House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., has subpoenaed a doctor allegedly involved in a birth tourism operation in Miami as part of an ongoing investigation into the practice. The hearing is scheduled for September 1.
The subpoena was issued to Dr. Wladimir Lorentz, identified as the founder and chief medical officer of "Have My Baby in Miami." Comer stated in a letter accompanying the subpoena that Lorentz's attorney cited a pending criminal probe by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida as a reason for his client's inability to appear voluntarily.
Comer emphasized the importance of Lorentz's testimony, noting that his knowledge of the company's marketing practices and observations of the birth tourism industry are vital to the committee's investigation. He also expressed concern that delaying testimony would hinder the committee's ability to gather information for legislative purposes, especially given the national security implications of birth tourism.
Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, a member of the task force investigating institutional abuses, echoed these national security concerns. "A growing industry is openly marketing American citizenship to foreign nationals who travel here for the express purpose of giving birth on U.S. soil," Gill said. "This abuse of our immigration system also raises serious national security concerns, particularly given the number of birth tourists traveling from adversarial nations like China and Russia."
The practice, colloquially known as birth tourism, involves foreign nationals coming to the U.S. on temporary visas with the intention of giving birth, resulting in a child who automatically becomes a U.S. citizen. President Donald Trump has previously taken executive action to address birth tourism, including efforts to end birthright citizenship and ban citizenship for children born to foreign diplomats.
"Have My Baby in Miami" reportedly advertised services to assist foreigners with giving birth in the U.S., including details on delivery costs and living in the United States during pregnancy. The company's website and social media pages appeared to be disabled as of Thursday. A YouTube page associated with the business, however, offered to clarify how to have a child in Miami and explained that "children who are born in the United States, with rare exceptions, have US citizenship."
An article from October 2025 cited by the notes indicated that the company claimed to have facilitated the birth of 2,000 babies. The hearing on September 1 is expected to include testimony from Dr. Steve Camarota of the Center for Immigration Studies and Dr. Julio César Novoa, medical director and owner of International Maternity Services.
Defying a congressional subpoena could lead to criminal charges for Lorentz. Fox News Digital reached out to his lawyer for comment.