Editing Northern Mariana Islands (section)

==Politics and government==
{{main|Politics of the Northern Mariana Islands}}
{{further|Political party strength in the Northern Mariana Islands}}
[[File:Arnold Palacios.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Arnold Palacios]], the [[List of governors of the Northern Mariana Islands|governor of the Northern Mariana Islands]]]]<!--Please add new information into relevant articles of the series-->
The Northern Mariana Islands have a [[multi-party system|multiparty]] [[presidential system|presidential]] [[representative democracy|representative democratic]] system. They are a commonwealth of the United States. Federal funds to the commonwealth are administered by the [[Office of Insular Affairs]] of the [[U.S. Department of the Interior]].

Replicating the separation of powers elsewhere in the United States, the [[executive power|executive branch]] is headed by the [[List of Northern Mariana Islands Governors|governor of the Northern Mariana Islands]]; [[legislative power]] is vested in the bicameral [[Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature]] and the [[judiciary|judicial power]] is vested in the [[Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands|CNMI Supreme Court]] and the trial courts inferior to it.

Some critics, including the author of the political website ''[[Saipan Sucks]]'', say that politics in the Northern Mariana Islands is often "more a function of family relationships and personal loyalties" where the size of one's extended family is more important than a candidate's personal qualifications. They charge that this is [[nepotism]] carried out within the trappings of democracy.<ref>{{cite thesis |last=Ellis |first=Jimmie L. |title=Total Resource Sharing among Collegiate and Public Libraries in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands: A Narrative Case Study |date=May 1, 2004 |degree=EdD |publisher=[[University of San Diego]] |url=https://digital.sandiego.edu/dissertations/729/ |doi=10.22371/05.2004.005 |doi-access=free |page=65}}</ref><ref name="Reyes">{{cite web |url=http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=1594&cat=3 |title=Primitive tribalism |author=Charles P. Reyes Jr. |date=March 30, 1999 |work=Saipan Tribune |access-date=September 1, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110516094825/http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=1594&cat=3 |archive-date=May 16, 2011 }}</ref>

In April 2012, anticipating a loss of funding by 2014, the commonwealth's [[Pension fund#Public vs. private pension funds|public pension fund]] declared [[Chapter 11 bankruptcy]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303916904577376183528687836?mod=googlenews_wsj |title=Review & Outlook: The Mariana Pension Foreshock |newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=May 11, 2012 |access-date=August 29, 2015}}</ref> The retirement fund is a [[defined benefit]]-type pension plan and was only partially funded by the government, with only $268.4&nbsp;million in [[asset]]s and $911&nbsp;million in [[liability (financial accounting)|liabilities]]. The plan experienced low investment returns and a benefit structure that had been increased without raises in funding.<ref name=p&i20120419>
{{cite news|last=Mercado|first=Darla|title=In apparent first, a public pension plan files for bankruptcy|url=http://www.pionline.com/article/20120419/REG/120419842/in-apparent-first-a-public-pension-plan-files-for-bankruptcy|access-date=April 28, 2012|newspaper=Pensions and Investments|date=April 19, 2012}}</ref>

