The report, she said, aims to support the previous statement of Gov. Benigno R. Fitial that the CNMI has a great tracking system and “we can operate our own immigration system that is satisfactory to the federal government.”
A former Rota teacher, Doromal compared the Labor report to the Oct. 2008 McPhee-Conway economic report, which was commissioned by the governor using federal funds and supported his anti-federalization stance.
The department, she said, has already lost its credibility in the eyes of legislators, advocates, guest workers and federal officials, yet it continues to issue reports without replying to persons who have genuine questions or concerns.
Labor, she said, “continues questionable practices and retains a questionable ‘volunteer,’ ” referring to attorney Deanne Siemer.
Doromal believes that it was Siemer who wrote the report that was signed by Labor Deputy Secretary Cinta M. Kaipat.
Labor’s latest report stated that there were only 624 illegal alien from 2003 to 2007 and the previous reports that there were thousands of overstaying aliens were “vastly exaggerated.”
Kaipat said the number of actual overstayers will continue to decrease over time because of voluntary departures and deportations.
But Doromal said the report lacks some essential information such as the numbers of illegal aliens that have been deported since Labor adopted its tracking system
Although Labor has been publishing its lists of overstayers, the report failed to state if these lists have resulted in the arrest of overstayers or their deportations, Doromal said.
She noted that so far this month, Labor has not coordinated with the Division of Immigration in any action to be taken against overstayers.
“The system is faulty at best,” Doromal said.
