SAN GABRIEL, California—The San Gabriel Neighborhood Improvement Service (NIC) and city police discovered an underground maternity (or birthing) center operated by a Chinese couple while investigating building code violation of several townhouses on South Palm Avenue on March 8. The topic of pregnant Chinese women coming to the United States to give birth is once again stirred up.
The five townhouses owned by a Chinese couple, housed 12 Chinese people of which 10 were women who have just given birth and 10 newborns, seven of whom were put in bassinets lined up in an illegally renovated kitchen.
The story was first reported by San Gabriel Valley Tribune (SGVT) on March 22. Dwight Chang, the property manager declined to talk to The Epoch Times. However, he was fined US$800 for violating building codes and operating without a business license, although he denied the charges, the SGVT report said.
Investigators said these women had paid about $35,000 to come to the United States to give birth, the report said.
On March 23, piles of Chinese-language newspapers and empty Pampers boxes could be seen outside the Townhouses. Three Mexican workers were inside a house doing the remodeling work.
Jennifer Davis, director of community development of San Gabriel city, told The Epoch Times that the townhouses had been fined twice for building code violations before, but the refurbishments continued.
Neighbor Taylor said the houses had been under renovation since she moved there in 2008 and she had seen “rows of pregnant women” coming from that house with their family.
Taylor said she was shocked. “I can’t believe there are 10 pregnant women. They are very quiet. There was no screaming and no baby crying,” she told The Epoch Times. “I thought maybe they were there for acupuncture treatment.”
She also said she often saw Mercedes and Porsche parked on the street by the houses.
Another neighbor living across the street complained she had never seen any renovation like this that connects several townhouses together. A third neighbor said she had seen the Chinese couple who rent the house strolling along with pregnant women in the community.
The five townhouses owned by a Chinese couple, housed 12 Chinese people of which 10 were women who have just given birth and 10 newborns, seven of whom were put in bassinets lined up in an illegally renovated kitchen.
The story was first reported by San Gabriel Valley Tribune (SGVT) on March 22. Dwight Chang, the property manager declined to talk to The Epoch Times. However, he was fined US$800 for violating building codes and operating without a business license, although he denied the charges, the SGVT report said.
Investigators said these women had paid about $35,000 to come to the United States to give birth, the report said.
On March 23, piles of Chinese-language newspapers and empty Pampers boxes could be seen outside the Townhouses. Three Mexican workers were inside a house doing the remodeling work.
Jennifer Davis, director of community development of San Gabriel city, told The Epoch Times that the townhouses had been fined twice for building code violations before, but the refurbishments continued.
Neighbor Taylor said the houses had been under renovation since she moved there in 2008 and she had seen “rows of pregnant women” coming from that house with their family.
Taylor said she was shocked. “I can’t believe there are 10 pregnant women. They are very quiet. There was no screaming and no baby crying,” she told The Epoch Times. “I thought maybe they were there for acupuncture treatment.”
She also said she often saw Mercedes and Porsche parked on the street by the houses.
Another neighbor living across the street complained she had never seen any renovation like this that connects several townhouses together. A third neighbor said she had seen the Chinese couple who rent the house strolling along with pregnant women in the community.
In fact, last year Shanghai Overseas Chinese News already reported that a web host of a maternity center in Los Angeles said there were dozens of maternity centers run by Chinese people in Los Angeles, each having one to five standalone houses that can accommodate 8-10 maternity women.
Each year about 5,000 women from China come for “birthing tourism” to the United States, according to a report by Information Times on Aug. 23, 2010.
Searching Baidu, China’s most used search engine, for the phrase “fumeishengzi” or “fumeichanzi” (birthing tourism to the United States) will return more than one million results, with most websites sharing tips on birthing tourism in the United States and the pros and cons of doing so.
Each year about 5,000 women from China come for “birthing tourism” to the United States, according to a report by Information Times on Aug. 23, 2010.
