CNMI Del. King‑Hinds is pushing back against a new House proposal to end birthright citizenship in the U.S. territories, saying the measure disregards the Covenant and misrepresents the legal status of Americans born in the islands.
The End Birthright Citizenship for Territories Act, introduced last week by Rep. Morgan Griffith of Virginia, seeks to eliminate automatic citizenship for individuals born in the territories. King‑Hinds said the bill reflects a continuing need to educate members of Congress about the rights of territorial residents and the unique federal relationships that govern each island jurisdiction.
The Covenant — formally the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America — is the foundational agreement that created the CNMI and guarantees U.S. citizenship for people born in the Commonwealth. It also includes “mutual consent” provisions that prevent Congress from unilaterally changing core elements of the CNMI’s political status, including citizenship, land rights, and self‑governance. King‑Hinds said any federal proposal that attempts to alter these protections without CNMI agreement conflicts directly with the Covenant.
“The proposal would infringe on the rights of Americans in the territories and, in the CNMI, disregard the Covenant and the mutual consent provisions that are fundamental to our relationship with the United States,” she said. “That is why I have been speaking with my colleagues to explain what this bill would actually do and why it is so deeply flawed.”
King‑Hinds said the legislation has caused “understandable concern” throughout the territories but noted that many lawmakers from both parties already recognize its problems. She said she is confident the bill will not become law.
The federal debate comes as the CNMI House of Representatives unanimously approved a separate measure aimed at curbing commercial birth tourism in the Commonwealth.
On Tuesday, lawmakers passed House Bill 24‑105, authored by House Floor Leader Marissa Flores. The bill — titled the Business Integrity and Regulation of Tourism Harms Act — seeks to prohibit and deter compensated commercial birth tourism operations in the CNMI.
According to the legislation, the measure is intended to strengthen enforcement against individuals or businesses that “organize, finance, manage, market, or materially facilitate such conduct for profit.” It also aims to protect limited public resources, preserve lawful commerce, and ensure that enforcement targets the scheme rather than the child, while safeguarding rights and protections secured under the Covenant and the U.S. Constitution.
