Three Republican senators have urged the Trump administration to close visa and parole programs that they claim are being misused by Chinese nationals for birth tourism and surrogacy in the US. Senators Rick Scott, Jim Banks, and Markwayne Mullin sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, labeling these programs as a national security threat. They argue that these policies enable individuals from Communist China to expedite their path to US citizenship by having children in US territories.
The senators specifically highlighted the Guam–Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Visa Waiver Program and a related program established during the Biden administration. These initiatives provide visa-free entry for Chinese nationals and have led to a significant increase in birth tourism activities in Saipan. In their letter, the senators commended the officials for their efforts in safeguarding the country from external risks and raised concerns about a policy from the Obama and Biden era that facilitates rapid American citizenship for Chinese nationals, emphasizing the substantial national security implications.
Citing a Wall Street Journal investigation, the senators pointed out a growing trend among Chinese nationals utilizing the US surrogacy system to secure citizenship for their children, often bypassing conventional immigration scrutiny. The Guam–CNMI Visa Waiver Program, initiated in 2009, permits holders of Hong Kong passports to enter the CNMI without a visa for up to 45 days. Additionally, the CNMI Economic Vitality & Security Travel Authorization Program, launched in 2024, allows visa-free entry for Chinese nationals into the CNMI for 14 days.
According to the senators, the number of births to Chinese mothers visiting Saipan surged from under 10 annually in 2009 to nearly 600 in 2018. They referenced a VOA News report revealing that over 3,300 babies born to Chinese mothers in Saipan since 2009, with 55 births occurring just last year. Under US law, these children can sponsor their parents for green cards once they reach 21, potentially leading to chain migration. The senators also highlighted that the children of these individuals could automatically become US citizens, irrespective of their birthplace.
The senators expressed concerns about the strain these programs place on local resources, citing former CNMI Gov. Arnold Palacios, who noted the overwhelming impact of birth tourism on the territory’s sole public hospital and medical services. They called on the administration to rescind the Biden-era EVS-TAP program and mandate standard tourist visas for Chinese nationals visiting the CNMI. Additionally, they urged the termination of Hong Kong’s participation in the visa waiver program.
