Federal agents raided about 20 locations in three Southern California counties earlyTuesday as part of an investigation targeting “birth tourism” schemes in which pregnant Chinese women travel to the United States on fraudulent visas so that their children will be born U.S. citizens.

Search warrants were served at the homes of people federal authorities suspect of running the operations as well as at apartment complexes in Irvine, Rancho Cucamonga, Rowland Heights and Walnut where pregnant women were allegedly being housed.

It is expected that the Chinese birth tourism will be negatively impacted on a short term to say the least.