Governor Greg Abbott has directed the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to immediately investigate Mission Regional Medical Center after reports alleged the South Texas hospital advertised “birth packages” to foreign nationals.

The directive was issued July 7, 2026, in a letter to HHSC Executive Commissioner Stephanie Muth. In the letter, Abbott said the hospital, which is regulated by HHSC, was reportedly advertising “birth packages in South Texas” in foreign countries and targeting foreign nationals in what he described as an apparent effort to profit from children being born in the United States and receiving U.S. citizenship.  

The Governor’s Directive

According to Abbott’s office, HHSC has been instructed to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation into Mission Regional Medical Center for any violations of state law or contractual obligations.

Abbott also directed HHSC to refer any violations to the Texas Attorney General’s Office for civil enforcement and to the appropriate district or county attorney for possible criminal prosecution. The governor’s letter also states HHSC should take administrative action against the hospital if warranted, including sanctions and penalties.  

“American citizenship is not for sale and Texas will not permit our healthcare system to be used as a magnet for birth tourism,” Abbott wrote in the letter.

What Is Being Alleged?

The allegations center on whether Mission Regional Medical Center marketed maternity-related services to people outside the United States under the phrase “birth packages in South Texas.”

A Houston Chronicle report stated the hospital had advertised maternity packages to international patients, including through a billboard in Reynosa, Mexico, and a website called “Have My Baby in Texas.” According to that report, the promoted packages began at $3,950 and included services connected to childbirth and hospital care. The Chronicle also reported the hospital stopped promoting the packages and said it intended to cooperate with the investigation.  

The allegations do not, by themselves, establish that the hospital violated the law. Abbott’s order calls for HHSC to determine whether any state laws, contracts, regulations, or administrative rules were violated.

Birth Tourism and the Legal Question

The term “birth tourism” generally refers to people traveling to the United States to give birth so their child receives U.S. citizenship.

The legal issue is complicated. Being born in the United States has long been tied to citizenship under the 14th Amendment, which states that all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to its jurisdiction, are citizens of the United States and of the state where they reside.  

However, federal visa rules also address the practice. In 2020, the U.S. Department of State issued a rule stating that travel to the United States for the primary purpose of obtaining U.S. citizenship for a child by giving birth is not an appropriate basis for a temporary visitor visa. Under that rule, if a consular officer has reason to believe a visa applicant will give birth in the United States, the applicant is presumed to be traveling primarily for that purpose unless they can establish another legitimate primary reason for travel.  

That distinction is important: the investigation ordered by Abbott appears focused on whether a Texas-regulated hospital or related advertising practices crossed legal or contractual lines, not whether every noncitizen birth in the United States is unlawful.

Mission Regional Medical Center

Mission Regional Medical Center is located in Mission, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley. The hospital’s own website describes its women’s health services as including a birthing center and maternity care. The hospital states its birthing center has labor and delivery rooms and provides services for families preparing for childbirth.  

As of Abbott’s announcement, no criminal charges had been announced in connection with the allegations. The matter remains an investigation.

What Happens Next?

HHSC is now expected to review the allegations and determine whether Mission Regional Medical Center violated any state laws, rules, or contractual obligations. If violations are found, Abbott’s directive calls for referrals to the Attorney General’s Office and the appropriate local prosecutor.

Abbott also said he plans to work with the Texas Legislature next session to strengthen state law and “eliminate birth tourism in Texas.”

For now, the case places a South Texas hospital at the center of a broader political and legal debate involving healthcare access, immigration enforcement, birthright citizenship, and the marketing of medical services to international patients.

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