Texas governor orders investigation into a hospital for promoting birth tourism
Greg Abbott accuses the medical center of profiting from what he claims is an illegal practice and is calling for an investigation that could lead to civil, administrative, and even criminal penalties
An advertising campaign offering maternity packages near the Texas-Mexico border sparked a state investigation amid the debate over birthright citizenship in the United States. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to launch an investigation into Mission Regional Medical Center, located in the border area of McAllen, on the grounds that the hospital may have promoted so-called “birth tourism” to attract foreign pregnant women interested in having their children born on U.S. soil.
The decision was announced on Tuesday in a letter sent by Abbott to HHSC Executive Commissioner Stephanie Muth, in which he directed to “immediately and thoroughly investigate” the hospital, located in the city of Mission in the Rio Grande Valley, north of the border with Mexico.
According to the governor, the medical center promoted “Birth Packages in South Texas” abroad with the apparent goal of making a profit by offering childbirth services to foreign nationals whose children would acquire U.S. citizenship at birth. “‘Birth tourism’ is an illegal practice that exploits the extraordinary hospitality that the United States and Texas offer to millions of foreign travelers each year. Thousands of foreign travelers come to the United States under false pretenses to give birth and secure citizenship for their children. HHSC must investigate the hospital, a facility it regulates, for any violations of state law and contractual obligations,” he stated.
As part of his order, the governor requested that any potential violations be referred to the Texas attorney general for civil action and to the appropriate district attorneys’ offices to evaluate possible criminal charges. He also stated that the HHSC must impose the appropriate administrative sanctions if it finds any violations.
The controversy arose after images circulated of Spanish-language advertisements posted in Mexico promoting “Birth Packages in South Texas.” According to reports, the ads offered natural births starting at $3,950 and C-sections starting at $5,525, and directed interested parties to the website “Have My Baby in Texas,” which was later taken down.
Mission Regional Medical Center confirmed that the advertising campaign was its own and noted that it began in 2021. It also explained that it included two billboards located about eight kilometers from the hospital, near a border crossing between Mexico and the United States. Both the ads and the website were taken down after the images went viral on social media.
However, the hospital denied engaging in any illegal activities and asserted that it was merely promoting the medical services it offers, just as other hospitals do. In an official statement, it said: “Like hospitals across the country and throughout the region, we share information about the healthcare services we provide. We do not support or facilitate any unlawful activity and work to comply with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations.”
As the investigation continues, the HHSC reported that it is already working to comply with the governor’s directive and that the case has been referred to the agency’s Office of the Inspector General.
The controversy comes just days after the Supreme Court upheld the long-standing interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment, which establishes that, with few exceptions, people born on U.S. soil automatically acquire U.S. citizenship. Following that decision, President Donald Trump insisted that Congress should act to restrict that right, while litigation related to his executive order on birthright citizenship continues.
Abbott stated that he will seek to strengthen state legislation during the upcoming legislative session to combat this practice. “We intend to work cooperatively and transparently with local and state officials. Our focus remains on delivering safe, high-quality care to every patient who seeks our services,” the governor wrote.
The case also sparked reactions among Republican lawmakers in Texas, some of whom called for tougher laws against so-called birth tourism. However, various reports indicate that this is a rare phenomenon. According to the Migration Policy Institute, between 5,000 and 26,000 births in the United States each year may be related to this practice—a figure that represents less than 1% of the more than 3.5 million births recorded annually in the country.