Birth tourism: Myth or Fact? (And do you care?)

[pnwmom]

Here's what Wikipedia has to say:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birth_tourism




This practice is believed to be popular among women in Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.<2> According to Edward Chang, a scholar of Asian American Studies at the University of California, Riverside, the practice is popular among the elite of South Korea, since sons of these women can avoid compulsory military service. Temporary homes for these mothers are often located in residential neighborhoods, which neighbors allege decrease the quality of life in the neighborhood, primarily due to increases in traffic and other business-like effects. "It's easy. If you register the birth, it's automatic that your baby can get an American passport," said Kim Jeong Yeon, a Korean woman who traveled to the United States on a tourist visa while six months pregnant.<3>Like many other women, Kim spent thousands of dollars to have a company arrange the travel. "If they could afford it, all my friends would go to the United States to have their babies," she said.<4>

In California, three Chinese-owned "baby care centers" offer expectant mothers a place to give birth to an American citizen for a fee of $14,750, which includes shopping and sightseeing trips. For a $35 daily fee, television, internet, and three meals are provided. "We don't encourage moms to break the law — just to take advantage of it," explains Robert Zhou, the agency's owner. Zhou says that he and his wife have helped up to 600 women give birth in the United States within the last five years. In fact, they started the business after traveling to the United States to have a child of their own. Zhou explains that the number of agencies like his has soared in the past five years.<5> Zhou believes that a cheaper education is often a motivating factor and his pitch to prospective clients includes the notion that public education in the United States is "free." One of his clients, Christina Chuo, explains that her parents "paid a huge amount of money for their education" in the United States because they were foreign students; having an American citizen child permits her child to acquire the same education at a lower tuition. She also noted that she and her husband were not interested in permanently immigrating to the United States, "except, perhaps, when they retire."<6>

Birth tourism from Turkey is also reportedly popular. According to Selin Burcuoglu, a Turkish woman who traveled to the United States to give birth last year, the process was easy: "We found a company on the Internet and decided to go to Austin for our child's birth. It was incredibly professional. They organized everything for me. I had no problem adjusting and I had an excellent birth. I don’t want her to deal with visa issues — American citizenship has so many advantages."<7> Birth tourism can be a lucrative business for immigrants who facilitate the travel and birthing process for their former countrymen. Turkish doctors, hotel owners, and immigrant families in the United States have reportedly arranged the U.S. birth of 12,000 Turkish children since 2003. The Turkish-owned Marmara Hotel group offers a "birth tourism package" that includes accommodations at their Manhattan branch. "We hosted 15 families last year," said Nur Ercan Mağden, head manager of The Marmara Manhattan, adding that the cost was $45,000 each.<8>

Similarly, the Tucson Medical Center (TMC) in Arizona offers a "birth package" to expectant mothers and actively recruits in Mexico. Expectant mothers can schedule a Caesarean or simply arrive a few weeks before their due date. The cost reportedly ranges from $2,300 to $4,600 and includes a hospital stay, exams, and a massage. Additional children trigger a surcharge of $500.<9>

[XemaSab]

1. A whole 600 people have done this?

Seriously, we're how many trilion dollars in the hole from WAR but those 600 Chinese kids who are now American citizens are the biggest problem we face?

Please.

[pnwmom]

3. Those are the numbers from only one center. 12,000 from Turkey, alone,

according to the article. There's no way of knowing what the actual numbers are, since not all of these centers operate openly.


http://articles.latimes.com/2011/mar/25/local/la-me-bir ...

Inside they were maternity centers for Chinese women willing to pay handsomely to travel here to give birth to American citizens.

Southern California has become a hub of so-called birthing tourism. Operators of such centers tend to try to blend in, attracting as little attention as possible.

But on quiet, residential Palm Avenue, neighbors had noticed an unusual number of pregnant women going in and out, and some complained about noise.

On March 8, code enforcement officials shut down three identical four-bedroom townhouses functioning as an unlicensed birthing center.

[Capitalocracy]

2. If they have U.S. citizenship, they owe U.S. taxes no matter where they are

(believe me, as a U.S. citizen abroad, I know)

[pnwmom]

4. The children won't owe taxes until they have incomes.

And before then they'll be entitled to a U.S. education, or so they say.

"One of his clients, Christina Chuo, explains that her parents "paid a huge amount of money for their education" in the United States because they were foreign students; having an American citizen child permits her child to acquire the same education at a lower tuition. "

[Capitalocracy]

6. Right, just like all American kids.

First you get the education, then when you work, you pay the taxes.

