Ms. Knight is noted as being knowledgeable and familiar with federalization by her constituent the PIO for the Fitial administration. She should be for they had done nothing to influence our government or our legislative branch to correct and rectify a long standing problematic labor and immigration system under their control. Instead they concentrated in prioritizing cheap foreign labor in our homeland and have only reacted when federalization affected their own self-interest investments.
On March 1, 2007, Gov. Benigno R. Fitial blatantly ignored the call of the 15th Legislature’s joint resolution and then-Washington Rep. Pete A. Tenorio for a “UNIFIED POSITION” in the building of a “frame work for the federalization of our immigration policy.” Instead, the governor independently acted on his own free will and without the full consent of the people of the commonwealth and our legislative branch and opted to file a lawsuit against the United States government.
The resolution recommended the following and urged further discussions in the process of creating a unique CNMI-centered immigration policy:
1) A visa waiver program to allow us to tap into existing markets as well as new markets of tourists.
2) Exemption from H1 and H2 caps to avoid unnecessary delays in hiring workers in those categories.
3) Grandfathering existing foreign investors.
4) A carefully designed guest worker program, outside H1 and H2 job categories, to meet the CNMI’s workforce requirements which should be an integral part of a new immigration framework.
5) Foreign student visas.
6) Continued MOU with various federal agencies to provide for the enforcement of U.S. treaty obligations relating to refugees and asylum.
7) The construction of a new immigration framework which should prevent the political and social alienation of the Chamorros and Carolinian peoples.
8.) The creation of an immigration board that will be comprised of members of both local and federal governments that would be authorized to make appropriate periodic changes to immigration regulations without having to pass new laws or regulations.
9) An independent study to be done to evaluate the impact of changing residency status of non-resident workers as it relates to the economic and political futures of the CNMI.
The resolution was signed in the House of Representatives by Justo S. Quitugua, Arnold I. Palacios, Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero, Benjamin B. Seman, Candido B. Taman, Ramon A. Tebuteb, Manuel A. Tenorio, Stanley T. Torres, Ray N. Yumul, Florencio T. Deleon Guerrero and Cinta M. Kaipat.
In the Senate: Pete P. Reyes, Felix T. Mendiola, Paul A. Manglona, Jude U. Hofschnieder, Maria Frica T. Pangelinan, Paterno S. Hocog and Henry H. San Nicolas.
TAOTAO TANO states that the resolution’s recommendations would have been the necessary tools in the efforts to build our economy without the expense of operating our own immigration system.
We see no reason to continue fighting the ever growing consensus in Washington that only the sovereign federal government is truly capable of providing the international links necessary to secure our borders.
With the ongoing decline in CNMI revenues, we do not believe that we can maintain an effective immigration program while trying to fund vital public services and under an overly critical eye of some members of Congress and the media.
Furthermore, the U.S. Congress and the federal administration have always requested that the CNMI speak with one voice on issues. In the past it was not always possible, and it may not be possible now but we do not feel that maintaining the “NO modification” position of Governor Fitial is productive, reasonable, or in the best interest of the people of the Northern Marianas and the people of the United States, and this is why we challenge this administration and its cronies.
It’s time to Move Forward.
GREGORIO CRUZ JR.
Taotao Tano