In August 2012, cries for impeachment<ref>{{cite news|title=Impeach The Governor|url=http://www.mvariety.com/cnmi/cnmi-news/local/48917-impeach-the-governor.php|access-date=August 21, 2012|newspaper=Marianas Variety}}{{dead link|date=March 2025}}</ref> arose, as the sitting governor [[Benigno Fitial]] was being held responsible for withholding payments from the pension fund,<ref>{{cite news|title=Retirement Fund in Disarray|url=http://www.mvariety.com/archives/39965-retirement-fund-in-disarray.php|access-date=August 21, 2012|newspaper=Marianas Variety}}{{dead link|date=March 2025}}</ref> not paying the local utility (Commonwealth Utilities or "CUC") for government offices,<ref>{{cite news|title=Gov't Owes CUC $8.9 million|url=http://www.mvariety.com/cnmi/cnmi-news/local/48980-govt-owes-cuc-89m.php|access-date=August 21, 2012|newspaper=Marianas Variety}}{{dead link|date=March 2025}}</ref> cutting off funding to the only hospital in the Northern Marianas,<ref>{{cite web|title=Hospital Needs To Move Away From Culture of Gov't Subsidy|url=http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=1&newsID=115997|access-date=August 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117082716/http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=1&newsID=115997|archive-date=January 17, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=CHC Tailspin Continues|url=http://www.mvariety.com/cnmi/cnmi-news/local/48988-chcs-tailspin-continues.php|access-date=August 21, 2012}}</ref> interfering with the delivery of a [[subpoena]] to his attorney general,<ref>{{cite news|title=Wiseman issues $50K Bench Warrant for Buckingham|url=http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=120971&cat=1|access-date=August 21, 2012|newspaper=Saipan Tribune|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117082914/http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=120971&cat=1|archive-date=January 17, 2013}}</ref> withholding required funds from the public schools,<ref>{{cite news|title=Central Gov't owes PSS $11.8 million in unremitted maintenance of effort|url=http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=1&newsID=121008|access-date=August 20, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117082836/http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=1&newsID=121008|archive-date=January 17, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=1&newsID=121305|title=PSS to lawmakers: Some schools could have 'double sessions'|author-first1=Haidee V. |author-last1=Eugenio|date=21 August 2012|newspaper=Saipan Tribune|access-date=August 29, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117082744/http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=1&newsID=121305|archive-date=January 17, 2013}}</ref> and for signing a sole source $190&nbsp;million contract for power generation.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mvariety.com/cnmi/cnmi-news/local/48955-maratita-takes-fitial-to-court-over-unconstitutional-power-agreement-seeks-tro.php|title=Maratita takes Fitial to court over 'unconstitutional' power agreement; seeks TRO|access-date=August 21, 2012|website=Marianas Variety}}{{dead link|date=April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=121163&cat=1|title=Buckingham, Fitial sign off on $190M power purchase deal|date=15 August 2012|author-first1=Haidee V. |author-last1=Eugenio|website=Saipan Tribune|access-date=August 20, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117082800/http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=121163&cat=1|archive-date=January 17, 2013}}</ref>

Northern Mariana Islands' delegation to the [[2016 Republican National Convention]] boasted about being "the most Republican territory" in the U.S.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/07/26/politics/state-roll-call-rnc-dnc/index.html|title=State roll calls: What RNC, DNC delegates want you to know|first=Chris|last=Moody|date=July 26, 2016|website=CNN}}</ref> In 2017, the [[Republican Party of Northern Mariana Islands|Republican Party]] had large majorities in both the [[Northern Mariana Islands Senate]] and the [[Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives]], though no party has a majority in either chamber as of 2023.

===Administrative divisions===
The islands total {{convert|179.01|sqmi|km2|2}}. The table gives an overview, with the individual islands listed from north to south:<ref name="CIA Factbook" /><ref name="CIA Factbook-b" />