[pnwmom]

7. But these people are jumping the immigration lines.

Do you think we should have absolutely no controls on immigration into this country?

Or is it okay to do this as long as you're wealthy enough to give birth through a center?

[Capitalocracy]

13. But that's one perfectly legal immigration method

I mean, OK, you could say deny tourist visas to pregnant people and advocate for reducing the number of or eliminating the nations eligible for the visa waiver program, or you could amend the Constitution to eliminate birthright citizenship, but I can't think of any really good reason to do that. These people will all have a choice, either pay taxes to the U.S. or renounce their citizenship. They're just another American, nothing illegal about it. Their parents cannot come to the U.S. because their children are born here, "anchor babies" are an urban legend. We don't really have a horrible overpopulation problem. What's the issue?

[pnwmom]

15. These babies as adults can sponsor their siblings and parents.

In that sense they are "anchor babies." Why do you say that's an urban legend?

[Capitalocracy]

16. Yes, they can SPONSOR them.

that sponsorship comes with full financial support, or it doesn't come at all. Sponsors of immigrant family members are required to provide for them. If they are ever eligible for state benefits, those people will be sued and required to pay the cost of those benefits plus legal fees.

And this is when they're adults. The myth of the anchor baby is one where people cross the border, have a baby, and are then allowed to stay. Ask any Freeper what anchor baby means.

[pnwmom]

21. I'm not sure I know any freepers to ask.

But this is what Wikipedia says:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchor_baby

"Anchor baby" is a term for a child born in the United States to immigrant parents, who, as an American citizen, can later facilitate immigration for relatives.<1> The term is generally used as a pejorative reference to the supposed role of the child who automatically qualifies as an American citizen and can later act as a sponsor for other family members<2><3> The term is often used in the context of the debate over illegal immigration to the United States, but is used for the child of any immigrant.<1>

[Capitalocracy]

24. Right-wingers use the term anchor baby because they don't understand how it works

They either believe that the mother will be allowed to stay, or if they don't, they're feeding that lie to their followers. And they use the term because they're racists. It's a racist term.

Honestly, more people living legally in the U.S. is not a significant problem. A bigger problem would be getting rid of the concept of birthright citizenship and opening it up to questioning by crazy right-wing bureaucrats and judges. Believe me, they're ready to pounce. Look at the stuff they say about Obama. They've got some weird ideas about citizenship, and we don't want to go down that road.

And more people being able to sponsor family members' immigration has no negative economic impact on the nation. The system is structured so that it cannot. As a matter of fact, I was born in Kansas, but I met a lady online from Argentina and got married to her, and now we're stuck here, can't go to the U.S. Why? Because I don't have enough money. You have to have money. They make you prove you have money, and sign documents stating that the sponsored immigrant will never, ever, ever use food stamps or any other needs-based government program, or you will be sued.

So our immigration laws have forced me to choose between my wife and my home. They're anything but too lax.

[Warpy]

9. I get a break on investment money I make overseas

but I have to pay foreign taxes on it.

(I told you my tax returns were a nightmare)

[Spider Jerusalem]

25. First $90K of income is exempt but you still have to file

(still the double taxation of income above 90K is, well, bullshit, especially as the US is one of only 2 or 3 countries that taxes based on citizenship rather than residency).

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

5. This has gone on since the 1960's - and I really don't care.

The other really common group is South African afrikaners who have no claim to European citizenship. I work with a South African woman who was born in Miami in the 1970's because her parents believed the greatest gift they could give their children was an irrevocable ticket out should it ever be necessary.

Historically it was the South Vietnamese who first did it in a big way,

[Warpy]

8. Right wingers spit nails when Mexican moms do this

crossing the bridge when they're starting labor in order to give birth in a clinic on the US side. Then they and the baby go back to Mexico, something the wingers always miss. The kid has dual citizenship and can exercise a choice in which country to live in when s/he is 18.

That's all any of this means, it's a way to give a kid a gift of deciding where to live without sitting on an INS waiting list for years.

I have no objection to people who do this. This country has always been enriched by immigrants. It's only been impoverished by the rich WASP types whose families got here first.

[pnwmom]

10. Should we just dismantle the whole green card system then?

Just open the doors to anyone who wants to come in?

What IS a reasonable immigration policy? I really don't know.

[Warpy]

11. When you look at the number of people who can afford to do this

even Mexicans, get back to me.

This is an expensive proposition. That's what will keep numbers low.

Nice straw man, though. Now take him out and play with him.

[treestar]

18. This doesn't have to do with green cards

The green card system is still there.

