Picking up trash, cleaning seashores, restoring drainages along beaches, cutting bushes, and all that, are not easy especially when you are doing them during your supposed rest day.
I later found out the sole reason that motivated these people to do such unselfish chore: They love the CNMI and have embraced the passion to take care of its environment because for them, the CNMI is home. And so I became a member and have considered the group as my second family.
But because things are transitory, the group has gradually depopulated. Some joined other groups and more went back to our homeland after their contracts have not been renewed.
I have seen them reluctant to go back home for they have spent their lives in the CNMI for a long time.
I am always saddened by these scenarios of guest workers going home. And the notion often crossed my mind, that if only they had the chance to stay longer or if their status is not transitory, then maybe I wouldn’t be seeing sad faces leaving, but instead the same happy faces that I’ve met five years ago.
For the past few months, I had these questions in mind. Can it be possible for these guest workers who have stayed and have loved the CNMI for so long not to be impermanent? If federalization kicks in, will it grant them better status in the CNMI?
Since I believe in facts, I started to mingle with friends and talk about U.S. Public Law 110-229. An item in Section 6 of the law caught our attention. The paragraph titled “Report on Nonresident Guestworker Population”: “The Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Governor of CNMI, shall report to the Congress not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008. The report shall include: (1) the number of aliens residing in the CNMI; (2) a description of the legal status of such aliens; (3) the number of years each alien has been residing in the CNMI; (4) the current and future requirements of the CNMI economy for an alien workforce; and (5) such recommendations to the Congress, as the Secretary may deem appropriate, related to whether or not the Congress should consider permitting lawfully admitted guest workers lawfully residing in the CNMI on such enactment date to apply for long-term status under the immigration and nationality laws of the United States.”
Sharing thoughts and ideas with my friends and reading each line again and again made me feel that there are answers to my questions. Answers with hopes and possibilities.
Based from my understanding, if the Secretary of the Interior has the duty of submitting to the Congress such report mentioned in this part of the public law and this report will be used by the Congress as a basis whether lawfully admitted guest workers may or may not be permitted to apply for long-term status, then there is a possibility for the Congress to consider allowing guest workers to apply for long-term status.
I would like to end by asking the Secretary of the Interior to please provide such report to the Congress… a report that can lead to the answers to my questions. Lastly, for the U.S. Congress to please consider and reconsider the status of guest workers in the CNMI.
ERNEST M. MAICLE
Gualo Rai, Saipan
