The Problematization of Migrant Maternity: Implications of the "Passport Baby" Narrative in the Canadian Context.

This article examines how migrant maternity in Canada is problematized through the "passport baby" narrative, which frames pregnant noncitizens—particularly racialized women—as threats to Canadian citizenship, immigration integrity, and the welfare state. Using policy and media analysis alongside interviews with precarious status pregnant migrants in Montreal, the study reveals that this discourse relies on overgeneralizations, racialized stereotypes, and assumptions that obscure the complexity of migration and contribute to increased vulnerability and barriers to prenatal and obstetric care. The article highlights how these representations shape public and political debates, influence healthcare providers’ attitudes, and affect the lived experiences of migrant mothers, often reinforcing distinctions between "deserving" and "undeserving" individuals. It calls for alternative narratives that recognize the nuanced realities of migrant maternity and advocate for migrant and reproductive justice.