Anyone born in another country still needs one to live and work in the US.

It's people who are born here who don't need one.

[REP]

12. These are rich people doing this birth tourism - not the downtrodden

Me, I got other shit to worry about so while I think this is dirty pool, it doesn't set me off - but these are people of means buying these packages.


And not every family who 'got here first' was rich or WASP. My family was Welsh (most definitely not Anglo-Saxon), Quaker and threatened with death but whatever.

[Warpy]

14. True, the oldest branch of my family

settled in NY when it was New Amsterdam and the Dutch royals were giving the Mowhawk land away to each other. The land was so poor for European purposes that they never did get all that rich and what they had, the Depression wiped out.

[Shagbark Hickory]

17. I'm probably the only one on DU that thinks something should be done about this.

So I had best keep my trap shut! :yoiks:

[saras]

19. Don't care - American immigration control has always been racist in conception as well as execution

I think anyone who doesn't want immigrants to America, legal or illegal, needs to be working to put an end to the global economy, with 100% of their effort. It isn't enough to do it after working a 50 hour week for a global company.

[nadinbrzezinski]

20. Gosh darn it... you could say I did jump ahead of

many others due to the POLISH quota... and it still took 10 years.

The people doing this are very well to do... small fortunes in fact.

The problem you are having is that they found a way to give their kids a choice, Never mind that if they applied for a green card, given their wealth status they would jump ahead anyway.

As to sponsorship... you have no idea what that means financially for the sponsoring family.

By the way, you do know where all border controls came from right? I mean up to the 1880s they mostly did not exist... I recommend some history... it parallels the history of racism in this country quite nicely.

[pnwmom]

22. Our population is much larger than in the 1880's.

Don't there have to be some limits on immigration?

[nadinbrzezinski]

23. Look at some stats

if it wasn't for that immigration we would be in the same boat as Japan. Actually we would be in a worst boat than Japan, regarding an aging population.

Now here is the truth... believe it or not the US is no longer seen as the shiny city in the hill that people WANT to go to any longer. Yes, keeping my ears open to the rest of the world... and many of those who come to study, these days GO BACK, rather than stay in the US. The trends, in that sense, are not good...

I know a few people on the right and more than a few on the left will be dancing with glee once they realize that.

[a la izquierda]

27. Mexicans could cross freely until the Depression.

The lack of jobs, and idea that Mexicans were "taking" available jobs made them a target for extreme discrimination.

Sound familiar? ;)

[WatsonT]

30. So you mean during periods of record unemployment people are less amenable to the idea

of importing more low wage workers?

Clearly the only reason for this is racism. Clearly. If mexicans were blond and blue-eyed we'd welcome the influx of cheap union busting labor when we have 9% unemployment.

[a la izquierda]

32. Wow, you read a whole lot into what I wrote.

Yep, I'm blaming this on racism. :eyes:

If you've got a beef with desperately poor people fleeing unemployment and destitution in Mexico and elsewhere, take it up with the corporate overlords who run this country.

[WatsonT]

33. I'm more concerned about the desperately poor unemployed people here

We can't solve all the worlds unemployment problems when we're in a hole this bad.

Likewise leaving the US as a safety valve prevents any meaningful changes in Mexico. If these people were back in their own country they'd be pissed off and agitating for change. Instead they come here and send money back to prop up that failed state.

[a la izquierda]

34. You read what you want to, not what's actually there. n/t

[LanternWaste]

36. I imagine borders are more important

I imagine borders are more important than individuals to many people when time are tough. Not a judgement-- merely an observation.

[WatsonT]

37. Anything relating to employment is more important when you are unemployed

when many people within a nation are unemployed then nationally that rises to significance.

If godzilla were destroying the entire eastern seaboard that would become more significant in voters minds.

[WatsonT]

29. We have a lot of things now that we didn't in the 1880s

like for instance the USDA, department of education, FDA, EPA, social security, medicare, and so on.

If you want us to go back to the 1880s on one issue you have to take the rest as well. Still seem so wonderful?

[Posteritatis]

26. I'm completely indifferent to it. (nt)

[a la izquierda]

28. Thanks for this post...

though the idea doesn't concern me in the slightest, I want to find more information for a course I'm teaching in the fall.

[iris27]

31. Interesting.

I really don't care; doesn't bother me. But the idea of a whole business built around the concept is interesting.

[Blue_In_AK]

35. In reverse birth tourism

my new granddaughter was born in Costa Rica.

I suppose this gives her tri citizenship, since mom is American, dad is Australian and she was born in Costa Rica. A citizen of the world, that little one.