The Department of Homeland Security is suspending a program that allowed Chinese nationals, under specific circumstances, to travel without a visa, a decision supported by the House Freedom Caucus.
The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Economic Vitality & Security Travel Authorization Program allows pre-screened nationals from China to travel to the U.S. territory for temporary visits without a U.S. visa, according to the DHS. The department stated it had authority to suspend the program due to threats to national security, law enforcement interests, and immigration enforcement.
The House Freedom Caucus praised the decision in a post on X, attaching a letter from March 9 inquiring about the program, signed by 24 representatives
“HUGE WIN: @DHSgov just suspended the dangerous Biden-era program that let Chinese nationals enter the U.S. without a visa,” the post reads. “Earlier this year, @RepChipRoy and @RepTiffany rallied dozens of lawmakers—including many HFC members—to sound the alarm.”
While the program was enacted under the Biden administration on Jan. 18, 2024, the program wasn’t operational until Feb. 21, 2025, a month after President Donald Trump took office.
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Starting on Oct. 30, Chinese travelers will be required to go through the visa application process to enter the United States. The move comes amid concerns of birth tourism and risks to national security, including espionage, according to the DHS. Birth tourism is the act of traveling to another country to give birth within that country’s borders so the child can become a citizen.
“While birth tourism has long been an issue in the CNMI, the availability of visa-exempt travel and reduced vetting under EVS-TAP may lower barriers to this practice,” DHS stated in a notice.
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[ H/T Washington Examiner ]