{{GeoGroup}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!rowspan="2"| No.
!rowspan="2"| Islands/features<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/geographyofpacif0000unse/|title=Geography of the Pacific|year=1951|page=[https://archive.org/details/geographyofpacif0000unse/page/208/ 208]|url-access=registration}}</ref>
!colspan="2"| Area<ref>{{cite web|url=https://origin-apps-pifsc.fisheries.noaa.gov/library/pubs/SP-12-01.pdf|title=Coral reef ecosystem monitoring report of the Mariana Archipelago: a 2003 – 2007|website=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115134931/https://origin-apps-pifsc.fisheries.noaa.gov/library/pubs/SP-12-01.pdf|archive-date=November 15, 2020|url-status=live|access-date=November 15, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ver1.cnmicommerce.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/2015-Yearbook-11222017.pdf#page=202|title=2015 CNMI Statistical Yearbook|website=Ver1.cnmicommerce.com|access-date=January 4, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gaebler.info/sonstiges/marianen.htm|title=Über die Marianen|language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200821231749/http://www.gaebler.info/sonstiges/marianen.htm|archive-date=August 21, 2020|url-status=live|website=Gaebler Info und Genealogie}}</ref>
!rowspan="2"| Population<br />(2020<br />census)<ref name=census2020/>
!colspan="2"| Height
!rowspan="2"| Highest peak
!rowspan="2"| Location
|-
!sq&nbsp;mi||km<sup>2</sup>||feet||m
|-
| colspan="9" style="text-align:center; background:#ccc;"|'''Northern Islands ([[Northern Islands Municipality]])'''
|-
| style="text-align:right;"| 1 || [[Farallon de Pajaros]] (Urracas) || {{convert|0.985|sqmi|km2|2|disp=table}} || style="text-align:right;"| — || {{convert|1047|ft|m|0|disp=table}} ||  || {{Coord|20|33|N|144|54|E|name=Farallon de Pajaros}}
|-
| style="text-align:right;"|  || [[Supply Reef]] || {{convert|0.00|sqmi|km2|2|disp=table}}|| style="text-align:right;"| — || {{convert|-26|ft|m|0|disp=table}}<ref>{{cite gvp|vn=284142|name=Supply Reef|access-date=March 3, 2017}}</ref> || || {{coord|20|08|N|145|6|E}}
|-
| style="text-align:right;"| 2 || [[Maug Islands]] including<br />-North Island<br />-East Island<br />-West Island || {{convert|0.822|sqmi|km2|2|disp=table}} || style="text-align:right;"| — || {{convert|745|ft|m|0|disp=table}} || North Island || {{Coord|20|02|N|145|19|E|name=Maug Islands}}
|-
| style="text-align:right;"| 3 || [[Asuncion Island|Asuncion]] ||{{convert|2.822|sqmi|km2|2|disp=table}} || style="text-align:right;"| — || {{convert|2923|ft|m|0|disp=table}} ||  || {{Coord|19|43|N|145|41|E|name=Asuncion}}
|-
| style="text-align:right;"| 4 || [[Agrihan]] (Agrigan)<ref name=1990volc group=n>evacuated 1990 due to volcanic eruptions</ref>|| {{convert|16.80|sqmi|km2|2|disp=table}} || style="text-align:right;"| 4 || {{convert|3166|ft|m|0|disp=table}} || Mount Agrihan || {{Coord|18|46|N|145|40|E|name=Agrihan}}
|-
| style="text-align:right;"| 5 || [[Pagan Island|Pagan]]<ref group=n>evacuated 1981 due to volcanic eruptions</ref> || {{convert|18.24|sqmi|km2|2|disp=table}} || style="text-align:right;"| 2 || {{convert|1900|ft|m|0|disp=table}} || Mount Pagan || {{Coord|18|08|36|N|145|47|39|E|name=Pagan}}
