Fitial told reporters that some guest workers refused to go to the CNMI Department of Labor when it issued umbrella permits two years ago.
Some of them, he added, came to his office and told him they did not believe they had to get an umbrella permit.
The governor said once these nonresidents’ working permits expire and they remain here, they are “overstayers” who will be deported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
He said the number of nonresidents who neither have CNMI working permits nor umbrella permits have reached 3,000, and this is why he brought up the issue with ICE enforcement and removal operation executive associate director Gary Mead who, he added, assured him that federal law will be enforced in the commonwealth.
Fitial said his administration is also keeping its eyes on those who are harboring “illegals.”
Some of them, he added, are holding management positions in the private sectors. He did not elaborate.
He disclosed that deportation officers are on island and are now preparing to enforce U.S. immigration law.
None of the ICE personnel on Saipan wanted to comment yesterday but one of them confirmed that deportation officers have been on the island since last year.
Rabby Syed, president of United Workers Movement, wonders how the governor came up with the “3,000” figure.
He said many nonresident workers have obtained a parole in place from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Those cannot be considered illegal aliens, he added.
He noted that 628 guest workers were given by the Attorney General Office conditional umbrella permits after Nov. 27, 2009. These people, too, are not “overstayers,” he said.
“And how about those who have pending cases in court due to unpaid wages?” Syed asked. These guest workers were victims of injustice who no longer have working permits and were not issued umbrella permits, he added.
If ICE deports these people without resolving their cases, the reputation of the U.S. and CNMI will be damaged, Syed said.
