“Birth tourism” came into focus after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered a state review when Mission Regional Medical Center acknowledged Spanish-language billboards in Mexico promoted paid “birth packages” for deliveries in South Texas, according to reporting by Fox News. The hospital said the ads and the advertised website were taken down after images circulated on social media, and Abbott asked state officials to investigate. (Fox News)
What happened
Abbott directed the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to review the matter and asked that any suspected violations be referred for civil enforcement or criminal prosecution, per his letter as reported by Fox News. The governor named HHSC Executive Commissioner Stephanie Muth to lead the review. (Fox News)
Mission Regional Medical Center confirmed to reporters that a marketing campaign beginning in 2021 included two Spanish-language billboards placed near a U.S.-Mexico border crossing and that the billboards and the associated website were removed after images spread on social media. The hospital characterized the removal as a response to public concern. (Fox News)
- Governor Abbott ordered an immediate HHSC review and named Stephanie Muth to lead it (reported by Fox News).
- Hospital confirmed the campaign began in 2021 and included two billboards near a border crossing.
Birth tourism ads and what they offered
The campaign targeted pregnant people across the border with messaging about delivering in South Texas and promoted “Birth Packages” on a site listed as havemybabyinTEXAS.com and a telephone number beginning with “001,” the dialing code used from Mexico to call the United States, according to the hospital’s confirmation reported by Fox News. The advertised packages listed prices starting at $3,950 for a natural delivery and $5,525 for a C-section, per the hospital’s statement as reported. The hospital said the website has since been taken offline. (Fox News)
These reported marketing claims prompted questions about whether the outreach improperly targeted foreign nationals or violated state contract terms or rules governing state-supported healthcare services. The hospital did not provide documentation of individual transactions, enrollment processes, or billing details in its public statement, and investigators will need to review records to establish facts about how services were offered and paid for. (Fox News)
State probe and legal questions
Abbott’s directive asks HHSC to “immediately and thoroughly investigate” whether the hospital’s actions violated state law, agency contracts, billing rules, or other applicable policies, and to refer any suspected violations to the Texas Attorney General for civil enforcement and to district or county attorneys for possible criminal prosecution, as described in the governor’s letter reported by Fox News. The directive does not itself make findings; it initiates an administrative review. (Fox News)
Potential enforcement paths noted by officials and legal experts include administrative or contractual remedies by HHSC, civil enforcement actions by the Texas Attorney General (which can seek penalties or injunctions), and criminal investigations by local prosecutors if evidence indicates offenses such as fraud or other violations of state criminal statutes. Determinations about illegality typically hinge on evidence of intent, use of state funds or contracts, billing practices, and whether any federal immigration or fraud statutes were implicated — issues that require document review and possible interviews. No determinations have been announced; the matter is under review.
“American citizenship is not for sale and Texas will not permit our healthcare system to be used as a magnet for birth tourism,” Abbott wrote in his letter asking HHSC to investigate, as reported by Fox News. (Fox News)
Hospital response and local context
Mission Regional Medical Center said in a statement to reporters that it “does not support or facilitate any unlawful activity and work[s] to comply with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations,” and that it “intends to work cooperatively and transparently with local and state officials.” The hospital confirmed the campaign included two billboards placed within approximately five miles of the facility and said the ads began running in 2021, according to reporting. (Fox News)
“We intend to work cooperatively and transparently with local and state officials. Our focus remains on delivering safe, high‑quality care to every patient who seeks our services,” the hospital said in its statement to reporters (reported by Fox News). (Fox News)
Local placement of the campaign near a border crossing has sharpened scrutiny of how border hospitals market services and the oversight mechanisms that apply to outreach aimed at foreign nationals. The hospital’s public remarks and the governor’s directive are the primary verifiable developments so far; investigators will review contracts, marketing agreements, billing records and communications to determine whether rules or laws were violated.
Why it matters
The episode highlights policy tensions at the U.S.-Mexico border over access to care, state oversight of healthcare providers, and political debates about birthright citizenship. Critics characterize practices like those reported as “birth tourism,” the practice of traveling to the U.S. to give birth so a child acquires U.S. citizenship by birth. Supporters of cross‑border care note legitimate medical needs and emergency care obligations; investigators will need to distinguish lawful outreach and care from any unlawful schemes, if present.
What comes next
HHSC’s review led by Executive Commissioner Stephanie Muth will examine records to determine whether there were violations of state law, agency contracts, billing rules or other policies. Possible outcomes include administrative or contract remedies, civil enforcement actions by the Texas Attorney General, or criminal referrals to local prosecutors if evidence supports such steps. The agency’s review is ongoing and no enforcement actions have been announced.
Timeline
- 2021: Hospital says the marketing campaign began (per the hospital’s statement reported by Fox News).
- Weekend before removal: Images of a billboard circulated widely on social media (per reporting).
- Following social-media circulation: Hospital says the billboards and the advertised website were taken offline; the hospital did not specify an exact removal date in its public statement.
Source: Fox News. Primary documents cited in reporting include Gov. Abbott’s letter directing HHSC and the hospital’s public statement to reporters as described in that report.
