MISSION, Texas – State and federal officials continue to seek information about a discontinued maternity marketing campaign connected to Mission Regional Medical Center after a billboard in Mexico promoted giving birth in Texas.
The campaign directed potential patients to a website using the phrase “Have My Baby in Texas.” Mission Regional said the promotion was poorly understood, produced little patient volume and no meaningful financial benefit, and was ended. The website was no longer active Wednesday.
The hospital said two billboards were placed within about 15 miles of a legal port of entry and denied that the campaign supported unlawful immigration or so-called birth tourism. Birth tourism generally refers to travel primarily intended to secure U.S. citizenship for a child born in the country.
U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz called the situation alarming but said he was not prepared to confirm the existence or scope of a federal investigation. Reitz said state and federal officials had discussed the matter, but he did not describe those conversations as a formal referral.
Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to examine the campaign and signed an executive order intended to support cooperation between state agencies and federal prosecutors.
Questions also were raised about Knapp Medical Center, another South Texas hospital in the same corporate network. Public officials had not announced charges or a finding that either hospital violated the law as of Wednesday.
Hospitals in border communities routinely serve U.S. residents, lawful visitors and emergency patients from Mexico. The dispute centers on how maternity services were marketed and whether the message encouraged travel for a purpose inconsistent with immigration law.
Mission Regional said it was cooperating with requests for information and that the campaign had been discontinued.
