Opposition is growing in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) to a United States congressional proposal that would end automatic citizenship for many children born in American territories from 2027.
CNMI delegate to the US Congres Kimberlyn King-Hinds, delegate candidate Galvin Guerrero, Saipan-born author Kelvin Rodeo and several community advocates say the measure could undermine the Covenant between the CNMI and the US and leave future generations in legal uncertainty.
Rodeo, the author of Shadows in Paradise: The Dark History of the CNMI Guest Worker Program, said the issue was deeply personal because he was born and raised on Saipan as the child of two overseas Filipino workers.
“As a child of two OFWs (Overseas Filipino Worker) who was born and raised on Saipan during the CNMI Guest Worker Program, my first thought is that this feels very personal to me,” Rodeo said.
He said the bill would directly challenge the Covenant, which defines the political relationship between the CNMI and the United States and contains citizenship guarantees for people born in the Commonwealth.
“The Covenant is not merely a policy preference. It is the foundational agreement governing the political relationship between the CNMI and the United States,” Rodeo said.
“Congress should not be casually discarding one of its core guarantees by amending it to eliminate birthright citizenship.”
Rodeo also said the proposal would be disrespectful to residents of US territories who have served in the American military.
“I believe this would be a tremendous slap in the face to every active duty service member from the US territories currently serving in our Armed Forces, every veteran who has already served, and especially the thousands of sons and daughters of the territories who never came home after being sent to fight America’s forever wars,” he said.
He warned that ending birthright citizenship could have particularly serious consequences for the CNMI, which has relied heavily on foreign labour since the establishment of its Guest Worker Program in 1983 and continues to do so under the federal CW programme.
Creating ‘second-class citizens’
Many foreign workers have lived in the Commonwealth for decades, contributed to its economy and raised families without gaining a realistic pathway to permanent residency or citizenship.
Rodeo said children born to such families could grow up without permanent legal status despite spending their entire lives in the CNMI.
“In effect, we would be creating a second generation of second-class residents, children whose entire lives begin with institutional exclusion,” he said.
He said the measure could accelerate the CNMI’s long-term population and economic decline.
“I genuinely believe that if legislation like this were enacted, it would accelerate the CNMI’s long-term decline unless our local government, alongside the other US territories, aggressively pushed for its repeal,” Rodeo said.
King-Hinds said she supported stronger enforcement against immigration fraud but argued the legislation targeted the wrong people.
“I support securing our borders and stopping anyone who tries to abuse America’s immigration laws,” she said.
“If someone is exploiting our immigration system, they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I have zero tolerance for fraud or abuse.”
“But this bill targets the wrong people.”
Federalisation
King-Hinds said the CNMI had not controlled its immigration system since federalisation in 2009, with visa processing, border security, inspections and enforcement all under federal authority.
“If there are vulnerabilities in our immigration system, Congress should strengthen federal enforcement, not single out Americans living in the territories,” she said.
She also warned against applying one citizenship standard to people born in the 50 states and another to those born in US territories.
“The people of the CNMI have disproportionately and proudly served in our Armed Forces, contributed to this nation, and lived as loyal Americans for generations,” King-Hinds said.
“They should not become the testing ground for policies that Congress cannot or will not apply elsewhere.”
Deleon Guerrero said citizenship under the Covenant was more than a legal designation.
“Under the Covenant, citizenship is more than legal status-it is a promise that every child born in our islands fully belongs to the American family,” he said.
“That promise should never be threatened.”
He said any proposal weakening citizenship rights in the territories should concern CNMI families, even if it applied only to future births.
“We have one of the highest rates of military service in the nation, and our sons and daughters should never have to question whether their citizenship will be fully protected for future generations,” Deleon Guerrero said.
Foreign worker advocate Irene Holl questioned why Congress was targeting the territories.
“Why target CNMI and Guam? I understand they have concerns about birth tourism but it’s going to hurt more than help,” Holl said.
“What about the children of US citizens and legal foreign workers? I’m not in support of this idea.”
Advocate Carlito Marquez said the federal government should use immigration safeguards rather than remove birthright citizenship.
“If the issue is security concern, they should put a safeguard for the people entering CNMI or other US territories,” Marquez said.
“Limit the stay to avoid birthright citizenship.”
Businessman Bong Malasarte said future generations should not be placed in legal uncertainty.
“Any change affecting such a fundamental right should be carefully considered, consistent with the US Constitution, existing federal law, and, in the CNMI’s case, the Covenant with the United States,” he said.
‘Assault on rights’
Former CNMI lawmaker Edwin Propst called the proposal “an assault on our rights” and described it as “deplorable”, “selective” and “racist”.
The End Birthright Citizenship for Territories Act was introduced by Republican congressman Morgan Griffith of Virginia.
Supporters say the bill is intended to curb so-called birth tourism and would preserve automatic citizenship when at least one parent is a US citizen or lawful permanent resident.
It would apply to children born in Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, and the CNMI on or after 1 January 2027.
Griffith said Congress had authority to change statutory citizenship rights in the territories.
“Just like Congress possesses the power to grant the territories Constitutional rights in statute, we have the power to take them away in statute,” he said.
Territorial rights organisation Right to Democracy disputes the claim that the measure is narrowly limited to birth tourism.
Its co-directors say the bill’s wording could deny citizenship more broadly and may conflict with Covenant provisions that they argue require mutual consent before they can be changed.
The bill has been introduced in the US House of Representatives but has not become law. It would need to pass both chambers of Congress and be signed by the president.