|-
| style="text-align:right;"| 6 || [[Alamagan]] || {{convert|4.29|sqmi|km2|2|disp=table}} || style="text-align:right;"| 1 || {{convert|2441|ft|m|0|disp=table}} || Alamagan || {{Coord|17|35|N|145|50|E|name=Alamagan}}
|-
| style="text-align:right;"| 7 || [[Guguan]]  || {{convert|1.494|sqmi|km2|2|disp=table}} || style="text-align:right;"| — || {{convert|988|ft|m|0|disp=table}} ||  || {{Coord|17|20|N|145|51|E|name=Guguan}}
|-
| style="text-align:right;"|  || [[Zealandia Bank]]  || style="text-align:right;"|0.0 ||align="right"|0.0||align="right"| — ||align="right"| 0 ||align="right"| 0||  || {{Coord|16|45|N|145|42|E|}}
|-
| style="text-align:right;"| 8 || [[Sarigan]]<ref group=n>formerly inhabited (population of 21 in 1935, but only 2 in 1968)</ref> || {{convert|1.92|sqmi|km2|2|disp=table}} || style="text-align:right;"| — || {{convert|1801|ft|m|0|disp=table}} || — || {{Coord|16|43|N|145|47|E|name=Sarigan}}
|-
| style="text-align:right;"| 9 || [[Anatahan]]<ref name=1990volc group=n /> || {{convert|12.05|sqmi|km2|2|disp=table}} || style="text-align:right;"| — || {{convert|2582|ft|m|0|disp=table}} ||  || {{Coord|16|22|N|145|40|E|name=Anatahan}}
|-
| style="text-align:right;"| 10 || [[Farallon de Medinilla]] ||{{convert|0.328|sqmi|km2|2|disp=table}} || style="text-align:right;"| — || {{convert|266|ft|m|0|disp=table}} ||  || {{Coord|16|01|N|146|04|E|name=Farallon de Medinilla}}
|-
| colspan="9" style="text-align:center; background:#ccc;"|'''Southern Islands (3 municipalities)'''
|-
| style="text-align:right;"| 11 || [[Saipan]] || {{convert|44.55|sqmi|km2|2|disp=table}} || style="text-align:right;"| 43,385 || {{convert|1555|ft|m|0|disp=table}} || Mount Tapochau || {{Coord|15|11|06|N|145|44|28|E|name=Saipan}}
|-
| style="text-align:right;"| 12 || [[Tinian]] || {{convert|39.00|sqmi|km2|2|disp=table}} || style="text-align:right;"| 2,044 || {{convert|558|ft|m|0|disp=table}} || Kastiyu (Lasso Hill) || {{Coord|14|57|12|N|145|38|54|E|name=Tinian}}
|-
| style="text-align:right;"| 13 || [[Aguijan]] (Agiguan)<ref group=n>part of Tinian Municipality</ref> || {{convert|2.74|sqmi|km2|2|disp=table}} || style="text-align:right;"| — || {{convert|515|ft|m|0|disp=table}} || Alutom || {{Coord|14|42|N|145|18|E|name=Aguijan}}
|-
| style="text-align:right;"| 14 || [[Rota (island)|Rota]] || {{convert|32.97|sqmi|km2|2|disp=table}} || style="text-align:right;"| 1,893 || {{convert|1611|ft|m|0|disp=table}} || Mount Manira ||  {{Coord|14|08|37|N|145|11|08|E|name=Rota}}
|- style="background:#ccc;"
|  ||'''Northern Mariana Islands'''|| {{convert|179.01|sqmi|km2|2|disp=table}}|| style="text-align:right;"| 47,329 || {{convert|3166|ft|m|0|disp=table}}|| [[Mount Agrihan]] || 14°08' to 20°33'N,<br />144°54° to 146°04'E
|-
| colspan="9" style="text-align:left; background:#fff;"|
'''Notes'''
{{refbegin}}
<references group=n/>
{{refend}}
|}
[[File:Northern Mariana Islands regions map.png|thumb|Map showing the four municipalities of the Northern Mariana Islands, with Guam shown for context and indicating which islands have airports]]

