![]() ![]() “HSI will aggressively target those who would make a mockery of our laws and our values to benefit and enrich themselves. “America’s way of life is not for sale,” said Joseph Macias, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Los Angeles. by ignoring court orders directing them to stay in the country to assist with the investigation and by skipping out on their unpaid hospital bills.” Some of the wealthy clients of these businesses also showed blatant contempt for the U.S. “Statements by the operators of these birthing houses show contempt for the United States, while they were luring clients with the power and prestige of U.S. “These cases allege a wide array of criminal schemes that sought to defeat our immigration laws – laws that welcome foreign visitors so long as they are truthful about their intentions when entering the country,” said United States Attorney Nick Hanna. The indictments allege that many of the Chinese birth tourism customers failed to pay all of the medical costs associated with their hospital births, and the debts were referred to collection. The indictments also allege that the customers were directed to fly to Hawaii from China – instead of directly to Los Angeles – because it was easier to get through U.S. Customs at ports of entry by wearing loose clothing that would conceal their pregnancies. Their clients were also coached to trick U.S. Consulate interview in China by falsely stating that they were going to stay in the U.S. birthright citizenship.Īccording to the indictments that charge the operators of the schemes, they coached their Chinese customers how to pass the U.S. for three months to give birth so their children would receive U.S. The indictments describe birth tourism schemes in which foreign nationals, mostly from China, applied for visitor visas to come to the United States and lied about the length of their trips, where they would stay, and the purposes of their trips – which were to come to the U.S. The birth tourism operations not only committed widespread immigration fraud and engaged in international money laundering, they also defrauded property owners when leasing the apartments and houses used in their birth tourism schemes, according to the indictments. The 17 cases unsealed today contain the first-ever federal criminal charges brought against operators and customers of birth tourism businesses. The indictments charge operators and clients of three “maternity house” or “birthing house” schemes that were dismantled in March 2015 when federal agents executed 35 search warrants, which resulted from international undercover operations. SANTA ANA, California – Following the arrests this morning of three defendants who allegedly operated “birth tourism” outfits that catered to Chinese clients, federal authorities today unsealed indictments that charge a total of 19 people linked to three schemes that operated across Southern California and charged clients tens of thousands of dollars to help them give birth in the United States. ![]()
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