US revokes visas for birth tourism, increasing tension between Juárez and El Paso, Texas

Tensions are escalating between Ciudad Juárez and El Paso, Texas, following reports that U.S. border agents are revoking tourist visas from mothers who gave birth in the United States. Social media groups have been abuzz with accounts from individuals who regularly cross the border, detailing instances where their visas were taken away by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers.

One woman shared her distressing experience anonymously on Facebook, stating her visa was revoked at the "Puente Libre" crossing. Despite having two children and paying for their births legally at Hospital Las Palmas, she was informed that she had "used her visa improperly" by giving birth on U.S. soil. She described being held for five hours before her visa was cut with scissors, with no opportunity to argue her case. She urged others to be cautious and wait for the situation to calm down.

Local immigration lawyer Arturo Vázquez is providing free legal aid to affected mothers. He reported being contacted by 94 individuals in a single day who had their visas revoked at the border for having given birth in the U.S. Vázquez advises these mothers, who hold laser or tourist visas, to refrain from crossing the border for the next couple of months. He anticipates that the ACLU will file a lawsuit against the executive branch, seeking a federal judge's ruling on the constitutionality of President Donald Trump's order.

This situation stems from an increase in the U.S. revoking tourist visas for mothers who gave birth in the United States, citing them as a public charge. The reported visa revocations have even led to a noticeable decrease in border crossing queues in Juárez in recent days.