Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order on July 21, 2026, directing state agencies to investigate and enforce actions against unlawful birth tourism schemes in Texas. The order targets individuals and entities that facilitate travel to the United States for the purpose of securing citizenship for children born on U.S. soil.

The executive order directs the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, the Department of State Health Services, the HHSC Office of Inspector General, the Texas Medical Board, the Texas Board of Nursing, and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation to investigate claims of birth tourism schemes. These agencies must take enforcement action against licensed or regulated individuals or entities found advertising, soliciting, engaging in, assisting with, or participating in unlawful birth tourism schemes.

The order allows state agencies to partner with federal prosecutors to identify and combat birth tourism schemes by sharing information and referring potential federal law violations. Abbott’s office urged Texans to report information about birth tourism schemes to the HHSC Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Justice, or the appropriate U.S. attorney’s office in Texas.

"Texas will not tolerate the exploitation of our immigration laws by individuals traveling to the United States illegally or under false pretenses to give birth and secure citizenship for their child," Abbott said. "U.S. citizenship is not for sale, and Texas will put a stop to individuals seeking to profit from birth tourism."