A travel program that allowed Chinese nationals to visit the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands without obtaining a visa will be suspended.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a halt to the Economic Vitality and Security Travel Authorization Program (EVS-TAP) in a federal register notice published on Oct. 27. The suspension takes effect on Oct. 30.
It stated that Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin had determined that there was “good cause” to suspend the program, citing threats that could undermine U.S. national security and law enforcement interests.
Established in 2024, EVS-TAP enabled more than 3,000 Chinese nationals to visit the Northern Mariana Islands in fiscal year 2025 through a streamlined authorization process. The travelers were vetted by Customs and Border Protection rather than State Department consular officers, according to the department.
“This volume of visa-exempt entries presents unacceptable security and law enforcement risks,” it stated.
In April, Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) called for termination of the Biden-era visa policy, warning that the program posed national security threats and encouraged illegal drug trafficking and birth tourism.
This is a developing story that will be updated.
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