The CNMI's tourism, hotel, and business sectors joined political leaders in sounding the alarm over the federal government's suspension of visa-free travel for Chinese tourists, warning that the decision could further cripple the Commonwealth's struggling economy and jeopardize its remaining international flights.
The Marianas Visitors Authority, Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Saipan Chamber of Commerce expressed grave concern over the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's decision to suspend the CNMI Economic Vitality and Security Travel Authorization Program, or EVS-TAP, effective Saturday, Oct. 31, at 4am CNMI time, equivalent to Friday, Oct. 30, at 2pm Eastern Daylight Time.
MVA acting board chair Vicky Benavente said visitors from China accounted for more than 20% of total arrivals in fiscal year 2026, while approximately 30% of Chinese visitors reach the Marianas through Seoul, South Korea.
“With fewer passengers, airlines may find it increasingly difficult to sustain their current flight schedules or consider expanding services,” she said.
Benavente said the suspension comes as government employees are down to 26.5-hour workweeks, public schools operate four days a week, and residents are losing jobs.
“EVS-TAP is a critical tool for the health of our economy and community,” she said.
HANMI chair Ivan Quichocho warned that losing Chinese tourists could also mean losing flights that bring Korean and other international visitors to the CNMI.
“If the Chinese visitor pipeline disappears, we could lose not only Chinese visitors but also the airline capacity that brings Korean and other international visitors to our shores,” he said.
Quichocho said the CNMI receives only nine international flights a week and questioned the federal government's reliance on security incidents that predate the program's implementation.
Saipan Chamber of Commerce president Joshua Wise echoed those concerns, citing MVA figures showing that China accounted for 1,605 of the CNMI's 5,001 visitor arrivals in August, or approximately 32%.
The Chamber said it received estimates that Chinese visitors connecting through South Korea account for 30% to 40% of passengers on Jeju Air flights serving the CNMI, raising concerns about further reductions in airline service.
It also disputed DHS' suggestion that Chinese tourists could simply obtain regular U.S. visas, noting that application fees, interviews, and travel expenses could discourage families from visiting.
The Chamber urged DHS to reconsider the suspension and work with Commonwealth officials on stronger screening measures instead.
Meanwhile, Delegate Kimberlyn King-Hinds said she contacted the White House, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, and congressional leaders to seek the program's restoration.
In an exclusive interview with Marianas Press Tuesday, King-Hinds said she also asked Mullin to help secure emergency federal assistance through an upcoming congressional continuing resolution to offset potential losses in government revenue.
She said Mullin assured her he would visit the CNMI after the election with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to discuss improving EVS-TAP and diversifying the economy.
King-Hinds also wrote President Donald Trump requesting his intervention and an expedited review of the suspension.
“A prolonged suspension will further weaken our tourism industry, reduce local government revenues, and increase the likelihood that additional federal assistance will be necessary,” she wrote.
Independent delegate candidate Galvin Sablan Deleon Guerrero, however, criticized King-Hinds, saying the suspension reflected what he described as ineffective congressional leadership that failed to anticipate and address federal security concerns.
“Our hotels, restaurants, small businesses, and workers should not have to pay the price for failures in federal policy and a lack of congressional advocacy,” he said.
Deleon Guerrero pointed out that three Republican senators had called for EVS-TAP's termination in January, including Mullin, who subsequently became Homeland Security secretary.
He said further objections from members of Congress in the succeeding months should have served as warning signs that the program was in danger.
“For months, the warning signs were clear. Our delegate knew the program was under threat. She knew the concerns being raised by members of her own political party,” Deleon Guerrero said.
He also acknowledged that the CNMI's history of human smuggling, birth tourism, and criminal activities involving Chinese-linked enterprises had contributed to Washington, D.C.'s concerns.
“These are not matters we should dismiss or pretend never happened. They are part of our history, and they have consequences for how federal policymakers view our islands today,” he said.
Deleon Guerrero said national security and economic development should not be mutually exclusive and proposed stronger screening and immigration enforcement, closer cooperation with federal agencies, and diversification of the CNMI's visitor markets.
He also called for continuing efforts to include the Philippines in the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program and meaningful federal consultation under the Covenant.
“Our hotels, restaurants, small businesses, and workers should not have to pay the price for failures in federal policy and a lack of congressional advocacy,” he said.
Asked about the criticism, King-Hinds said she remained focused on finding a solution rather than engaging in campaign politics.
“Obviously, it's political season and he's got to say what he needs to say to be able to get himself elected,” she told Marianas Press.
DHS announced the suspension Tuesday, citing concerns about possible espionage, human smuggling between the CNMI and Guam, birth tourism, and criminal activities associated with Chinese-linked businesses.
The agency said more than 3,000 Chinese nationals entered the CNMI under EVS-TAP during fiscal year 2025.
The suspension covers new applicants and previously approved travel authorizations. Chinese tourists will need an appropriate U.S. visa unless another lawful exception applies, while those already legally admitted may remain until their authorized stay expires.
DHS acknowledged the potential economic impact but determined that national security and law enforcement concerns outweighed those interests. No timetable has been announced for restoring the program.
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