For many reasons, these islands have been inundated for decades with “contract workers.” These people mostly from the Philippines and China have taken up permanent residence in Saipan and have been here for many years. They have started families and, of course, their children are United States citizens by virtue of jus soli.
Deportation would break up families. The thought of deporting U.S. citizens somehow goes against the grain of fairness and propriety. There are many young people on our island who are fearing the worse and are loathing the day when their parents will be deported and worse, that they will have to go with their parents to a country that they have never seen.
At first glance, it would appear that this should be an easy decision for Homeland Security. If the law were to be applied then every contract worker would be sent back to their country of origin once the employment contract is completed. But it’s just not that easy!
The problem, of course, is that some 19,000 of these workers remain on the island. These people are for the most part law-abiding citizens who work hard every day and contribute enormously to the economy of the CNMI.
They are not security risks. They are not troublemakers. They are not taking from our government. They contribute and they add to the overall general welfare of these islands. They do jobs that no one else will do.
If a majority or more of these workers were to be deported, the CNMI economy would have major problems. The economy is already in a depressed and weak state. Disrupting the present work force and taking thousands of contributors from the CNMI would be a catastrophe carrying major consequences.
I am writing to ask for help in finding ways to allow these contributors to stay as permanent residents of the CNMI. Please forward this letter to any official who may be willing to help provide us with input to this federalization process.
DONALD COHEN
San Antonio, Saipan
