Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against a Houston-area business, alleging it operated a “birth tourism” scheme that helped foreign nationals give birth in the United States to obtain citizenship for their children.
According to court filings, the business—De’ai Postpartum Care Center—and its owners Lin Suling and Lai Wan Lin-Chan allegedly promoted services through social media platforms including TikTok, WeChat, Facebook, Meipan, and their own websites. The state claims the operation encouraged pregnant Chinese women to travel to the U.S. on tourist visas specifically to give birth, and in some cases coached clients on how to navigate visa applications and travel timing.
The lawsuit states the defendants own four properties in Sugar Land, Houston, Richmond, and Rosenberg that could house multiple families at a time and allegedly supported as many as 20 births per day. Paxton’s office also alleges the center claimed to have facilitated more than 1,000 U.S.-born births.
The attorney general further alleges the business misrepresented its medical services, advertising 24-hour care by trained nurses and suggesting ties to the Woman’s Hospital of Texas. State officials say searches of nursing and medical board databases did not show licenses for some individuals named in the filing.
The complaint accuses the defendants of violating state laws related to tampering with governmental records, unlawful concealment, public nuisance, and deceptive trade practices. It also alleges they helped clients misstate the purpose of their travel on visa paperwork.
Paxton said in a statement, “America is for Americans, not foreigners trying to cheat the system to claim citizenship,” and described the alleged operation as a violation of immigration law.
The state is seeking a permanent injunction to shut down the business as well as financial penalties.
