U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) filed legislation on Tuesday that would specifically prohibit birth tourism. Blackburn said her bill would complement the effort by President Donald Trump to end birthright citizenship.
The Ban Birth Tourism Act would amend the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act to include provisions specifically stating that any foreigner seeking entry to the United States for “the primary purpose of obtaining United States citizenship for a child by giving birth to such child is inadmissable,” closing what Blackburn’s office called a loophole that allows wealthy foreigners to purchase American citizenship for their children.
“Foreign nationals have been exploiting our nation’s immigration laws for far too long, taking advantage of the system to come to the United States for the sole purpose of giving birth to obtain U.S. citizenship for their children,” said Blackburn.
The senator added in a post to the social media platform X that her legislation would prevent foreigners, including citizens of Russia and China, “from buying American citizenship for their children,” while supporting President Donald Trump’s “mission to protect the value of American citizenship.”
Foreigners have been exploiting our nation’s immigration laws for far too long.
My Ban Birth Tourism Act would stop adversaries like Communist China and Russia from buying American citizenship and support President Trump’s mission to protect the value of American citizenship.…
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) May 20, 2025
Blackburn also stated, “As President Trump works to end birthright citizenship, we need to get this bill to his desk.”
Trump signed an executive order on January 20 which seeks to permanently end birthright citizenship, ending the ability of foreigners to obtain the “priceless and profound gift” of citizenship for their children by merely being inside the United States at the moment of their birth.
More than 20 states joined a lawsuit aimed at blocking Trump’s order, which is currently awaiting a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court. Other states, including Tennessee, have filed briefs supporting Trump’s efforts.
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti recently stated that, in addition to determining the birthright citizenship question, litigation regarding birthright citizenship could determine the power of district judges to enact sweeping orders.
“We did an amicus brief that touched on birthright citizenship, and I think that’s where all the attention was for people who saw it, but there’s a really important scope of relief argument there,” said Skrmetti during a recent appearance on The Michael Patrick Leahy Show.
The attorney general explained, “The scope of relief is very broad, and the injunctions have stopped the state from enforcing the laws more broadly sometimes, and that’s not the way the constitutional structure is designed.”
– – –
Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Marsha Blackburn is a wise woman, and a national treasure! Long may she continue the battle to return to Americans the security and freedoms that citizenship once guaranteed.
Thank you Senator, this is a much-needed law.