Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered a state investigation into Mission Regional Medical Center after the hospital confirmed it ran Spanish-language billboards in Mexico advertising "Birth Packages in South Texas" to pregnant foreign nationals near the border. The move matters because it feeds a wider Republican push against so-called "birth tourism" and birthright citizenship, with critics arguing the practice exploits US hospitality and that "citizenship is not for sale."

The advertisements promoted deliveries from $3,950 for a natural birth and $5,525 for a caesarean, directing viewers to a now-offline website, havemybabyinTEXAS.com, and a US dialling code. The hospital said two billboards sat within about five miles of a border crossing, that the campaign began in 2021, and that the billboards and site were removed on Monday after images spread on social media. A spokesperson denied supporting any unlawful activity, and Abbott directed the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to examine possible breaches of state law and contractual obligations.