Secretary of State Marco Rubio asserts American citizenship ‘not for sale’ as specialised task force begins crackdown
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio listens during a press conference on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Pasay, Philippines on July 22, 2026. PHOTO: REUTERS
The US has revoked more than 600 visas from foreign nationals in the last month as part of a major offensive against “birth tourism” rings, the State Department said Wednesday. “American citizenship is not for sale,” Secretary Marco Rubio wrote on the US social media company X.
American citizenship is not for sale.
But elaborate birth tourism rings are profiting off the exploitation of America’s laws- coaching foreigners to defraud the U.S. visa system, arranging travel and housing, and even forging documents, all to enable foreign nationals to obtain…
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) August 12, 2026
He alleged that criminal organisations have been profiting from the exploitation of US laws by coaching foreigners to defraud the visa system and forging documents to secure citizenship for their children.
The State Department recently established the Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force to identify and dismantle the networks. Rubio emphasised that the unit will continue to review the activities of visa holders to end a “heinous abuse” of national legislation.
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The crackdown follows an August 6 executive order issued by US President Donald Trump. The directive labels the practice a “calculated exploitation” of immigration policy and a threat to national security.
It grants the State and Homeland Security departments the authority to permanently bar and revoke the documentation of those involved in facilitating the schemes. “The State Department will use all available tools to dismantle birth tourism networks and defend the integrity of US citizenship,” Rubio said.
