Birth Tourism

Please respond to the following discussion topic and submit it to the discussion forum as a single post. Your initial post should be 75-150 words in length. Then, make at least two thoughtful responses to your fellow students' posts. If you haven't recently, please review the Rules of Discussion.

Birth Tourism is a phrase given to those who travel to another country for the purpose of giving birth in that country. According to the Center Immigration for Studies, there are somewhere between 36-40,000 women who come to the United States each year as "tourist" for the purpose of having a baby here in the States.

If the child is born here, the 14th Amendment says the child is automatically an American citizen and as a result enjoys all the rights and benefits afforded all American citizens. Originally, the 14th Amendment was intended to ensure all emancipated slaves and their families were guaranteed U.S. citizenship.

Many say the women who engage in birth tourism are taking advantage of our laws and the advantages U.S. citizenship will bring their children (and ultimately them because they are allowed to stay her because their child is a U.S. Citizen and they are the parents).

Others say these women are simply using our laws as written and what they are doing is acceptable.

Still others say the only ones doing wrong are the organizations (companies) that set up and sell packages that allow these women the ability to come t the U.S. for the purpose of giving birth.

Watch the following videos. All three discuss in depth the concept of birth tourism.

(Youtube Videos )

• Birth Tourism
• KCET: Birth Tourism
• "Birth Tourism" Shut Down in Seattle Area

In your initial post, discuss the concept of "birth tourism" and how that process works, including the pros and cons as you see them. Finally, state your personal thoughts on the right or wrong of this process and explain why you see it this way.