Los Angeles: The sign says one thing, but according to federal agents, this building could actually be a so-called “maternity hotel.”
Suspected “maternity hotels” raided in California
Agents raided around 20 locations in Southern California, Tuesday.
Immigration officials say such hotels target pregnant foreign women — largely from China — who pay up to $80,000 in hopes of obtaining U.S. citizenship for their children born here.
And officials say this could mean possible criminal offenses.
Claude Arnold, special agent in charge for ice/homeland security investigations in Los Angeles, says:
“It’s not illegal to come to the U.S. and have your baby born here as a U.S. citizen, but it is illegal to lie about that during the Visa application process, and when you’re applying to the admission to the United States once you arrive.”
Authorities believe maternity tourism has been operating for several years — with businesses promising Social Security numbers and U.S. passports for infants.
More expensive packages include recreational activities, they say, including a potential trip to Disneyland.
(Ventuno)