HOUSTON – Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against a Houston-area business accused of operating an illegal “birth tourism” scheme designed to help foreign nationals obtain U.S. citizenship for their children.
The lawsuit targets De’Ai Postpartum Care Center, alleging the company unlawfully facilitated travel for Chinese nationals whose primary purpose was to give birth in the United States and secure so-called birthright citizenship. According to the Attorney General’s office, the operation violated multiple Texas laws, including provisions of the Texas Penal Code and the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
Authorities say the operation spanned several properties across the Houston area, including locations in Sugar Land, Houston, Richmond, and Rosenberg. The lawsuit alleges that multiple families were housed at these properties simultaneously, with the business facilitating a high volume of births.
Court filings claim the business has operated for nearly two decades, during which it allegedly facilitated the births of more than 1,000 children in the United States. The lawsuit contends that the Center promoted its services primarily through Chinese social media platforms and websites, targeting expectant mothers abroad.
The lawsuit states the state is seeking to shut down the operation. The lawsuit also requests financial damages exceeding $1 million.
In the filing, the state describes the operation as an “illegal, dangerous, and dishonest” enterprise that undermines immigration laws and constitutes a public nuisance.
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