Camacho said he is saddened by the CNMI’s loss of control over immigration, but what’s been done cannot be undone.
“I am not happy about it because it’s a sign that we are incapable of taking care of our government here. If we had done a good job in the beginning, this would not have happened. It’s not good,” he told the Variety.
The U.S. extended its immigration law to the CNMI on Nov. 28, 2009 under the mandates of U.S. Public Law 110-229 or the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008.
That law made the employment of aliens in the CNMI a federal matter which used to be controlled by the local Department of Labor.
But CNMI-issued umbrella permits to foreign workers, students, investors and their dependents, however, are recognized by the U.S. as valid until Nov. 27, 2011.
The governor sued the U.S. over the federalization law, but the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia dismissed the complaint.
Camacho said there is no use fighting federalization at this point but there is still always time to have productive talks with the U.S. authorities.
“I think the CNMI government and the people should cooperate with the feds. Take advantage of the time. Maintain continuous communication with the feds. The U.S. has its own laws. We have to understand that,” he said.
The former governor said there is still hope for the CNMI to get what it wants to help revive its tourism-based economy which is driven by a foreign-labor force.
Camacho said the focus now is to empower locals to be productive members of the CNMI’s economy.
Northern Marianas College, which was established through an executive order he signed, should be fully utilized.
“I am sad about every other administration that took over from us because we had a definitive plan on what to do here. Things such as improving the education,” said Camacho. “I was the one who signed the executive order that created NMC. It was designed to train locals based on our priority needs — teachers, nurses — but they got sidetracked in the process,” he said.
Camacho, a Democrat, was governor from 1978 to 1982.
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