In an interview on Friday, Fitial said his directive is “simply a reinforcement” of what is already in the transitional worker regulation.
He added, “I have to clarify the process.”
Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan on Friday announced that USCIS had agreed to allow in-home caregivers to apply for humanitarian parole. The caregiver, not the family, must apply for parole.
Fitial said he was the one who included that provision in the CW regulation. The concern of U.S. citizen families who need caregivers was one of the issues he discussed with USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas, the governor said.
Press Secretary Angel A. Demapan said the Fitial administration is pleased to learn about the decision of USCIS.
“This is certainly good news for our residents who have critical medical or special needs,” Demapan said.
“Now, that this new authority has been announced by USCIS, the administration will certainly look into the terms and conditions further before it will render a decision on the pending executive order currently undergoing legal review,” Demapan said.
Sablan, for his part, said in a statement: “I think I speak for everyone whose family depends on having an in-home caregiver, when I say thank you to [Homeland Security] Secretary Janet Napolitano and to all of her staff who worked on this issue.”
He said “USCIS has shown that it is able to be flexible during the transition period and respond to the specific situation in the Northern Marianas.”
Sablan added, “Now I urge every family that employs a caregiver for medical reasons or for other special needs to get that caregiver to apply for parole. Time is short: Nov. 27 is just one month away,” referring to the umbrella permit’s expiration date.
