DHS halts visa-free entry for China

The Department of Homeland Security will suspend a visa-free travel program for Chinese nationals entering the Northern Mariana Islands on October 30 at 2 p.m. EDT. The move ends a policy that allowed prescreened travelers to stay in the territory for up to 14 days without obtaining a visa.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced the decision in a formal notice. The agency cited concerns that the program facilitated birth tourism, espionage, and illegal onward travel to nearby Guam. The suspension applies to both new applicants and those already approved under the scheme.

The program, formally known as the Economic Vitality & Security Travel Authorization Program, was created in 2024 and took effect the following year. In fiscal year 2025, more than 3,000 Chinese nationals used this pathway to enter the territory. Customs and Border Protection screened these travelers, but they did not require a visa from a U.S. consulate.

Republican lawmakers pressed for an end to the arrangement earlier this year. Senators Mike Lee of Utah, Rick Scott of Florida, John Cornyn of Texas, and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana urged Mullin to terminate the program in April. They warned that the policy encouraged birth tourism and posed national security risks.

Lee reacted to the news on X, calling the decision a victory for American citizenship. "America is not a nursery for the CCP to steal citizenship," Lee wrote. "Thank you, President Trump!" Representative Chip Roy of Texas also welcomed the change. His press office noted that Roy and Representative Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin had raised concerns about the program in March.

DHS stated that the suspension will remain in place while the department evaluates the program alongside the secretaries of state and the interior. The agency noted that visa-exempt travel and reduced vetting may lower barriers to birth tourism in the territory. The notice did not specify how many births were linked to travelers who entered through the program.

The department also pointed to intelligence gathering risks near U.S. military facilities. The Northern Mariana Islands host Tinian Air Base, and Guam contains several military installations. DHS referenced previous cases where Chinese nationals were smuggled by boat from the Northern Mariana Islands to Guam, indicating a vulnerability that the newer program had not fully eliminated.

Travelers already in the territory under the program may finish their authorized stays. However, they will need a visa for future visits unless another lawful exception applies. This action is part of a wider administrative push, with a State Department task force revoking more than 750 visas tied to suspected birth tourism activity as of late August.