(Press Release) — Rep. Marissa Flores, chairwoman of the House Committee on Tourism, has responded to a March 9, 2026 letter from U.S. Reps. Chip Roy, Thomas Tiffany, and Elijah Crane regarding birth tourism, EVS-TAP, and the CNMI.
In her response, Flores reaffirmed support for lawful enforcement and serious screening, but said federal decisions affecting the CNMI must reflect present-day facts, not outdated assumptions.
“Policy must be grounded in facts as they exist today. 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,” she said.
Flores noted that data from the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation show 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 is different 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 take into account 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.
