The Justice Department has instructed federal prosecutors to prioritize criminal investigations into alleged birth tourism schemes after the Supreme Court rejected President Donald Trump’s effort to end automatic birthright citizenship.
DOJ Shifts Focus To Birth Tourism Fraud Investigations In a memo issued Wednesday, the Justice Department's Office of the Deputy Attorney General directed attorneys in its criminal division to make the investigation and prosecution of alleged birth tourism schemes a priority.
Colin McDonald, who leads the department's fraud division, said prosecutors should aggressively pursue cases involving individuals or organizations accused of exploiting the U.S. immigration system through fraud.
"The Department of Justice will zealously protect the sanctity of United States citizenship by investigating and prosecuting those who fraudulently exploit our immigration system," McDonald wrote in the memo.
The guidance also encourages prosecutors to consider charges beyond immigration-related offenses, including wire fraud and money laundering, where appropriate.
