The House is scheduled to hold its session on March 19 at 2 p.m. while the Senate, which was originally set to meet on
Thursday at 10 a.m., will convene at 1:30 p.m. on Friday.
The revised version of the more than 70-page House Bill 17-25, or the Immigration Conformity Act of 2010, will be one of the major bills lawmakers will discuss, according to sources.
The Senate will entertain its own version, Senate Bill 17-21, which seeks to repeal immigration provisions in the Commonwealth Code and revise some labor-related laws.
Senate President Paul A. Manglona, Ind.-Rota, and Gov. Benigno R. Fitial met on Monday at the legislative building.
H.B. 17-25 which Rep. Rafael S. Demapan, Covenant-Saipan, sponsored, changes the definition of the CNMI-issued entry permit as an identification card, which the CNMI government will require every foreign worker, student and investor to have every year, despite having their umbrella permits that are valid through Nov. 27, 2011.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, however, recognizes the umbrella permit as a legal immigration document that allows its holders to stay in the CNMI even if the local government revokes it.
With the immigration system of the CNMI federalized since Nov. 28, 2009, only the federal government can remove any alien on the islands.
H.B. 17-25 seeks to mandate all foreigners in the CNMI who are working, studying and doing business to register with the local Department of Labor if they stay beyond a 90-day period.
Their immediate relatives or dependents will also be required to adhere to this rule.
The federal government, however, said all umbrella permit holder do not need the consent of CNMI Labor to transfer to other employers.