Administratively, the CNMI is divided into four municipalities:

The Northern Islands (north of Saipan) form the [[Northern Islands Municipality]]. The three main islands of the Southern Islands form the municipalities of [[Saipan]], [[Tinian Municipality|Tinian]], and [[Rota (island)|Rota]], with uninhabited Aguijan forming part of Tinian municipality.

The northern islands have been evacuated because of a volcanic threat. Human habitation was limited to Agrihan, Pagan, and Alamagan, but the population varied due to various economic factors, including children's education. The 2020 census showed only seven residents in the Northern Islands Municipality, and the Northern Islands' mayor's office is located in "exile" on Saipan.

Saipan, Tinian, and Rota have the only ports and harbors and are the only permanently populated islands.

For statistical purposes, the [[United States Census Bureau]] counts the four municipalities of the Northern Mariana Islands as [[county equivalent]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/pdfs/reference/GARM/Ch4GARM.pdf |title=States, Counties, and Statistically Equivalent Entities (Chapter 4)|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=September 1, 2019}}</ref>

===Political status and autonomy===
{{further|Law of the Northern Mariana Islands}}
In 1947, the Northern Mariana Islands became part of the post–World War II United Nations [[Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands]] (TTPI). The United States became the TTPI's administering authority under the terms of a trusteeship agreement. In 1976, Congress approved the mutually negotiated Covenant to establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://cnmilaw.org/cov.php#gsc.tab=0| title = Covenant to establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America}}</ref> The Covenant was codified on March 24, 1976, as [[Public Law]] 94-241.<ref name=covenant>{{cite web|url=https://uscode.house.gov/statutes/pl/94/241.pdf|title=Public Law 94-241|date=March 24, 1976|publisher=uscode.house.gov}}</ref> The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) government adopted its own constitution in 1977, and the new government took office in January 1978. Implementation of the Covenant, which took effect on January 1, 1978, was completed on November 3, 1986, pursuant to Presidential Proclamation no. 5564; which placed into effect the Covenant With the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Compacts of Free Association With the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.<ref>See
*{{cite web|url=https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/proclamations/05564.html|title=Proclamation 5564—Placing into full force and effect the Covenant With the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Compacts of Free Association With the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands|work=Codification of Presidential Proclamations and Executive Orders|publisher=[[Federal Register]]|date=November 3, 1986}}
*{{cite web|url=https://fam.state.gov/FAM/08FAM/08FAM030202.html|title=8 FAM 302.2: Acquisition by birth in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands|date=May 15, 2020|work=Foreign Affairs Manual and Handbook|publisher=U.S. Department of State}}</ref> This allowed the CNMI to be represented to the United States Government in Washington, DC by a ''Resident Representative'', elected at-large by CNMI voters and whose office was paid for by the CNMI government. The [[Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008]] ("CNRA"), approved by the [[U.S. Congress]] on May 8, 2008, established a [[United States congressional delegations from the Northern Mariana Islands|CNMI delegate]]'s seat; Democrat [[Gregorio Sablan]] was elected in [[2008 United States House of Representatives elections|November 2008]] as the first CNMI delegate and took office in the [[111th Congress]]. Like the other five delegates in the House, the CNMI delegate participates in debates and committee votes but has no vote on the floor of the House of Representatives and has no role in the U.S. Senate, but is equal to a Senator when serving on a conference committee.

On December 22, 1990, the [[United Nations Trusteeship Council]] terminated the TTPI as it applied to the CNMI and five other of the TTPI's original seven districts (the [[Marshall Islands]] and the [[Federated States of Micronesia]] (Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap)), this was acknowledged in [[United Nations Security Council Resolution 683]] passed on the same day.

[[File:TTPI High Court judges.jpg|thumb|TTPI High Court judges (some time between 1968 and 1978)]]
Under the Covenant, only certain provisions of the U.S. Constitution apply to the Commonwealth, and legislation passed by the U.S. Congress can only apply to the Commonwealth if it applies to all 50 states.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cnmilaw.org/cov.php#gsc.tab=0|title=Covenant|website=Commonwealth Law Revision Commission}}</ref> The CNMI is outside the customs area of the United States and ''bona fide'' residents of the Commonwealth are exempt from U.S. federal income tax, as is the case in the four self-governing territories. According to the Covenant, the federal minimum wage and federal immigration laws "will not apply to the Northern Mariana Islands except in the manner and to the extent made applicable to them by the Congress by law after termination of the Trusteeship Agreement."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.doi.gov/oia/Islandpages/cnmipage.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060614104551/http://www.doi.gov/oia/Islandpages/cnmipage.htm|title=Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands|website=US Department of the Interior|archive-date=June 14, 2006}}</ref> Local control of minimum wage was superseded by the United States Congress in 2007; it was slowly raised until in 2015 it reached parity with the 50 states.

Initially, under the Covenant, a separate immigration system existed in the CNMI, and U.S. immigration law did not apply. Still, the Covenant gave the United States power of reservation over immigration law in the Commonwealth. After reports surfaced of abusive practices for immigrant workers, on November 28, 2009, the United States exercised its power of reservation; specifically, CNRA § 702(a) amended the Covenant to state that "the provisions of the 'immigration laws' (as defined in section 101(a)(17) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(17))) shall apply to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands." Further, under CNRA § 702(a), the "immigration laws," as well as the amendments to the Covenant, "shall...supersede and replace all laws, provisions, or programs of the Commonwealth relating to the admission of aliens and the removal of aliens from the Commonwealth."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/eoir/vll/benchbook/tools/CNMI/CNMI%20Memo%20(3-29-10).pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110926172413/http://www.justice.gov/eoir/vll/benchbook/tools/CNMI/CNMI%20Memo%20(3-29-10).pdf|title=Memorandum|date=March 29, 2010|publisher=US Department of Justice: Executive Office for Immigration Review|archive-date=September 26, 2011}}</ref> Transition to U.S. immigration laws began November 28, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://digital.law.washington.edu/dspace-law/bitstream/handle/1773.1/488/20pacrimlpoly211.pdf |title=A Lesser-Known Immigration Crisis: Federal Immigration Law in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands |author=Robert J. Misulich |publisher=Digital.law.washington.edu |access-date=August 29, 2015}}</ref><ref name=ST>{{Cite news|url=http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=96195&cat=1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110926172413/http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=96195&cat=1|title=CNMI loses immigration control in 2009|date=January 1, 2010|author=Haidee V. Eugenio|newspaper=Saipan Tribune|archive-date=September 26, 2011}}</ref>

