LOS ANGELES, USA — A California woman was sentenced Monday to more than three years in prison in a long-running case involving a business that helped pregnant Chinese women travel to the United States to deliver babies, thereby granting them automatic U.S. citizenship.
U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner sentenced Phoebe Dong to 41 months in prison. Dong and her husband were convicted in September of conspiracy and money laundering through their company, USA Happy Baby.
RELATED NEWS : Trump signed an order to end birthright citizenship. What is it and what does that mean?
During the sentencing hearing in federal court in Los Angeles, Dong tearfully recalled growing up without siblings due to China’s strict “one-child” policy, revealing that her mother had been forced to have an abortion.
Federal prosecutors argued that Dong and her now-separated husband, Michael Liu, helped over 100 pregnant Chinese women travel to the U.S. to give birth. Authorities claimed the couple coached these women on how to deceive U.S. customs officials by using tactics such as flying into airports believed to be less scrutinized and wearing loose clothing to conceal their pregnancies. Prosecutors stated that for tens of thousands of dollars each, Dong helped numerous clients deceive U.S. authorities, effectively buying U.S. citizenship for their children.
Following the sentencing, federal prosecutors declined to comment. Judge Klausner ordered Dong to be taken into custody immediately. Before she was led away, she removed a necklace and handed it to a family member.
Dong’s lawyer, John McNicholas, confirmed that she intends to appeal the sentence.
The issue of birthright citizenship has recently gained attention with the return of President Donald Trump to the White House. Trump issued an executive order last week aiming to narrow the definition of birthright citizenship, though it was quickly blocked by a federal judge who declared it “blatantly unconstitutional.” The order had faced opposition from the attorneys general of 22 states.
Dong and Liu were among more than a dozen individuals charged in an Obama-era crackdown on “birth tourism” schemes, which involved helping foreign women hide their pregnancies in order to travel to the United States to give birth. These businesses have long operated in California and other states, catering to individuals from China, Russia, Nigeria, and other countries.
The key draw for many of these travelers is the 14th Amendment, which grants automatic U.S. citizenship to any child born on U.S. soil. Parents engaging in “birth tourism” often believe this will provide their children with opportunities for a U.S. college education, and possibly enable them to eventually secure U.S. permanent residency once their child turns 21.
Despite being allowed to travel to the U.S., pregnant women are prohibited from lying to consular and immigration officials about their intent to give birth. The USA Happy Baby case was part of a larger investigation into businesses aiding Chinese women in giving birth in California. One operator of a similar business is believed to have fled to China, while a third was sentenced in 2019 to 10 months in prison for conspiracy and visa fraud related to a business called “You Win USA.”
During her hearing, Dong told the court that her decision to move to the United States was difficult, but that after having three children of her own, she became hopeful and decided to help other Chinese women seeking to have children in California. She expressed her deep love for her children and asked the court for fair judgment.
“I don’t want to lose my kids,” she said. “I hope you can give me fair judgment. I will take all my responsibility.”
In December, Liu was also sentenced to 41 months in prison. Dong’s lawyer requested that she serve her sentence after Liu has completed his term, citing the couple’s youngest child, who is 13 years old.
SOURCE : APNEWS | Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |
