“Secretary Napolitano told me that she is aware of the issues that I discussed in my letter to her,” Sablan said.
Napolitano met with Sablan and seven other members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. The primary topic of discussion was immigration.
“The Hispanic Caucus is a very influential group on Capitol Hill and has been a forefront in the area of immigration,” Sablan said. “This is why I was glad my application for membership was so quickly accepted, because of the importance of immigration issues to the people of the Northern Marianas. When the Hispanic Caucus speaks, people listen.”
On Feb. 10, Sablan wrote a six-page letter to Napolitano detailing the three reasons why DHS should delay federalization: 1) the lack of sufficient funding, 2) delays in the issuance of regulations, and 3) the potential for disruption of families.
At Wednesday’s meeting, he reiterated to Napolitano his reasons for the 180-day delay.
“The delay provides more opportunity for DHS to prepare for the orderly phase-in of federal immigration laws in the CNMI. We want DHS to be successful because the lives and the future of thousands of people in the Northern Marianas are at stake here,” Sablan said.
Under U.S. Public Law 110-229, or the Consolidated Natural Resources Act, which President Bush signed on May 8, 2008, Napolitano has the power to delay the extension of U.S. federal law on immigration to the CNMI from June 1, 2009 to Nov. 27, 2009.
