“The administration’s stubborn and uncooperative stance in withholding information or suggesting it could be shared ‘for a fee’ demonstrates that the administration is continuing to cling to the broken, local system rather than ensure a smooth transition,” Doromal said.
In an e-mail to Variety, she said the CNMI’s labor and immigration data systems were funded by the federal government so that the commonwealth can share information.
She said under the Fitial administration, the Department of Labor claimed that it was the Census Bureau’s job to get information and stated that DOL’s statistics reflect transactions, not people.
“Their faulty system of tracking foreign nationals supported some of the essential reasons for federal takeover of immigration,” she said.
According to Doromal, the CNMI government’s lack of cooperation was also seen in its protocol and suggestions to revisions in local statutes to conform with the federalization law.
“Both CNMI-generated documents, like the anti-federalization lawsuit, indicate that the administration aims to merely shift immigration responsibilities to DOL, rather than accept that the federal government would be in charge of all immigration-related issues,” she said.
Variety asked Labor Deputy Secretary Cinta M. Kaipat for comment but she had not replied as of press time last night.
Doromal said the federalization law itself requires the CNMI government to provide to the federal government “all commonwealth immigration records or other information…necessary to assist the [law’s] implementation”
The CNMI could be forced to comply with this provision of the law, she added.
“Why wouldn’t the CNMI want to openly share the data to ensure a smooth transition, which should also result in keeping federal fees down?” she asked.
