MaternityhotelsacrossSouthernCaliforniahouseexpectingChinesemotherswhohavetraveledtotheU.S.onbirthingvacations…inordertogivebirthandobtainU.S.citizenshipfortheirbabies.InHowtoHaveanAmericanBaby,directorLeslieTaicreatesakaleidoscopicportraitofthisshadoweconomy,tracingthelinefromBeijingandShanghaitoLosAngeles.ThesewomenspendmonthsinAmericapreparingforbirth,oftentimesmakingsignificantsacrificessuchaslivingaloneinaforeigncountrywheretheyareunabletospeakthelanguage.Taiweavestogetherobservationalfootageofthewomen’slivesaswellastheindustrysurroundingthemtodemonstratethecomplexityandrestrictionsofbordersasfamiliesseekabetterlifefortheirchildren.(KS)Thisfilmcontainsimagesofmedicalproceduresandreferencestoinfantdeath.