“Even though the CNMI has had control of its immigration and labor, the violations took place on U.S. soil,” the former Rota teacher said.
David G. Gulick, the security district director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, has said that the federalization law will not grant “amnesty” to overstaying nonresidents or former guest workers who have already lost their status in the CNMI.
But Doromal said the federal government should consider the humanitarian aspects of its actions that will affect nonresident parents with U.S. citizen children.
“The U.S. Congress needs to take immediate action to protect families and secure status for long-term guest workers and nonresidents,” she added.
According to Doromal, displaced guest workers trying to collect judgments through CNMI Department of Labor-issued administrative orders should be given some consideration.
She said they should be allowed to remain here until they get paid by their employers or bonding companies.
These workers, she added, were cheated by their employers and the CNMI government which, she added, never held the employers accountable.
There would not be $6.1 million in unpaid judgments if Labor or other CNMI government agencies had been enforcing the laws, she said.
“It’s incredible that hundreds of employers owe guest workers money and that seems to be acceptable, but the workers who stay in the CNMI in an attempt to collect their money are considered illegal. Will employers who violated the law and cheated the workers ever face any consequences?”
Doromal said she is appealing to the U.S. Congress to take immediate action to protect these workers and their families.
This week, she added, she will be sending letters to U.S. lawmakers.
