Government Accountability Institute Vice President of Research Seamus Bruner says the term “birth tourism” dangerously understates what federal authorities are confronting, arguing that Chinese operations bringing expectant mothers to the United States are part of a broader espionage network built on fraud.
During a recent media appearance, Bruner praised the Trump administration’s decision to pair the Department of Justice with ICE and the Department of Homeland Security to target organizations accused of facilitating the schemes.
“I think that’s way too soft a term. It’s an espionage pipeline,” Bruner said. “Organizations bringing these foreign nationals in, minting U.S. citizens, then taking them back to China.”
Bruner argued the investigations extend well beyond immigration violations, alleging the organizations also commit visa fraud and abuse federal relief programs.
“These organizations are committing all kinds of fraud—visa fraud,” he said. “They’re getting a bunch of loan fraud, which is just crazy that you’ve got foreign nationals getting PPP loans, using that money to mint U.S. citizens and then send them back to China to become spies.”
According to Bruner, the alleged fraud reflects a much larger problem that has cost American taxpayers enormous sums over decades.
“Billions and millions — trillions really — is what’s been defrauded of the U.S. taxpayer over the number of years,” he said. “It’s good that we’re finally kind of cracking down on it.”
Bruner also pointed to broader healthcare fraud cases, including allegations involving Medicaid and Medicare, arguing the administration’s enforcement push is beginning to expose longstanding abuse.
He cited reports about a Houston woman accused of orchestrating a $90 million Medicaid fraud scheme who allegedly removed her ankle monitor before fleeing to Vietnam, saying such cases demonstrate the need for aggressive prosecutions.
Bruner argued immigration fraud, healthcare fraud and political corruption are interconnected.
“It’s really all connected to fraud in terms of defrauding the government with Medicare… and the immigration fraud,” he said. “And it’s all anti-American at the end of the day.”
He further contended that lax immigration policies ultimately create political incentives that benefit progressive candidates.
“It’s actually a central component of their business model, to bring in non-citizens… get them hooked up to benefits so that they become dependent on the system,” Bruner said. “Eventually they become political power.”
Bruner concluded by calling the cycle “treasonous,” arguing that continued cooperation between DOJ, ICE and DHS will be essential to dismantling what he described as networks built on immigration fraud, financial fraud and exploitation of American taxpayers.
Watch the clip above.
