Irene N. Tantiado, the association president, said they were expecting more than 300 FAS IRs, but the number was trimmed down because many were “disqualified.”
Tantiado said some IRs were apparently engaged in fraudulent marriages.
“Our association will not condone such an illegal activity,” she said.
Today, she said they will submit to Immigration the petition that also includes the IRs of guest workers, CNMI permanent residents and American Samoans.
“We hope the CNMI Immigration Division will consider our request because these people have helped businesses — employers do not pay for the processing of their entry. Most of them have been here for 10, 15 and even 20 years,” she said.
Immigration’s proposed new rules were published in the Commonwealth Register on Oct. 25, 2008 and the public can still submit their comments.
Under the new rules, the application for a two-year entry permit will be accepted, at the discretion of the Immigration director, for the immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, permanent residents, foreign investors, foreign students, and foreign workers.
