The United States Department of State has intensified enforcement actions against what it describes as illegal “birth tourism” schemes aimed at securing American citizenship for children through visitor visas.

This was disclosed in a statement posted via the department’s official X handle on Wednesday.

“Under President Trump, the State Department is defending the integrity of U.S. citizenship by ending illegal birth tourism schemes.

“No foreigner is permitted to obtain a visitor visa for the primary purpose of acquiring U.S. citizenship for a child by giving birth in the U.S.

“A U.S. embassy in West Africa uncovered a sophisticated birth tourism network involving more than 100 foreign nationals using fraudulent documents and visa ‘fixers’ to obtain visas in order to secure U.S. citizenship for their children.

“We shut it down, revoked these foreign nationals’ visas, and are coordinating with local authorities to systematically identify and dismantle similar operations.

“In Europe, a U.S. embassy identified more than 400 suspected birth tourism cases since 2024. Investigators traced them to at least six companies that coached applicants on what to say during their visa interviews, arranged U.S. housing, and set up delivery plans.

“We shut it down, revoked their visas, and permanently banned several fraudsters from travelling to the United States.

“One U.S. embassy in North Africa revoked more than 100 visas issued to ‘birth tourist’ parents who came to the United States primarily to give birth so their children could obtain U.S. citizenship.

“Consular officers, working with law enforcement and using data analytics, identified several networks abusing the system and put a stop to them.

“A U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right. The State Department is taking action around the world to stop this abuse, dismantle birth tourism networks, and hold accountable those who try to scam our system,” the statement said.

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The United States early Thursday launched air strikes on Southern Iran causing explosions in the major Iranian cities.

Iranian media reports that five enemy projectiles hit a site in the Kargan area of the city of Minab in southern Iran.

According to Iranian media, explosions were also reported in Bandar Abbas, while there were blasts and air defense activity in Jask, Qeshm, and Sirik in the Hormozgan province.

These cam as the US Central Command, CENTCOM, announced that American forces had begun launching additional self-defense strikes against multiple targets in Iran.

CENTCOM said President Donald Trump ordered the strikes in response to what it described as Iran’s continued aggression.

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The US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, has said that the United States will negotiate with bombs if need be, warning Iran that American strikes would continue until Tehran agrees to President Donald Trump’s nuclear terms.

Hegseth made this statement at the US Central Command, CENTCOM, headquarters in Florida on Wednesday.

He said additional military operations were already planned and could continue as long as Tehran refused to finalise a nuclear agreement with Washington.

“Central Command will be busy tonight because President Trump said, ‘ We will be hitting Iran hard, and we will be. We will negotiate with bombs if need be.

“Iran has a chance to make a good deal, a great deal to codify what they said they’ve been willing to do, and they haven’t been willing to do it,” he said.

According to him, Iran had repeatedly delayed negotiations despite what he described as a fully developed diplomatic path offered by President Trump.

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