Asked about the chances of his H.R. 1466 getting the approval of the Republican-dominated U.S. House of Representatives, Sablan, who is aligned with the Democrats, said, “Nothing is guaranteed.”
But he noted that the umbrella permits of nonresidents will expire this November, and this is why Sablan said he will “work hard on this legislation.”
Sablan’s bill applies to nonresidents married to U.S. citizens; those who were granted permanent residency by the CNMI government; the 92 people who were born here between Jan. 1 1974 and Jan. 9, 1978; and the nonresidents who become immediate relatives of U.S. citizens as May 8, 2008 “notwithstanding the age” of these U.S. citizens.
Sablan said his office is working on other arrangements to help these nonresidents remain in the CNMI until his bill is acted on.
He noted that once his bill becomes law, it will require a lot of paperwork before nonresidents can gain CNMI status, and this will take a while.
The time left may not be enough for the employers of these nonresidents.
Sablan said there are U.S. lawmakers on the other side of the aisle who understand the issue, referring to the Republicans. He is also working with them, he added.
Immigration, he said, is a major issue in the U.S. Congress so the members are aware of the controversies involved.
He reiterated that granting resident status is something many of the long-term nonresidents here deserve. The goal, he added, is to protect families.
Under H.R. 1466, those granted CNMI permanent residency can enter and exit the islands, but are not allowed to travel to, or reside in any part of the U.S. or its territories, unless they have the required U.S. visa.
