Trump threat fails to vex underground maternity centers

The underground maternity centers that help Chinese women come to the US to give birth may not be immediately affected by US President Donald Trump’s vow to abolish birthright citizenship, representatives interviewed by the Global Times said on Wednesday.

In an interview with Axios, Trump claimed that he was working on an end to birthright citizenship, the 150-year-old principle that says anyone born on US soil is an American citizen, the BBC reported.

Trump’s idea sparked concerns among some well-to-do Chinese women who wish to give birth in the US so that their children can enjoy US citizenship.

“Giving birth in the US will not be influenced, because birthright citizenship is guaranteed by the US Constitution, which will not be ended merely by an executive order,” Zhang Zhiyun, founder of MBH Exclusive Resort, told the Global Times.

“Pregnant women with legal documents and certificates to prove they can afford all expenses during their stay in the US can enter and give birth there as usual,” Zhang said.

A manager of Voag Medical, a company that provides medical care for pregnant women in the US, told the Global Times that “the idea wasn’t originally aimed at Chinese but rather Latin Americans who illegally enter the US, have a baby there and gain citizenship after their children are 21 years old.”

“In the short term, it might prompt Chinese who are still considering giving birth in the US to make a call,” the manager said.

Leading Democrats and immigrants rights activists on Tuesday blasted Trump’s promise. House Speaker Paul D. Ryan also dismissed the idea during a radio interview, saying it was not consistent with the 14th Amendment of the Constitution.

Maternity centers in the US can have safety hazards, China National Radio reported. Some centers lack necessary certification and proper oversight.

The report highlighted that mothers face language barriers, unfamiliarity with US medical procedures and the possibility family members cannot accompany them.

In September, a nanny working at a Queens maternity center in New York stabbed three babies and turned the knife on her own neck, the New York Times reported.