The Trump administration has suspended what it says was a loophole used by Chinese citizens for birth tourism and possibly even espionage in the Northern Mariana Islands.
The Economic Vitality and Security Travel Authorization Program was created under the Biden administration by a Department of Homeland Security rule published in January 2024, easing visa restrictions for Chinese people in order to encourage tourism to the U.S. territory.
‘We are ready to work with our federal partners on solutions that protect both our national security and the economic future of the people of the Marianas.’
Under the new rule implemented in Feb. 2025, prescreened Chinese nationals could visit the islands for up to two weeks without having to obtain a U.S. consular visa.
The Department of Homeland Security indicated in a press release Thursday that the program could be abused by pregnant foreigners to obtain U.S. citizenship for their children. Other concerns involved human trafficking and espionage near military facilities.
The suspension of the program went into effect on Friday.
The congressional delegate for the islands expressed disappointment with the decision.
“Our tourism industry is already facing tremendous challenges, and a prolonged disruption would have serious consequences for our businesses, workers, and families,” said Northern Mariana Islands congressional Delegate Kimberlyn King-Hinds, a Republican.
King-Hinds added that she will talk to DHS Sec. Markwayne Mullin and President Donald Trump in an effort to restore the policy.
Others warned that the reduction in travelers could lead to flights being canceled to the islands as well. No flights have been affected yet.
The Marianas Visitors Authority called on the government to find other solutions to the problems they identified.
“Tourism is the primary economic driver of our economy,” the agency said in a press release.
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“We are not asking the federal government to ignore legitimate concerns,” the agency added. “We are ready to work with our federal partners on solutions that protect both our national security and the economic future of the people of the Marianas.”
The islands are also still reeling from the effects of Super Typhoon Sinlaku, which hit them earlier in 2026. The Marianas economy depends solely on tourism since it has few natural resources.
The DHS said more than 3,000 Chinese nationals used the program to visit the Mariana Islands in the 2025 fiscal year.
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Birth tourism, Department of homeland security, Human trafficking, Politics, China
