He doesn’t have the exact figure, but Syed said there is significant number of people in the CNMI who will benefit from Sablan’s proposal.
Aside from nonresidents married to U.S. citizens; those who were granted permanent residency by the CNMI government; and the 92 people who were born here between Jan. 1 1974 and Jan. 9, 1978; nonresidents who became immediate relatives of U.S. citizens as of May 8, 2008 “notwithstanding the age” of these U.S. citizens will be granted CNMI-only resident status if Sablan’s bill becomes law.
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.
Syed said they’re hoping that the U.S. Congress will also consider the U.S. Department of the Interior’s recommendation to grant improved immigration status to long-term CNMI guest workers.
“We appreciate and support Sablan’s bill but those people who have lawfully been in the CNMI for more than five years on and after Nov. 28, 2009 should be given improved status which is a green card or a pathway to U.S. citizenship,” he added.
Syed noted that there are long-term nonresident workers who don’t have children and are not married to U.S. citizens.
“These people have contributed to the community so they will be discriminated at if they get nothing,” he said.
Human rights advocate Wendy Doromal stated on her blog “Unheard No More,” that “any immigration bill related to the long-term nonresident workers in the CNMI should address all of the long-term foreigner workers, not just selected groups.”
The former Rota teacher objects to the “restrictions and selectiveness” in the category of long-term foreign workers that will benefit from Sablan’s bill.
She said “omitting certain categories of equally qualifying workers because of their marital status or reproductive status is discriminatory and perhaps unconstitutional.”
The bill’s cosponsors are Congresswoman Donna Christensen of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Congressman Eni Faleomavaega of American Samoa, Congressman Pedro R. Pierluisi of Puerto Rico and Congressman Dan Boren of Oklahoma. All are members of the Democratic Party.
The U.S. House is run by Republicans but the Senate is controlled by Democrats.
