By Emmanuel T. Erediano
[email protected]
Variety News Staff
WITHOUT the Economic Vitality and Security Travel Authorization Program, the CNMI faces the risk of insufficient economic activity to uphold essential services —including those supporting federal security, Gov. David M. Apatang told U.S. officials.
In his letter Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, the governor told Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum that, as a small, remote island community with limited institutional capacity, federal policy decisions are felt in the CNMI immediately.
“We take seriously our responsibility as part of America’s border and have consistently acted as a cooperative and engaged partner,” the governor said. The CNMI Department of Public Safety and Department of Corrections provide direct support by participating in the Department of Homeland Security’s program to assist with immigration enforcement and removal operations. This participation, he said, “reflects our willingness to contribute local personnel and resources to federal enforcement efforts, even as we manage constraints inherent to a small government.”
For the CNMI, the governor said, economic stability is inseparable from border security. He said the ability to provide adequate staff in local law enforcement, maintain detention capacity, and support oversight functions depends on a functioning economy. He stressed that “policies that unintentionally erode the Commonwealth’s economic base also erode the practical capacity to secure the border itself.”
In this context, the governor said, EVS-TAP is not a discretionary accommodation, but a core component of the CNMI’s border security framework. It provides a controlled, pre-screened, and CNMI-specific entry mechanism that preserves lawful access to a historically significant visitor market while strengthening security vetting.
The governor emphasized that, for a jurisdiction that relies on tourism to sustain employment, public revenues, and government operations, “the loss or prolonged disruption of this program would have direct consequences for enforcement capacity and system resilience.”
“Absent EVS-TAP, the Commonwealth risks falling below the threshold of economic activity required to sustain essential public services, including those that support federal security objectives. For a tourism-dependent border community, maintaining a predictable and secure lawful entry pathway is essential to ensuring that border enforcement functions are adequately resourced and operationally effective,” the governor said.
He further explained that the CNMI occupies a strategically important position in the Pacific and contributes to regional stability and America’s forward presence when appropriately supported. Where improvements in screening, enforcement, or oversight are necessary, the governor said, “we believe they are best achieved through local enhancements, inter-agency coordination, and sustained engagement.”
Emmanuel “Arnold” Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast.
