US News
DHS suspends visa-free travel program for Chinese visitors to Northern Mariana Islands
Fox News reports Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is suspending a visa-free program for Chinese visitors to the Northern Mariana Islands, effective Oct. 30, after Republican senators raised birth tourism and security concerns.
The short version
- Fox News reports the Trump administration is suspending a visa-free travel program for Chinese nationals visiting the Northern Mariana Islands.[Fox News]
- Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin's decision targets a Biden-era program that let prescreened Chinese visitors stay up to 14 days without a visa.[Fox News]
- The suspension takes effect at 2 p.m. EDT on Oct. 30 and applies to new applicants and already-approved travelers.[Fox News]
- Republican senators urged an end to the program in April over birth tourism and security risks, and the notice gave no count of linked births.[Fox News]
Key facts
- Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin decided to target a Biden-era program that allowed prescreened Chinese nationals to visit the Northern Mariana Islands for up to 14 days without a visa.[Fox News]
- The suspension is set to take effect at 2 p.m. EDT on Oct. 30 and applies to both new applicants and travelers already approved.[Fox News]
- More than 3,000 Chinese nationals used the program to enter the Northern Mariana Islands in fiscal year 2025, according to DHS.[Fox News]
- Senators Mike Lee, Rick Scott, John Cornyn, and Bill Cassidy urged Mullin in April to end the program, warning that it encouraged birth tourism and posed national security risks.[Fox News]
- The notice did not provide a number of births linked to travelers who entered through the program, formally known as the Economic Vitality & Security Travel Authorization Program.[Fox News]
What remains uncertain
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.