===Judicial system===
Cases under federal law are heard by the [[District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands]], which was established by [[act of Congress]] in 1977, and began operations in January 1978. The court sits on the island of [[Saipan]] but may sit in other places within the commonwealth. The district court has the same jurisdiction as all other United States district courts, including diversity jurisdiction and bankruptcy jurisdiction. Appeals are taken to the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit|Ninth Circuit]]. As a [[United States territorial court]] established under Congress's territorial power granted by Article IV of the United States Constitution, judges do not have lifetime appointments, unlike the Article III courts in the 50 states, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

Cases under territorial law are heard by the [[Superior Court of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands]], with appeals heard by the [[Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands]].

In June 2024, [[Julian Assange]] pleaded guilty in a court in Saipan, the capital of the US territory, before flying home to Australia.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn00720gx5jo | title=Why Northern Mariana Islands hosted Julian Assange hearing }}</ref>

===Citizenship===
{{further|Northern Mariana citizenship and nationality}}
Article III of the Covenant conferred [[United States citizenship]] on legally qualified CNMI residents, which generally included all citizens of the CNMI, and established U.S. [[Birthright citizenship in the United States|birthright citizenship]] for persons born in the CNMI.<ref name=covenant />
The CNMI has a number of special visa programs and conditions, one of the latest was the CNMI Long-Term Resident Status program.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-07 |title=CNMI Long-Term Resident Status {{!}} USCIS |url=https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/cnmi-long-term-resident-status |access-date=2023-10-17 |website=Uscis.gov |language=en}}</ref> However, the visa exemptions for Guam-CNMI are more restrictive than the general U.S. [[Visa Waiver Program]].<ref>For a comparison see {{Cite web |title=Visa Waiver Program and Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program {{!}} Homeland Security |url=https://www.dhs.gov/visa-waiver-program-and-guam-cnmi-visa-waiver-program |access-date=2023-10-17 |website=Dhs.gov}}</ref> Still, they need to become residents of a U.S. state or Washington, D.C. to be able to vote in presidential elections. Per the terms of the covenant, since 1986, the Northern Marianas have the right of ''[[jus soli]]''; children born there, as anywhere in the U.S., are citizens at birth.<ref name="Coleman"/> This has also made the CNMI a refuge for pregnant women who escape authoritarian regimes in East Asia: when their child is born in the Northern Marianas it can be a U.S. citizen.<ref name="Coleman">{{Cite web |last=Coleman |first=Zach |title='Birth tourism' in Saipan causing headaches for USA |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/09/09/chinese-tourist-births-cnmi/2784797/ |access-date=2023-10-17 |website=Usatoday.com|language=en-US}}</ref> 
There are a number of serious restrictions on immigration and citizenship rules in the CNMI. For example, it is not possible to apply for asylum before 2030.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-04 |title=U.S. Immigration Law in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) {{!}} USCIS |url=https://www.uscis.gov/laws-and-policy/other-resources/us-immigration-law-in-the-commonwealth-of-the-northern-mariana-islands-cnmi |access-date=2023-10-17 |website=Uscis.gov |language=en}}</ref> The U.S. has tried to work with Asian countries and local Marianas to create a realistic balance that allows access but not abuse of the CNMI system and realistic pathways to citizenship according to the rules of the United States and a respect for human situations.<ref name="Coleman" />