“IRs” are considered local hires under current CNMI labor and immigration laws.
Rahaman, together with his wife and six children, were interviewed on videotape by visiting human rights advocate Wendy Doromal during the forum for spouses of Freely Associated States citizens at the Kilili Beach pavilion yesterday morning.
“We wanted to have a changed immigration status,” said Rahaman said, who runs a small business in Saipan.
The FAS are Palau, the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia: Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap.
Under these countries Compacts with the U.S., their citizens are allowed to migrate to America and its territories.
A taxi driver and married for 12 years to an FAS citizen, Amrita Lal Sarker said he wanted to continue working in the CNMI but he is uncertain if his “IR” status will be recognized by federal law.
Soawanee Witer is a Thai mother with a U.S. citizen child who has disabilities. Married to a Chuukese, she, too, volunteered to be interviewed on videotape.
She wants their concerns heard and addressed by the federal government.
A former Rota teacher who is now based in Florida, Doromal said she intends to produce documentary regarding the concerns of FAS spouses “to put a face to an issue.”
“We want them to hear and see the issue,” Doromal told Variety, referring to federal officials and policy makers.
Doromal said most of the FAS spouses have been in the CNMI for over 10 years and “their issues need to be addressed.”
This will also address the concern of businesses on the islands that hire these individuals, Doromal added.
Nonresident workers are essential in keeping the local economy afloat, she said.
Jerry Custodio, Human Dignity Movement president, said most of the IRs are married to FAS citizens.
Custodio said he is hoping that the federal government will seriously considered the concerns raised by the FAS spouses, “who have been in the commonwealth for a long time and have helped the community.”
