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54. MaddowBlog-GOP officials eye restrictions on pregnant travelers following Supreme Court ruling

Thu Jul 2, 2026, 02:42 PM

Thursday

How exactly would U.S. officials go about determining whether someone entering the country is pregnant?

As Republicans eye new restrictions on pregnant travelers coming to the United States, a question hangs overhead:

How, exactly, would U.S. officials go about determining whether someone entering the country is pregnant or not?
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-07-01T14:07:19.391Z

https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/restrictions-us-pregnant-travelers-supreme-court-birthright

Republican Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee said Tuesday he’s moving forward with plans for legislation that he’s calling the Anchors Away Act, which would ban certain pregnant foreign women from entering the United States.

“So, I have a bill; it will be called ‘Anchors Away,’ which, look, if you’re not a U.S. citizen, if you’re not a green card holder and you have a child on U.S. soil, today, that child will be a U.S. citizen,” Ogles said in a video posted to social media. “Under my bill, under my legislation, we fix that. … So in short, what this bill does is, if you are a pregnant woman, you can’t come into this country. You got to be a citizen, be here, you have to be a green card holder. So if you’re pregnant and you don’t have one of those statuses, no admittance allowed,” he continued.

As HuffPost noted, “The ‘anchor’ part of Ogles’ bill refers to the pejorative term, ‘anchor babies,’ used by many conservatives to describe children born in the U.S. to undocumented immigrants.”....

As the day progressed, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller also appeared on Fox News, and when asked whether the U.S. is prepared to start “banning pregnant women,” Miller didn’t say no, replying instead that there are “a lot of things” the Trump administration will take “a hard look” at.

Stephen Miller says the Trump administration will take â€œa hard lookâ€ at banning foreign pregnant women from the country
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2026-07-01T00:26:43.277Z

On Wednesday morning, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin also said the administration is prepared to “look at” restrictions on pregnant travelers to the U.S.

I won’t pretend to know what, if anything, will come of this, but I do have a question for proponents of these restrictions: How exactly would U.S. officials go about determining whether someone entering the country is pregnant?

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Emrys

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Highlight:

Stephen Miller threatens to 'take a hard look' at banning pregnant women entering America [View all] Tripper11 Jun 30 OP

Will they carve out an exemption for wealthy birthright tourism? haele Jun 30 #1

Oh you can bet they will carve out a slot for six-figure donations yourout Jun 30 #4

All you'll need is one of those Trump $5 million Gold Cards... sop Thursday #51

Yep. musette_sf Jul 1 #22

What about pregnant Americans coming home from abroad? enough Jun 30 #2

Or mother. If either parent is American, the child is American. wnylib Jul 1 #32

Can Congress cut off his salary or somehow eliminate the position he holds? Deuxcents Jun 30 #3

His salary isn't what should be "cut off" DBoon Jul 1 #15

Too late. Wife is pregnant. wnylib Jul 1 #33

Stick his fugly mug on posters at ports of entry dweller Jun 30 #5

Sell teensy pictures of him as a roach repellent. nt allegorical oracle Jul 1 #44

This is a man whose family escaped Russian pogroms and the Holocaust. SMH. biocube Jun 30 #6

Something went very wrong with that guy MustLoveBeagles Jun 30 #9

he is one sick, twisted POS Skittles Jun 30 #14

And where was his concern when pregnant Russian women were living in FL condos until they gave birth? Attilatheblond Jul 1 #26

Some reporter should ask him if his family should have been refused entry wnylib Jul 1 #34

Does he envisage compulsory pregnancy tests for any women seeking to enter the US? n/t Emrys Jun 30 #7

Take off your shoes, empty your purse, and pee on a stick... sop Thursday #52

Yo! Miller! -misanthroptimist Jun 30 #8

I'd rather ban Stephen Miller from ever setting foot in DC ever again. Initech Jun 30 #10

when Stephen Miller was in high school cojoel Jun 30 #11

Ahh, Nazi Miller says what? MarineCombatEngineer Jun 30 #12

Do any nine months pregnant women fly anywhere? Bayard Jun 30 #13

Airlines let pregnant women fly up to 40 weeks (that surprised me). Some allegorical oracle Jul 1 #23

My SIL was 8 months pregnant when my brother's wnylib Jul 1 #35

When he can't get this to happen,... LudwigPastorius Jul 1 #16

Nazi boy miller needs to take a Cha Jul 1 #17

I hear that there is also a push to try to pass legislation redefining 'subject to the jurisdiction'. SeattleVet Jul 1 #18

Closely followed by threat to ban pregnant women from LEAVING America !! Jack Valentino Jul 1 #19

You know, one day he's not gonna be at the WH PCIntern Jul 1 #20

Miller deserves the same fate as Joachim Peiper DBoon Thursday #53

But the Trump baby condos in Florida musette_sf Jul 1 #21

If this fucker isn't put in jail when Dems take power orangecrush Jul 1 #24

Why does he hate Americans? Iggo Jul 1 #25

Is it WWJD or what they would do to Jesus? FullySupportDems Jul 1 #27

Are they still going to let in teen girls for their pedo rings? nt TBF Jul 1 #28

That's why they have islands. Iggo Jul 1 #42

Yep. That's the way my great-grandma got here. viva la Jul 1 #29

My great grandmither was 8 months pregnant wnylib Jul 1 #36

People who WANT to be American, who will endure hardship to get here-- viva la Jul 1 #41

And they were. My grandfather became a professional musician wnylib Jul 1 #43

That's interesting! viva la Jul 1 #46

He told me but I am not very musical myself other than wnylib Jul 1 #47

There's an instrument called the "Sousaphone" viva la Thursday #48

I don't think that was it. He definitely said it was a type of horn. wnylib Thursday #50

He is such a racist asshole. valleyrogue Jul 1 #30

Enough of this sick fuck. Blue Owl Jul 1 #31

I'd much rathed ban this racist psychopath Steven Miller from DC. Initech Jul 1 #37

I am still perplexed... purr-rat beauty Jul 1 #38

Republican platform: rich white babies only. ananda Jul 1 #39

WTAF? sakabatou Jul 1 #40

Stephen Miller gets a hard on about banning pregnant women from the U.S. yellowcanine Jul 1 #45

He makes it sound like thousands of pregnant women enter America for the sole purpose of having Jmb 4 Harris-Walz Thursday #49

MaddowBlog-GOP officials eye restrictions on pregnant travelers following Supreme Court ruling LetMyPeopleVote Thursday #54