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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signs executive order over "birth tourism," targets hospitals and providers
CBS News • • nation
Key Points:
- Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued an executive order directing state agencies to investigate and eliminate "birth tourism" schemes, targeting hospitals and healthcare providers involved in facilitating births for citizenship purposes.
- The order mandates investigations by multiple state bodies, including the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and the Texas Medical Board, with potential penalties such as license revocations and bans from state contracts for violators.
- Abbott cited Mission Regional Medical Center for allegedly advertising birth tourism services, though the hospital stated it was merely sharing standard healthcare information and has discontinued the referenced marketing materials.
- The move follows a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upheld birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment, rejecting former President Trump's executive order aimed at restricting it.
- Legal experts note that altering birthright citizenship would likely require a constitutional amendment, as the 14th Amendment and subsequent federal laws guarantee citizenship to nearly all born in the U.S.