Searching Baidu, China’s most used search engine, for the phrase “fumeishengzi” or “fumeichanzi” (birthing tourism to the United States) will return more than one million results, with most websites sharing tips on birthing tourism in the United States and the pros and cons of doing so.
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Brokerage business is therefore booming, and the business has in fact become an “industry chain,” according to another report by Information Times on Dec. 15, 2010.
“Having your child born in the United States and become a citizen, your whole family will be benefitted, and your future will have an extra protection; we will not only make your dream come true, we will also make your birthing experience as enjoyable as a vacation,” the homepage of a maternity center in Monterey Park, California says.
The website also indicates that it has branch offices in Hangzhou, Beijing, and Hong Kong.
Another maternity center in Los Angeles said on their website that they will offer a seminar from April 21-22 in Beijing on the subject. Interest is high. The website also lists branch offices in several cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Xiamen, Shenyang, and Wuhan in China.
The U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment automatically entitles children born on U.S. soil to citizenship, known as “birthright citizenship.” And their parents can apply to live in the United States as soon as they reach 21.
Most Chinese women who choose to give birth in the United States said they think the education system and living environment in the United States is better for their children, according to several reports by the Chinese media.
Many Chinese women therefore consider the cost and time for birthing tourism in the United States a good “investment” for their children, People’s Daily Overseas Edition reported on July 24, 2010.
Ms. Sun is a U.S. resident whose sister was on birthing tourism to the United States. She told The Epoch Times that even though it is expensive—the hospital alone costs $10,000—but her sister chose to do it because she did not have a sense of security in China.
Another lady, Ms. Li told The Epoch Times that she knew a Chinese woman who came to the United States when she was six months pregnant. The woman returned to China 10 days after giving birth to her second child.
Most Chinese birth tourists arrive in the U.S. when they are about seven or eight months into their pregnancy; they are usually on tourist visas and their stay lasts about three to four months, enough time to give birth and recuperate.
But the gray area existing in these services for “birthing tourism in the United Stated” has drawn sharp attention in this country.
Taylor (the neighbor), for one, said she knows about the “One Child” policy in China, but regardless of which country one comes from, if someone comes here to give birth just to receive benefits, it is not fair for taxpayers who have worked their entire life here. “You must contribute to the country before you can enjoy these benefits,” she said.
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Another maternity center in Los Angeles said on their website that they will offer a seminar from April 21-22 in Beijing on the subject. Interest is high. The website also lists branch offices in several cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Xiamen, Shenyang, and Wuhan in China.
The U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment automatically entitles children born on U.S. soil to citizenship, known as “birthright citizenship.” And their parents can apply to live in the United States as soon as they reach 21.
Most Chinese women who choose to give birth in the United States said they think the education system and living environment in the United States is better for their children, according to several reports by the Chinese media.
Many Chinese women therefore consider the cost and time for birthing tourism in the United States a good “investment” for their children, People’s Daily Overseas Edition reported on July 24, 2010.
Ms. Sun is a U.S. resident whose sister was on birthing tourism to the United States. She told The Epoch Times that even though it is expensive—the hospital alone costs $10,000—but her sister chose to do it because she did not have a sense of security in China.
Another lady, Ms. Li told The Epoch Times that she knew a Chinese woman who came to the United States when she was six months pregnant. The woman returned to China 10 days after giving birth to her second child.
Most Chinese birth tourists arrive in the U.S. when they are about seven or eight months into their pregnancy; they are usually on tourist visas and their stay lasts about three to four months, enough time to give birth and recuperate.
But the gray area existing in these services for “birthing tourism in the United Stated” has drawn sharp attention in this country.
Taylor (the neighbor), for one, said she knows about the “One Child” policy in China, but regardless of which country one comes from, if someone comes here to give birth just to receive benefits, it is not fair for taxpayers who have worked their entire life here. “You must contribute to the country before you can enjoy these benefits,” she said.
[email protected]
Read the original Chinese article.
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