In a previous interview, Honolulu District Director David G. Gulick said some petitioners may receive a request of evidence from USCIS or they will be notified of the petition’s rejection due to wrong forms filled out, wrong fees, or lack of other pertinent documents.
Although Gulick said a rejection is not tantamount to a denial, the petition process may encounter delays.
Asked on the latest number of petitions received by the California Service Center, Rummery said the CSC had so far entered 1,458 I-129CW petitions as of Nov. 25 and this does not include 678 unprocessed petitions received last Friday.
The petitions filed cover a total of 2,759 CW-1 workers and were filed by 454 different employers.
The number is expected to significantly increase as the long queues at the U.S. Post Office in Chalan Kanoa indicates.
Variety reported last week that the post office had been receiving 400 customers a day, especially with the petitioners trying to beat the Nov. 28 deadline.
According to DHS estimates, there are 13,543 foreign workers in-status and 1,000 workers out of status.
But USCIS may not be getting the same number of workers petitioned.
Variety learned recently that some businesses had opted not to renew the contracts of their nonresident workers and some had closed shop long before the Nov. 28 deadline.
In conversations with nonresidents who lost their jobs yet are still in lawful presence, Variety was told that scores had already left before Nov. 15 and some were scheduled to leave by Nov. 25.
Lilian, a Gualo Rai resident, who declined to be fully identified in this report, shared that four of her relatives who lived in Finasisu and their families were already prepared to leave.
She said, “My relatives were booked on a flight for Nov. 25. Some of those I know have already left.”
She also said the others have decided to go home rather than risk losing lawful status.
However, some of those she also knew said they would like to remain in the CNMI for their children who are United States citizens.
Recently, USCIS decided to grant parole to parents of U.S. citizens on a case by case basis.
In an interview with Variety yesterday, RNV construction president Ruel R. Villacrusis praised USCIS for its efforts in keeping employers and workers informed leading to the deadline of filing of petitions.
Stating his opinion, he said, “With regard to information dissemination, I think they [USCIS] did a good job.”
He raised concern, however, with the short period that the petitioners would have to prepare in filing petitions.
For him and other employers, especially those who barely make ends meet, this immigration change came at such a bad time.
“The economy is really bad,” he said.
He also shared his elation for his fellow Filipinos and other groups that would be benefited by the USCIS’ recent decision to grant parole on a case by case basis for parents and immediate relatives of U.S. citizens.
For those awaiting guidelines in applying for parole, among other immigration benefits, log on to www.uscis.gov.
