to give birth.
But with the new rule, the White House seems to be signalling to officers abroad that those close to delivering a child would be added to a growing list of immigrants unwelcome in the United States.
Nigeria is number three on birth tourism list in the United States after Russia and China.
On Tuesday the US announced plans to impose fresh visa restrictions on countries including Nigeria.
Trump’s administration said the move was necessary to prevent potential acts of terrorism, as countries on the list don’t adequately vet their travellers to America.
