State lawmakers are exploring prohibiting foreign nationals from using Texas surrogates, elevating a niche fertility issue into a larger battle over immigration and birthright citizenship, surrogacy experts say.
The Texas Senate health committee will hear testimony on Wednesday about potentially banning foreign nationals from contracting with Texas surrogates to have children, after Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick made examining the issue an interim charge for the chamber ahead of the legislative session that starts in January. Last month, the Texas GOP also approved in its latest platform a ban on commercial surrogacy for foreign nationals, arguing that the practice lets children born under such circumstances obtain U.S. citizenship.
