SAIPAN — Rep. Marissa Flores, chairwoman of the House Committee on Tourism, has responded to a March 9 letter from U.S. Representatives Chip Roy, Thomas Tiffany and Elijah Crane regarding birth tourism, EVS-TAP and the CNMI, calling for any federal review to be grounded in present-day conditions rather than outdated assumptions.
Flores reaffirmed support for lawful enforcement and serious screening but said federal decisions affecting the Commonwealth must reflect current realities.
“Policy must be grounded in facts as they exist today,” Flores said. “That is the standard I am asking the folks in Washington to apply to the CNMI. We support lawful enforcement and serious screening, but we also expect federal decisions to reflect current realities in the Commonwealth, not past conditions that no longer define where we are today.”
Flores cited data from the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation showing tourist births in the CNMI fell from 581 in 2018 to 47 in 2025, and said those figures do not support claims that tourist births are currently placing a material strain on the healthcare system.
She also emphasized that the current EVS-TAP framework differs from the former parole system because it includes a more structured process with advance authorization and pre-travel screening.
Flores said that if Congress believes additional safeguards are needed, they should be targeted, practical and based on actual current conditions. She added that any serious federal review should also account for the CNMI’s economic reality as a small, remote, tourism-dependent U.S. jurisdiction, where broad restrictions can carry consequences for local businesses, workers and long-term regional stability.
Flores concluded by reaffirming her willingness to work with federal officials on policies that protect national security, uphold the law and reflect present conditions in the Commonwealth.
