Rubio Restricts Visas for Commercial Birth Tourism Networks Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced visa restrictions on commercial birth tourism networks, targeting owners, managers, fixers, and foreign doctors who knowingly facilitate fraudulent births in the US. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced restrictions on Wednesday under a section of the Immigration and Nationality Act that allows the secretary to declare a foreigner inadmissible on foreign policy grounds. The policy targets individuals who own, run, and manage commercial birth tourism networks. It also covers visa fixers who coach applicants on how to lie, foreign doctors who knowingly help arrange the travel, and those involved in the fraudulent use of Medicaid. Certain family members can be included as well. Rubio said these networks advertise openly, guide clients through false visa applications, and charge tens of thousands of dollars to arrange a birth in the United States. Scope of Birth Tourism RestrictionsPregnant foreigners can still travel to the United States. The restrictions apply only to people the administration decides are knowingly working the commercial side of the practice. This means that individual pregnant women seeking to give birth in the US are not automatically barred. The focus is on those who operate or facilitate the business of birth tourism.The policy was issued under a provision that lets the secretary of state declare a foreigner inadmissible on foreign policy grounds. It is part of a broader effort to curb what officials describe as exploitation of US immigration laws. Rubio said in August that American citizenship is not for sale.Visa Revocations and Legislative PushMore than 600 visas were revoked in the first month of the policy, according to Rubio. The announcement landed hours before President Donald Trump greeted Chinese President Xi Jinping at Joint Base Andrews for a three-day state visit. However, the policy names no specific country.A bill was introduced last week that would treat recruiting or harboring a pregnant alien for the purpose of birth tourism as trafficking. The bill carries up to 15 years per offense. The South Carolina Republican said, America is not the world's maternity ward.The restrictions are part of a wider crackdown on immigration fraud. Birth tourism operators often charge tens of thousands of dollars and coach clients to lie on visa applications. The administration aims to deter those who profit from arranging births in the US. The policy does not target pregnant women who travel to the US for other reasons. It focuses on commercial networks and their facilitators. The State Department has not released details on how many networks are under investigation. The new rules took effect on Wednesday.