CHINO HILLS, Calif. – Residents of a Southern California suburb are protesting against a hilltop home that they say serves as a maternity center for Chinese mothers paying thousands of dollars to give birth to so-called "anchor babies."
Dozens picketed a Chino Hills intersection on Saturday, holding signs that read "No Birth Tourism" and "Not Here! Not in USA!"
The city's mayor tells the San Bernardino Sun that rooms in the house have been rented out to pregnant Chinese women until they give birth.
Protesters say they don't want to see a business in a residential area.
Kelly Good tells the Sun the come legally on tourist visas, but their intention is to give birth in the United States so their children would automatically gain citizenship. She said that's a "false pretense."
Chino Hills resident Karol Arredondo tells the Sun every so often a tour bus comes and takes groups of pregnant Chinese women to nearby tourist destinations, such as Disneyland and Venice Beach.
City officials say they are handling code enforcement issues at the property, but not dealing with the alleged maternity operation.
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