The United States has announced plans to deny visa applications from Nigerians whose primary reason for travel is to give birth on American soil in order to secure citizenship for their children.

In a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria warned that “birth tourism” — the practice of traveling to the U.S. solely to give birth — is not allowed under U.S. immigration rules.

“If we believe your main purpose for visiting the United States is to have a child so they can acquire U.S. citizenship, your visa will be denied,” the post read. “This is not permitted. Using a visa for the sole purpose of childbirth to obtain U.S. citizenship for your child violates visa regulations.”

Birth tourism typically involves pregnant women traveling to countries that grant automatic citizenship by birth — known as jus soli — allowing their children to obtain citizenship regardless of the parents’ legal status or nationality. The U.S. is one such country, making it a common destination for this practice.

However, the policy has faced increasing scrutiny in recent years. Former President Donald Trump, during his administration, signed an executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship for children born to undocumented immigrants, a measure scheduled to take effect in February 2025.

That executive order has been met with widespread legal challenges. Just last Friday, a federal judge issued a nationwide injunction blocking the implementation of the order — the third such ruling since a June Supreme Court decision limited lower courts’ authority to issue nationwide rulings.

Judge Joseph Laplante, delivering the ruling, emphasized the far-reaching consequences of the executive order. He stated that U.S. citizenship “is the greatest privilege that exists in the world,” and criticized the administration’s attempt to unilaterally change long-standing policy without legislative approval.

“The sudden imposition of a new policy that would strip citizenship from thousands — without congressional debate or due legal process — constitutes irreparable harm,” Laplante wrote, affirming the injunction’s necessity.