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Torres welcomes lifting of travel restrictions on Chinese visitors
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres welcomed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s lifting of restrictions on non-U.S. citizens from traveling to the United States if they are coming from mainland China and a few other countries.
“It’s a good thing that it’s lifted,” said Torres during a recent radio news briefing. He was quick to clarify, though, that the CNMI needs to make sure that any and all passengers coming from China are screened beforehand and that they do not carry the COVID-19 virus with them when entering the Commonwealth.
“Now that is lifted, it’s our obligation to make sure that we continue the effort of testing at the border and the requirements to make sure that COVID-19 is not transmitted here in our community,” he said.
Torres also reminded the public that no governor has the authority to stop planes or schedule flights or airlines from coming into the United States, including its territories.
Last Sept. 14, U.S. acting secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolfe lifted the restrictions of arrivals into the United States of most individuals, who are from mainland China and some other countries. Those restrictions exempted U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. The term “United States” also includes the CNMI, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.
Aside from those coming from mainland China, Wolf also terminated the arrival restrictions on flights carrying persons who had recently traveled from Iran, the countries of the Schengen Area (European Union), the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Brazil.
For China, the arrival restrictions remain in place for those coming from Hong Kong and Macau.
For the United Kingdom, excluded from termination or arrival restrictions are its overseas territories outside of Europe.
Last Jan. 31, President Donald J. Trump signed a presidential proclamation that temporarily suspended such entry into the U.S from listed counties.
MD: Gov. Ralph DLG Torres welcomed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s lifting of the restrictions of non-U.S. citizens from traveling to the United States if they are coming from mainland China and other countries.
KW: Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, Chad Wolf, restrictions, President Donald J. Trump.
