US Senate Panel OKs CNMI Federalization Bill

By Sarah C. LaBelle
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Oceania

SAIPAN, Northern Mariana Islands - The US Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources endorsed the bill S. 2483 today.  S. 2483 incorporates H.R. 3079 and other House bills, and will federalize immigration in CNMI.  CNMI has controlled its own immigration laws since it became a US territory in the 1970s, and has been fighting the US on this bill since July.

Governor Benigno Fitial's press secretary, Charles Reyes Jr., said on Fitial's behalf, "If this bill is passed into law, the governor said it would be the most harmful federal legislation ever imposed on the commonwealth."  He added, "All of this suggests that when it comes to the CNMI, many powerful federal policymakers want to shoot first without aiming carefully and without asking any serious questions because, after all, the CNMI government and the CNMI people have no votes, no money, no friends, and certainly no influence in Washington, DC."

While the bill is highly unpopular in CNMI, it has strong support in the US.  The Department of the Interior has expressed its approval, and by extension, the approval of the Bush administration.  Congresswoman Donna Christensen (D-Virgin Islands) is one of the bill's sponsors. She said that opponents of the bill "fail to recognize the current system is flawed.  The bill will not only provide for CNMI representation in the US House of Representatives but also a more stable framework for CNMI."

Opposition to earlier versions of the bill hinged partly on the fact that it granted nonimmigrant status to qualified guest workers who had been in CNMI legally for five years, a provision which is not included in the current version.  Opponents also criticized the fact that CNMI does not have a seat in the US House of Representatives, while other US territories have non-voting delegate seats.  The new version addresses this concern as well, providing a delegate seat in the House for CNMI.

Not all in CNMI are against the bill.  Wendy Doromal, who helps guest workers improve their immigration status and used to be a teacher, says that "The CNMI government should stop resisting the inevitable and work with the federal government to improve the condition in the CNMI for residents and nonresidents alike."

For more information, please see:

Impunity Watch - Local Government Opposes Federalization of Immigration System - 19 July 2007

Impunity Watch - CNMI Clash With US Over Immigration Escalates - 09 August 2007

Impunity Watch - H.R. 3079 Debated in Saipan; S. 1634 to be Revised - 16 August 2007

Impunity Watch - CNMI Immigration Federalization Bill Redrafted - 13 September 2007

Marianas Variety - US Senate panel OKs federalization bill - 01 February 2008

Islands Business - Governor Fitial disappointed with US Senate panel's action - 01 February 2008

Comments

Get Real! TAOTAO TANO CNMI....

Department of Interior, under the instructions of Senate Staffer Allen Stayman Lobbyed Wendy Doromal a wanna be Human Rights activist who wants to win a noble prize or an Oscar making up overly exaggerated stories of Human Trafficking, exploitations, and Labor abuse issues. U.S. Senate Staffer should be investigate for using and abusing U.S. taxpayers dollars. U.S. Senate Staffer Allen Stayman want to open the back doors to a country linked to Al Quaida Network, the Phillipines by giving them Green Cards, H2 VISA's to enter the U.S. Currently 8,000-10,000 foreign nationals are conducting a vast of on-line campaign. This foreign organizations along with Wendy Doromal and sisters of the good shephard are all involve in this issue. Senate Staffer ALLEN Stayman and Senator Bingaman are using National Security issue but TAOTAO TANO say we don't think so! Its more like "AMNESTY" in the making. TAOTAO TANO further says Senator Bingaman and his Senate Staffer ALLEN STAYMAN should check their backyards first before they talk about National Security. 12 million illegal aliens in the U.S. alone.

TAOTAO TANO Saipan, mp 96950.