A South Florida physician at the center of a federal birth tourism probe refused to answer any questions during a House hearing Tuesday. The standoff comes as Republicans escalate efforts to restrict birthright citizenship and crack down on what they describe as a growing industry built around exploiting U.S. immigration rules. The dispute now sets up a broader fight over how Congress may respond, who could be affected, and what federal policy changes may follow.
Lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee’s Task Force on Protecting Constitutional Rights and Exposing Institutional Abuses subpoenaed Dr. Wladimir Lorentz, the founder of Miami Medical Concierge Services, after he declined earlier requests to testify about his company’s role in arranging births for foreign nationals. Lorentz invoked the Fifth Amendment to every question, citing a pending federal investigation into his business, also known as “Have My Baby in Miami.” Newsweek reached out to Lorentz's attorney for comment.
The hearing opened with Lorentz reading a prepared statement acknowledging the subpoena and asserting his constitutional right against self‑incrimination. Republican members pressed him repeatedly about his company’s promotional materials, including a step‑by‑step guide for foreign clients seeking to give birth in the United States, instructions on obtaining international health insurance, and housing arrangements in Miami. Committee Chairman Brandon Gill, a Texas Republican, cited archived versions of the company’s website, which advertised “over 2,000 deliveries of international patients,” and asked Lorentz whether he had assisted clients connected to foreign governments or criminal organizations.
Lorentz declined to answer each question. Gill ultimately dismissed Lorentz from the witness panel, noting that the subpoena required his appearance but did not compel testimony that could incriminate him. Because Lorentz is already under federal investigation, lawmakers acknowledged they are unlikely to pursue contempt charges.
After Lorentz’s departure, the committee turned to Dr. Steven Camarota, the director of research at the Center for Immigration Studies, who testified about the scale and consequences of birth tourism. Citing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention birth certificate data and Census Bureau comparisons, Camarota said earlier estimates suggest 20,000 to 26,000 birth tourists per year, amounting to 200,000 to 300,000 children born to foreign nationals over the past decade.
He emphasized that official birth certificate addresses often mask the true scope of the practice because many birth tourism operators house clients in U.S. facilities and use those addresses to receive paperwork before the mothers depart. Camarota warned that the practice raises concerns about fraud, assimilation, and national security. Children born through birth tourism grow up abroad, he noted, yet retain unrestricted access to the United States as citizens.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
