Since 9/11, securing U.S. borders in order to prevent another terrorist attack became priority one for government agencies involved in processing and issuing travel documents as well as inspecting foreign visitors. Reasons for stringent identification and record-keeping of entries/exits of foreign travelers included the broad goals of minimizing homeland vulnerability and increasing national security. However, in the Pacific U.S. territories of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas (CNMI), Russian nationals may be temporarily allowed 45-day stays without the same screening which would be required on the U.S. mainland. Similarly, Chinese nationals enjoy the same "visa-free" travel to CNMI. Although this region is not well known except for its strategic location during World War II, there are about 150,000 U.S. citizens and significant military assets located in Guam and CNMI. This thesis explores reasons why the "visa free" travel of Russian and Chinese nationals to these strategically located U.S. territories poses a threat to national security.

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