The Department of Homeland Security is ending a special travel authorization program that allowed Chinese citizens to visit the Northern Mariana Islands without visas, citing national security threats, illegal travel to Guam and concerns about birth tourism.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has suspended a program allowing Chinese nationals to visit the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands without obtaining U.S. visas, expanding its efforts to restrict birth tourism and address security concerns involving American territories in the western Pacific.
The Department of Homeland Security announced the suspension in an Oct. 27 Federal Register notice, ending the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Economic Vitality and Security Travel Authorization Program, known as EVS-TAP.
The suspension takes effect Friday, Oct. 30, at 2 p.m. Eastern time, and applies to both new applicants and travelers who previously received authorization under the program.
Chinese nationals seeking to visit the islands for business or tourism will generally be required to obtain an appropriate nonimmigrant visa, unless they qualify for another lawful exception.
Visitors already admitted under EVS-TAP may remain for their previously authorized period, but they will need visas for subsequent visits.
The program permitted prescreened Chinese nationals to enter the Northern Mariana Islands for up to 14 days without obtaining conventional U.S. tourist visas.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin determined that the arrangement presented unacceptable risks involving immigration enforcement, national security and law enforcement.
According to the Federal Register notice, more than 3,000 Chinese nationals used EVS-TAP to enter the islands during fiscal year 2025.
The department argued that the program’s streamlined screening procedures did not provide the same safeguards as conventional visa processing through American embassies and consulates.
DHS also expressed concerns that Chinese nationals could exploit travel authorization arrangements to reach nearby Guam illegally or approach sensitive American military installations.
The notice cited previous prosecutions involving Chinese nationals who arranged unauthorized transportation between the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam.
In one case announced in March 2024, federal authorities prosecuted a Chinese national accused of conspiring to smuggle nine other Chinese citizens from the Northern Mariana Islands to Guam.
A separate case involved seven Chinese nationals transported illegally to Guam, where several were subsequently encountered near military installations.
Federal officials identified the strategic importance of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, including the restoration of Tinian Air Base and the presence of major American military facilities throughout the region.
The department concluded that the potential security risks outweighed the economic benefits associated with streamlined tourism.
The suspension was also reported by Just the News, which connected the decision to the administration’s broader campaign against birth tourism.
Birth tourism refers to traveling to another country primarily to give birth there so that the child can acquire citizenship under that country’s laws.
The Northern Mariana Islands are a U.S. commonwealth whose residents fall under American sovereignty. Children born there generally acquire U.S. citizenship at birth, subject to applicable federal law.
That status has attracted attention because foreign nationals who give birth in the territory can have children who are American citizens even if the parents do not possess U.S. citizenship.
Republican lawmakers have warned that special travel arrangements for Chinese citizens created opportunities for commercial birth tourism operations.
In a January letter to federal officials, Sens. Mike Lee of Utah, Rick Scott of Florida, John Cornyn of Texas and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana called for an end to the arrangement.
The senators described the longstanding policy as a security vulnerability that had encouraged a commercial industry serving Chinese nationals seeking American citizenship for their newborn children.
They characterized the situation as a “veritable cottage industry of Chinese nationals giving birth in the CNMI and gaining access to U.S. citizenship.”
The lawmakers cited figures indicating that births to visiting Chinese mothers increased from fewer than 10 annually in 2009 to nearly 600 in 2018.
Those figures concern births in the Northern Mariana Islands and should not be confused with estimates of birth tourism across the entire United States.
Lee welcomed the DHS announcement in an Oct. 27 statement on X, crediting Mullin with ending the special travel arrangement.
“I’m very pleased to report that [Mullin] at DHS just closed Joe Biden’s loophole for Chinese birth tourism for which we sounded the alarm earlier this year,” Lee wrote.
“America is not a nursery for the [Chinese Communist Party] to steal citizenship.”
Although Lee characterized the policy as a Biden administration loophole, the travel arrangement has a longer regulatory history.
The federal government introduced a parole policy for eligible Chinese visitors to the Northern Mariana Islands in 2009, allowing qualifying travelers to seek discretionary entry without first obtaining conventional visas.
In January 2024, DHS established EVS-TAP as a more structured travel authorization system, incorporating electronic screening and limiting Chinese visitors to the Northern Mariana Islands.
