Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) announced a legal victory Friday after De'AI Postpartum Care Center, A Houston-area business accused of facilitating "birth tourism," agreed to cease operations following a state lawsuit.
AG Paxton sued the center in April, alleging it primarily marketed services to Chinese nationals seeking to give birth in the United States and obtain U.S. citizenship for their children. The lawsuit accused the operation of violating Texas law and assisting clients in navigating and allegedly evading immigration restrictions.
"I will do everything in my power to stop foreign nationals from unlawfully exploiting our immigration system through the scam of 'birth tourism,'" said Paxton. "This operation helped Chinese foreign nationals come to Texas to evade our laws. Now, we have to shut it down."
According to Paxton's office, the center claimed responsibility for more than 1,000 "American-born babies" and operated across four Houston-area properties. The lawsuit alleged the business coached prospective clients on immigration restrictions, including advising women to apply for visas before becoming pregnant to avoid detection.
The center's locations included properties in Houston, Sugar Land, Richmond, and Rosenberg. Paxton's lawsuit sought to stop the operation and obtain other relief over the allegations.
The latest agreement requires De'Ai to permanently cease operations and stop facilitating birthsandf providing the allegeimmigration-evasionon assistance described in the lawsuit.
The case comes as Texas officials continue investigating alleged birth tourism operations. Paxton's office has also opened investigations involving two South Texas hospitals over similar allegations.
