As it is, Arizona enacted and passed the most stringent immigration law in the nation, which takes effect next month, and Washington has yet to make a decision on whether Arizona can enforce federal immigration law. Arizona opted to control its borders since the federal government cannot seem to get its act together and I ask our legislators to do the same.
Unlike any other, our relationship with the United States is unique and governed by the Covenant. As a people, we need to make a decision on what status, if any, we are giving our nonresident guest workers. We cannot stand idly by and let federal government make the decision for us. With that said, we must not have an us against them mentality. President Mandela once described South Africa as a nation of rainbow. Our people and our culture are about acceptance. I love the CNMI because we are a “nation of rainbow.” Our indigenous people have intermarried people from other cultures. They are as much as part of us as we are of them.
However, we need to take control of our destiny. I doubt the federal government is willing to give resident status to all individuals who are in the United States illegally. In fact, I just read an article about a young girl who grew up in Iowa and was an honors student at a university who was in the country illegally. Her status was discovered when a law enforcement officer initiated a traffic stop for a minor violation and was deported immediately to her birth country. A country she does not know.
Whatever decision our people make, not everyone will be happy. In my opinion, let the people vote on the issue. We all have to live with the consequences, whatever they may be.
MARIE RIOS-MARTINEZ
Garapan, Saipan
