Overview
- Gov. Greg Abbott signed the executive order on July 21 directing state agencies to find and stop unlawful birth tourism schemes in Texas and to hold providers accountable.
- The order names the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Department of State Health Services, HHSC Office of Inspector General, Texas Medical Board, Board of Nursing and TDLR and empowers them to suspend or revoke licenses, bar state contracts and deny state benefits for violations.
- HHSC has already referred two South Texas hospitals, Mission Regional and Knapp, to the Texas attorney general over alleged Spanish‑language fixed‑price “birth package” advertising and the hospitals say the disputed marketing is no longer in use and they will cooperate with investigators.
- The move follows a late‑June U.S. Supreme Court ruling reaffirming birthright citizenship and federal steps increasing scrutiny of schemes involving visa misrepresentation, while independent estimates show births to tourists are a small share of U.S. births.
- Officials will share information with federal prosecutors and investigations are ongoing, but critics warn the enforcement push could make providers wary of treating pregnant immigrants and risk reducing access to prenatal and delivery care for people in border communities.