Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against a Houston-area business accused of operating a “birth tourism” scheme, with multiple locations concentrated in Fort Bend County, including Richmond, Rosenberg and Sugar Land.
The lawsuit targets De’ Ai Postpartum Care Center, which the state alleges helped foreign nationals, primarily from China, travel to Texas to give birth so their children would obtain U.S. citizenship.
According to the filing, the business operated out of multiple residential properties across the Houston region, with several tied directly to Fort Bend County. Addresses listed in the lawsuit include homes on Granite Field Lane in Richmond, Summer Night Lane in Rosenberg and Birch Hill Drive in Sugar Land.
State investigators allege the company has operated for nearly two decades and advertised that it facilitated more than 1,000 births in the United States. The business allegedly marketed its services through Chinese-language social media platforms and coached clients on how to navigate visa applications and immigration procedures.
The lawsuit further alleges that clients were advised to conceal the purpose of their travel and, in some cases, to apply for visas before becoming pregnant to avoid scrutiny from federal authorities.
The state alleges the operation violated Texas law, including through deceptive trade practices, tampering with governmental records and unlawfully harboring individuals.
Paxton’s lawsuit seeks to shut down the operation, along with civil penalties and attorneys’ fees.
Birthright citizenship is guaranteed under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The lawsuit focuses on whether the defendants unlawfully facilitated travel and misrepresented the purpose of entry into the United States.
