In a Senate Joint Resolution introduced during a special session yesterday Eledui said that the president’s directive is unconstitutional.
Senate Joint Resolution 8-58 stated that under the Constitution only Congress has the power to levy taxes.
“The registration fee provided for by the regulation appears to in actuality be an unauthorized tax or at best a fee that is being imposed without any legislative delegation of authority to do so,” the resolution said.
The resolution further stated that the regulation imposing a registration fee is “hereby declared void in its entirety.”
The Bureau of Immigration on Aug. 16 begun the process of registering foreign workers.
Registration is at the Palau Civic Center and will end on Sept. 30. Each foreign worker will have to pay $25.
The Immigration said the registration is a system to account and document all foreigners living and working in the country.
The Bureau’s goal is also to encourage overstaying foreign workers to legalize their stay and avoid arrest by volunteering to go home if papers are not in order.
Two requirements are needed for registration, passport and working permit.
Any alien required to register who fails to register as set forth above shall be fined $5per day for each day that he or she is present in Palau without having registered.
Presidential Directive No. 10-002 also declares an amnesty for all aliens whose current immigration or labor status in Palau is not in compliance with the law or is otherwise irregular; provided that the alien registers as set forth above, and provided further that the alien brings his or her immigration or labor status into compliance with the law or departs the Republic of Palau, by December 31, 2010.
No civil or criminal or deportation proceedings in relation to an alien’s immigration or labor status will be brought against an alien.
Any alien who does not register and whose current immigration or labor status in Palau is not in compliance with the law or is otherwise irregular shall immediately be subject to all applicable criminal and civil proceedings and penalties and to deportation from Palau.
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