Staff Reports
The Department of Homeland Security has pulled the plug on a short‑term visa‑free travel program that let pre‑screened Chinese nationals visit the Northern Mariana Islands. The Federal Register notice says Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin suspended the CNMI Economic Vitality & Security Travel Authorization Program (EVS–TAP). The move is meant to stop what DHS calls a growing national security and immigration problem tied to birth tourism, espionage risks and illegal onward travel to nearby Guam.
Why DHS suspended EVS–TAP
DHS laid out clear reasons: more than 3,000 travelers used the program in fiscal 2025, and some of those trips raised alarms about exploitation for birth tourism, intelligence collection near U.S. military locations, and smuggling from the CNMI to Guam. The agency says that mix of volume and incidents “creates a significant risk” to U.S. security and law enforcement interests. In plain English: a program meant to boost tourism had become a back door for bad actors and for commercial schemes that game U.S. citizenship rules.
The suspension revokes eligibility for new EVS–TAP authorizations and cancels some previously approved ones. Travelers already in the CNMI can finish their authorized stays, but anyone planning trips after the effective time will need a proper non‑immigrant visa unless another exception applies. DHS has told carriers and border officials to implement the change while it consults with the State and Interior Departments on next steps.
Politics, praise and predictable panic
Republican senators who pressed DHS earlier this year—Senators Mike Lee, Rick Scott, John Cornyn and Bill Cassidy—quickly cheered the action. Senator Mike Lee celebrated closing what he called a “loophole for Chinese birth tourism,” adding the pointed line that “America is not a nursery for the CCP.” On the other side, the CNMI’s Delegate Kimberlyn King‑Hinds warned the measure is hurting local business and urged federal leaders to find a workable alternative. She calls it “suspended, not terminated.” Both reactions are easy to understand: national security matters, and so do island jobs.
Local pain and what comes next
The CNMI economy depends on visitors. Hoteliers, tour operators and airlines that restarted service after the pandemic now face sudden cancellations and uncertainty. Local leaders will push for a fast review, or for a replacement pathway with stronger vetting. DHS says it may tighten rules, keep the program closed, or require formal regulatory changes. The bigger picture is that the administration is stepping up against commercial birth‑tourism networks and tightening visa rules across the board.
This was the right kind of fix in the short term. National security should not be traded for a pop‑up tourism boost. That said, Washington now has to move with purpose. If the program stays suspended, federal officials must help the CNMI with clear alternatives and economic relief. If it returns, it must return with real safeguards and strict enforcement so we don’t swap sovereignty for short‑term airfares. Either way, officials should remember: America is not a citizenship vending machine—and it’s past time that policy matched that common‑sense fact.
