Texas AG Sues Postpartum Center Over Alleged «Birth Tourism» Scheme

On April 29, 2026, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against De’Ai Postpartum Care Center, as well as its operators Lin Suling and Lai Wan Lin-Chan.

The company is accused of organizing a “birth tourism” scheme in which Chinese citizens travel to the U.S. solely to give birth and obtain U.S. citizenship by birthright. According to a statement from the Attorney General’s office, the center has provided prenatal and postpartum care services for nearly two decades, primarily to clients from China. The lawsuit alleges that the company not only offered medical and postpartum services but also advised women on entry requirements, helping them conceal the true purpose of their trip-giving birth on U.S. soil.

In a press release, Paxton noted that the center allegedly facilitated the birth of more than 1,000 children with U.S. citizenship and actively promoted its services through Chinese social media and messaging apps. The lawsuit also lists four locations in the Greater Houston area: Sugar Land, Houston, Richmond, and Rosenberg.

The lawsuit alleges that the Center unlawfully facilitated the invasion of Chinese nationals into Texas for the sole purpose of giving birth and obtaining birthright citizenship, in violation of Texas law, including the Texas Penal Code. The operators are accused of coaching clients on how to conceal the true purpose of their travel and shielding violations of federal immigration law. Attorney General Paxton is seeking to halt the center’s operations and impose appropriate penalties under Texas law.

“America is for Americans, not foreigners trying to cheat the system to claim citizenship,” said Attorney General Paxton. “The Center’s scheme not only facilitated an invasion of Texas, but it also involved shielding and facilitating violations of immigration law.”

The practice of “birth tourism” has long been a subject of debate in American society. Proponents of stricter regulations point to potential risks to the immigration system and national security. Critics of such lawsuits emphasize that the automatic granting of citizenship to children born on U.S. soil has been enshrined in the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution since 1868. At the time of publication, representatives of De’Ai Postpartum Care Center had not provided an official comment regarding the charges.