Wendy Doromal, a former teacher from Rota who is now based in Florida, said the only way the CNMI would be assured of the continued presence of foreign workers is by giving them improved immigration status.
Press Secretary Charles Reyes Jr. declined to comment and said legal matters should be referred to the governor’s special legal counsel Howard P. Willens.
According to Doromal, “It is ironic that the governor and the anti-federalization supporters claim that they want the guest workers to remain, yet have not acted to ensure that they stay by requesting U.S. status for them.”
She said “it is clear from the anti-federalization lawsuit that the governor and his followers want to maintain the broken system that keeps workers indentured and disenfranchised and ensures that wages are kept low.”
Doromal has launched an online petition drive urging the U.S. Congress to grant long-term guest workers U.S. permanent residency status.
“The goal of the petition is to make it clear that there is nationwide support to grant U.S. citizenship or other permanent status the nonresidents of the CNMI. It is a plea for justice and for our elected officials to do the right thing,” she said.
“I am certain that the federal officials who will receive this petition will notice that this petition stands out from the others that we have given them because of the support from the U.S. citizens from coast to coast across America,” she said.
The link to the petition is: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/148/justice-for-nonresidents-in-the-northern-marianas.
