REPRESENTATIVE Herman T. Palacios will introduce a bill that would provide limited immunity for illegal aliens who report themselves to the Department of Labor and Immigration.
Palacios, R-Saipan, said despite the enactment of a limited immunity law a few years ago, the CNMI is still faced with the problem of overstaying non-resident workers.
“There continues to be a need for these individuals to fill employment positions that would otherwise remain unfilled due to the commonwealth’s small local workforce. Therefore, one solution is to provide for another short period of limited immunity again to allow these aliens to come forward and voluntarily exit the island or legitimize their immigration status,” said Palacios, chairman of the House Subcommittee on Labor and Immigration.
Under his bill, illegal aliens who entered the CNMI on or before Jan. 1, 2002 would be qualified for limited immunity, provided that they have not yet been apprehended or formally identified as present in the commonwealth.
He said qualified aliens would be “forever” immune from all prosecutions arising from their presence in the CNMI illegally prior to the date of their voluntary reporting to the government.
The aliens would be issued temporary work permit so that they could leave 30 days from the date they are granted limited immunity to apply for and be granted a one-year entry and work permits required by the Non-Resident Workers Act.
