A Republican bill with 9 Republican cosponsors · See all 9 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill is cited as the Ban Birth Tourism Act of 2026. It amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to address individuals seeking citizenship for their children by giving birth in the United States. Specifically, the bill makes certain nonimmigrant aliens seeking admission for birth tourism inadmissible to the United States. Additionally, the legislation makes aliens who have engaged in birth tourism deportable. The text defines birth tourism based on the reasonable judgment of the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of State, or a consular officer.
Yes
- Scored +5
Does this tighten control of the border?
The bill enhances border security and immigration enforcement by making individuals engaging in birth tourism inadmissible and deportable.
- Scored +3
Does this give the federal government more power?
The bill grants increased discretionary authority to federal officials such as the Secretary of Homeland Security and consular officers.
The opposite· 3 of 4
- Scored -6
Would immigrants be better off under this?
The legislation explicitly targets and penalizes certain nonimmigrant immigrants by making them inadmissible and deportable for birth tourism.
- Scored -5
Does this make it easier for immigrants already here to become citizens?
The legislation restricts pathways to acquiring citizenship through birth tourism by penalizing pregnant nonimmigrants.
- Scored -4
Would women be better off under this?
Pregnant nonimmigrant women face potential negative impacts and increased scrutiny regarding their travel timelines and entry admissibility.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Section 2: This section makes certain aliens inadmissible if they seek entry for the primary purpose of obtaining United States citizenship for a child by giving birth, or if they are likely to give birth within 10 months of entry. This could be viewed positively by those who want to restrict individuals from entering the country specifically to secure citizenship for their children through birth.
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Section 3: This section makes aliens deportable if they entered the United States to engage in birth tourism, as judged by the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of State, or a consular officer. This may be seen as a positive benefit by citizens who support the removal of individuals who entered the country under these specific circumstances.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Section 2: This section establishes that an alien is inadmissible if they are likely to give birth within 10 months of entry, based on the reasonable judgment of the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of State, or a consular officer. This could negatively impact individuals who fit this timeline but have other intentions, as their admissibility relies entirely on the judgment of these officials.
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Section 3: This section provides that an alien is deportable if they are judged to have entered the United States to engage in birth tourism, including those likely to give birth within 10 months of entry. This could result in the deportation of individuals based on an official's judgment regarding their expected childbirth timeline.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would immigrants be better off under this? — The legislation explicitly targets and penalizes certain nonimmigrant immigrants by making them inadmissible and deportable for birth tourism. Would women be better off under this? — Pregnant nonimmigrant women face potential negative impacts and increased scrutiny regarding their travel timelines and entry admissibility.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill grants increased discretionary authority to federal officials such as the Secretary of Homeland Security and consular officers. Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts? — The discretionary judgment applied to pregnant travelers' intentions may negatively impact individual due process and fairness.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this tighten control of the border? — The bill enhances border security and immigration enforcement by making individuals engaging in birth tourism inadmissible and deportable. Does this make it easier for immigrants already here to become citizens? — The legislation restricts pathways to acquiring citizenship through birth tourism by penalizing pregnant nonimmigrants.
- 7/27/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/21/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/20/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/16/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 6 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Jim BanksRepublican · Indiana
Ted BuddRepublican · North Carolina
John CornynRepublican · Texas
Josh HawleyRepublican · Missouri
John KennedyRepublican · Louisiana
Cynthia LummisRepublican · Wyoming
Mike LeeRepublican · Utah
Rick ScottRepublican · Florida
Tim SheehyRepublican · Montana