The program became operational on Feb. 20, 2025, replacing the earlier parole arrangement.
The latest suspension does not restore the former parole policy.
Concerns about birth tourism have also extended beyond the Northern Mariana Islands.
Investigative author Peter Schweizer has estimated that between 750,000 and 1.5 million children were born in the United States through Chinese birth tourism over approximately 13 years.
In an interview with Just the News, Schweizer argued that the scale of the industry could have long-term implications for U.S. citizenship and national security.
“Now our federal government does not keep track of birthright citizenship numbers, so we literally have no idea how many people are doing this,” Schweizer said.
He attributed his estimates partly to Chinese government figures and other assessments, suggesting that approximately 100,000 Chinese nationals might have traveled to the United States annually to give birth.
Those estimates have not been independently established by comprehensive U.S. government data. They refer to alleged birth tourism nationwide, not births occurring exclusively in the Northern Mariana Islands.
The administration’s latest action follows a major Supreme Court ruling limiting its ability to restrict citizenship for children born in the United States.
On June 30, the Supreme Court ruled in Trump v. Barbara that children born in the United States to parents who are unlawfully or temporarily present are generally citizens at birth under the 14th Amendment.
The decision rejected President Donald Trump’s January 20, 2025, executive order, which sought to deny automatic citizenship to certain children based on their parents’ immigration status.
The constitutional dispute centered on the 14th Amendment’s Citizenship Clause, which provides that persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to its jurisdiction are American citizens.
The administration argued that children born to individuals who entered illegally or remained temporarily were not fully subject to American jurisdiction for citizenship purposes.
Opponents relied on longstanding judicial precedent, including the Supreme Court’s 1898 ruling in United States v. Wong Kim Ark, recognizing birthright citizenship for a man born in California to Chinese parents.
Following the June ruling, the administration pursued additional restrictions aimed at preventing foreigners from entering the United States primarily to obtain citizenship for their children.
On Aug. 6, Trump signed an executive order addressing birth tourism, directing the departments of State and Homeland Security to develop additional rules and enforcement measures.
The order authorized officials to consider denying entry, revoking travel authorizations and taking action against businesses or individuals facilitating birth tourism.
Trump criticized the Supreme Court’s decision during the signing ceremony.
“We had a very unfortunate decision in the Supreme Court concerning birthright,” he said.
“It was close, but a very, very unfortunate decision. So we’re making adjustments because it’s very unfair.”
The State Department subsequently established a task force focused on birth tourism and announced additional visa restrictions.
On Sept. 23, Secretary of State Marco Rubio unveiled a visa restriction policy targeting individuals and businesses involved in commercial birth tourism operations.
The policy covers individuals who knowingly facilitate birth tourism, including operators of commercial networks, intermediaries who assist applicants in submitting fraudulent visa information and certain foreign medical providers.
“The Trump administration is using every tool at our disposal to defend the integrity of U.S. citizenship, protect American public benefits and U.S. taxpayers from exploitation, and safeguard our national security,” Rubio said.
“By restricting visa issuance of those who both engage in and profit from this fraud, we are sending a clear message: The United States will not allow foreigners to exploit our immigration system and violate the sanctity of U.S. citizenship,” he added.
The Northern Mariana Islands suspension represents a separate use of existing immigration authorities to restrict entry into American territory rather than change the citizenship status of children born there.
DHS has not announced that birth tourism alone was responsible for the suspension. Its official notice emphasizes broader concerns involving national security, unauthorized travel and immigration enforcement.
The decision could also affect legitimate Chinese tourists and businesses in the Northern Mariana Islands, where international visitors have historically contributed to the local economy.
Federal officials acknowledged the possibility of financial losses and travel disruptions but concluded that conventional visa procedures remain available to eligible travelers.
Beginning Oct. 30, Chinese nationals who previously relied on the special authorization program will generally need to complete the standard U.S. visa process before visiting the commonwealth.
The suspension will remain in place while DHS evaluates the program in consultation with the State and Interior departments.
The policy marks another step in the administration’s efforts to restrict birth tourism and strengthen screening of foreign travelers while preserving the constitutional citizenship protections recognized by the Supreme Court.
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