Feds fight 'maternity tourism' with raids on California 'maternity hotels' to stop foreign women fro - Polidicks

[quote]Federal agents on Tuesday raided more than three dozen "maternity hotels" in Southern California where foreign women give birth, allegedly for the sole purpose of having a U.S.-citizen baby, authorities said. The "maternity tourism" sites included apartment complexes in Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties where authorities believe the businesses housed the foreign nationals about to give birth, federal officials said. Those targeted residences are believed to have catered largely to women from China, who paid $15,000 to $50,000 for lodging, transportation and food, according to a statement by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Those fees don't necessarily include medical care, authorities said. Authorities are looking for evidence of bringing in and harboring of undocumented visitors; conspiracy, fraud and misuse of visas and permits; tax evasion and false tax returns; and willful failure to file report of foreign bank and financial accounts, court papers said. "Based on the results of the investigations to date, it appears the women pay cash for prenatal visits and the actual delivery," U.S. authorities said. "As part of the package, clients were promised they would receive Social Security numbers and U.S. passports for their infants, which the mothers would take with them when they left the U.S." [/quote] [url]http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/03/us/maternity-tourism-raids-california/index.html[/url]

Well, that's a strange "industry" to engage with, having your kids born in a different country. While the motive is understandable, using their child's foreign nationality as a potential way out of China due to the undesirable living conditions and environment there, surely there's gotta be some other way to go about it?

[QUOTE=ironman17;47253599]Well, that's a strange "industry" to engage with, having your kids born in a different country. While the motive is understandable, using their child's foreign nationality as a potential way out of China due to the undesirable living conditions and environment there, surely there's gotta be some other way to go about it?[/QUOTE] Not really. Having American babies or marrying an American has been the easiest way for awhile now.

[QUOTE=ironman17;47253599]Well, that's a strange "industry" to engage with, having your kids born in a different country. While the motive is understandable, using their child's foreign nationality as a potential way out of China due to the undesirable living conditions and environment there, surely there's gotta be some other way to go about it?[/QUOTE] Not in a timescale that isn't measured in "decades". The whole "anchor baby" thing is hardly worth panicking about. It's not a plot to mooch off our "generous" (not really) welfare system when they can afford to shell out $50,000 to have a baby. It's probably more about setting their children up to be able to go to US schools and colleges in the future. I know a guy whose parents sent him to the US from China to study at IU. Going to Western schools is a big fuckin deal to them.

Huh.

[QUOTE=Used Car Salesman;47253673]It's probably more about setting their children up to be able to go to US schools and colleges in the future. I know a guy whose parents sent him to the US from China to study at IU. Going to Western schools is a big fuckin deal to them.[/QUOTE] I guess that makes sense. Is the educational system in China particularly lousy, or is it just the prestige of learning in America and being all multicultural that drives them? Either way I wasn't really "panicking", I was just curious concerning the motivations. However it goes, if the kids have the opportunity for a good education (at least in comparison to what I presume China has to offer), that's a good thing. That said I'm wondering why they'd choose America of all places for the schooling quality...

my school wasnt all that particularly special, but we got lots of exchange students. A girl in my American History class was from China. My Government teacher hosted 2 chinese exhange students. It just kind of happens, nobody ever told me why exchanging was such a big thing for them.

I'm not saying I agree but maybe the USA should just get rid of birthright citizenship. It's not actually that common across the world, just in a few dozen (generally western) countries. Seems like a huge waste of time and a constant source of paranoia for nothing.

[QUOTE=Used Car Salesman;47253673]Not in a timescale that isn't measured in "decades". The whole "anchor baby" thing is hardly worth panicking about. It's not a plot to mooch off our "generous" (not really) welfare system when they can afford to shell out $50,000 to have a baby. It's probably more about setting their children up to be able to go to US schools and colleges in the future. I know a guy whose parents sent him to the US from China to study at IU. Going to Western schools is a big fuckin deal to them.[/QUOTE] It isn't exactly difficult to nab a student visa. Apply to a US school that adheres to certain standards (basically any public university) and then apply for the student visa. There is an interview, and provided you aren't batshit, they grant it. Way easier than this. And American primary schools are certainly not worth it.

Meh, if they're born american they are stuck with american taxes for life no matter where they are. Benefits still > Costs if they're chinese.

[QUOTE=nuocmamt;47253934]Meh, if they're born american they are stuck with american taxes for life no matter where they are. Benefits still > Costs if they're chinese.[/QUOTE] if you're born a citizen you don't have to stay one for life

[QUOTE=nuocmamt;47253934]Meh, if they're born american they are stuck with american taxes for life no matter where they are. Benefits still > Costs if they're chinese.[/QUOTE] Unless America is the oddball in the world I'm pretty sure you don't have to pay American taxes unless you're residing in America. I have tri-citizenship and am only paying taxes in the country i reside (not a burgerland citizen though)

[QUOTE=Dermock;47255648]Unless America is the oddball in the world I'm pretty sure you don't have to pay American taxes unless you're residing in America.[/QUOTE] You do. There was an article about it last week.

[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;47255677]You do. There was an article about it last week.[/QUOTE] You don't, unless you're making over $100,000 per year and live in a country with no tax reciprocity agreement, but you're still required to file a return. People didn't actually read that article it seems.

[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;47255677]You do. There was an article about it last week.[/QUOTE] Not if your new country has a higher tax rate and you have no us sourced income. You can either claim a foreign tax credit or use treaty resourcing.

[QUOTE=ironman17;47253760]I guess that makes sense. Is the educational system in China particularly lousy, or is it just the prestige of learning in America and being all multicultural that drives them? Either way I wasn't really "panicking", I was just curious concerning the motivations. However it goes, if the kids have the opportunity for a good education (at least in comparison to what I presume China has to offer), that's a good thing. That said I'm wondering why they'd choose America of all places for the schooling quality...[/QUOTE] also because it school's like china students had to " volunteer to help make ps4's " or they would not pass the class. ( )