DHS suspends visa-free travel program for Chinese nationals amid birth tourism, security concerns

By Fox News · Fox News

The Trump administration is suspending a visa-free travel program for Chinese nationals visiting a U.S. island territory after Republican lawmakers warned it could facilitate birth tourism and pose national security risks. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin’s decision targets a Biden-era program that allowed prescreened Chinese nationals to visit the Northern Mariana Islands for up to 14 days without a visa. In a notice announcing the decision , the Department of Homeland Security cited concerns that the program could facilitate birth tourism, espionage and illegal onward travel to nearby Guam, a key hub for the U.S. military. BIRTH TOURISM FIGHT SHIFTS TO US ‘TROPICAL MATERNITY WARD’ WITH HISTORY OF CHINESE EXPLOITATION The decision comes after senators Mike Lee, R-Utah, Rick Scott, R-Fla., John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Bill Cassidy, R-La., urged Mullin in April to end the program, warning that it encouraged birth tourism and posed national security risks. Lee celebrated the decision in a post on X. BIRTH TOURISM CRACKDOWN EXPANDS AS HOUSE CHAIRMAN RAISES CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY CASE "America is not a nursery for the CCP to steal citizenship," Lee wrote, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. "Thank you, President Trump!" Rep. Chip Roy’s press office also welcomed the move, saying the Texas Republican and Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., had raised concerns about the program in March. GOP FIREBRAND TARGETS BOOMING BUSINESS LETTING FOREIGNERS EXPLOIT US CITIZENSHIP LAWS "Rep. Roy is pleased to hear the Trump Admin closed this dangerous loophole," his office wrote on X. Birth tourism is when someone travels to the United States primarily to give birth so their child can become an American citizen. Some travelers have hidden the purpose of their trip when applying for a visa. FIRST ON FOX: RUBIO RAMPS UP BIRTH TOURISM CRACKDOWN HOURS BEFORE XI TOUCHES DOWN IN US The program at issue was created in 2024 and took effect the following year. More than 3,000 Chinese nationa…