NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Washington DC, May 16, 2026 — An Indian-origin obstetrician in California has come under congressional scrutiny after House Republicans launched an investigation into what they describe as a growing “birth tourism” industry that allegedly helps foreign nationals travel to the United States on temporary visas to give birth and secure अमेरिकी citizenship for their children.
Athiya Javid, who operates an OB/GYN practice in San Jose, is among four maternity-related businesses named in letters sent this week by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The inquiry is being led by James Comer, the committee’s Republican chairman, and Brandon Gill, who chairs the panel’s Task Force on Defending Constitutional Rights and Exposing Institutional Abuses.
Lawmakers allege that Dr. Javid’s practice actively markets maternity services to international patients and may be offering support that extends beyond medical care, including temporary housing assistance, trip planning, and legal consultations through affiliated providers. In a four-page letter dated May 14, congressional investigators cited the clinic’s “medical tourism” webpage and requested records dating back to January 2020, including contracts, marketing materials, revenue figures, and any visa-related guidance provided to foreign clients. The committee has ordered the requested documents to be submitted by May 28.
Dr. Javid, who studied medicine at Gandhi Medical College in Hyderabad before building her medical career in the United States, is the only Indian-origin physician named in the probe. Other businesses under investigation include maternity service providers in Florida and Texas that allegedly advertise childbirth packages to overseas clients.
In their letter, Comer and Gill said that while it is not illegal for a foreign traveler to give birth in the United States, “willfully misrepresenting one’s intentions” while applying for a visitor visa constitutes visa fraud under federal law. They also argued that because many such clients allegedly come from countries such as China and Russia, the practice raises broader concerns about immigration enforcement and national security.
The committee is also seeking data on how many international maternity clients were served by Dr. Javid’s practice, what fees were collected, and whether the clinic or its partners provided guidance on obtaining visitor visas or navigating inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The investigation comes amid renewed political debate over birthright citizenship and so-called “birth tourism.” According to an analysis cited by lawmakers, the number of babies born in the United States to mothers on tourist visas rose from roughly 26,000 in 2020 to about 70,000 by 2023, though immigration experts note such estimates remain contested.
Cover photos courtesy: Dr. Athiya Javid/ Senator Brandon Gill/X.
Birth tourism companies are charging foreign nationals to fly to America, give birth, and walk away with U.S. citizenship for their child.
— Congressman Brandon Gill (@RepBrandonGill) May 14, 2026
One is literally called “Have My Baby in Miami.”
Our new @GOPoversight Task Force just launched a formal probe into four of them. pic.twitter.com/aXNgfrvym0
