Raby Syed, United Workers Movement, NMI president, on Wednesday said these guest workers should not be deported as long as their cases are not resolved.
“For humanitarian reasons, they should be given consideration. They overstayed in the CNMI because of their pending administrative cases,” he added.
David G. Gulick, the security district director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, said the federalization law will not grant “amnesty” to overstaying nonresidents or former guest workers who have already lost their status in the CNMI.
Syed said the CNMI government should help these guest workers by allowing them to stay here while waiting for the resolution of their cases.
Press Secretary Charles P. Reyes Jr. said the Department of Labor has made great progress in helping guest workers secure wages from their employers and former employers.
But, he added, “we have no control over federal policy.”
Syed said some of these guest workers have resided and were employed in the CNMI for a long period of time.
Their cases involve about $6.1 million in unpaid wages, he added.
Each month, the numbers of overstayers is expected to increase due to the non-renewal of the workers’ contracts.
Robert Myers, legal counsel of the 127 displaced guest workers who have sued Labor for its failure to enforce its administrative order, said the law entitles his clients to a “stay of deportation.”
“If the case is with the court, they are also entitled to an order from the court directing the director of labor to issue temporary work authorization pending the resolution of their case,” he added.
