In an interview with Variety, Kilili said, “We have spoken to senior DHS officials including Secretary [Janet] Napolitano asking officials of the department to grant some kind of administrative remedy for groups covered under H,R, 1466.”
Asked if he has received any firm commitment from them, Kilili said, “no.”
But he assured that the recommendation had been received by the agency’s headquarters.
He also told Variety that his bill is moving forward.
“We continue to be hopeful that we could pass it this year,” he said.
When asked on the feedback from his fellow lawmakers in the U.S. Congress, Kilili told this reporter that he would like to get the bill passed by the House of Representatives for now then address the Senate.
He also said he has had conversations with offices of the senators and key staffers.
“They are not oblivious that this is something headed their way but I need to get it past the House,” he said.
He introduced H.R. 1466 on April 8, 2011, to grant CNMI-only status to nonresidents born in the commonwealth between Jan. 1, 1974 and Jan. 9, 1978; CNMI permanent residents; their spouses or children; and parents of U.S. citizen children born on or before May 8, 2008.
