By Bryan Manabat
bryan@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
THE Superior Court has approved a stipulation releasing the passport of Hee Jung Hwang to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to facilitate his deportation.
Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho signed the order on Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, directing the Clerk of Court to turn over Hwang’s passport to ICE. The federal agency will retain custody of the document to carry out deportation proceedings scheduled for Monday, Dec. 15.
As of press time Wednesday afternoon, Hwang remained on Saipan.
The order followed a stipulation jointly filed by defense attorney Joaquin DLG Torres of Torres Brothers, LLC, and Assistant Attorney General Chester Hinds on behalf of the Commonwealth. In the filing, both parties acknowledged that ICE required possession of the passport to ensure timely compliance with deportation procedures. They agreed the document would be released to an ICE agent on Dec. 12, three days before the scheduled removal.
The stipulation stated that the agreement was entered voluntarily “for the purpose of facilitating the lawful deportation of Hee Jung Hwang.” Judge Camacho’s order formalized the arrangement, underscoring the court’s role in ensuring compliance with federal immigration procedures.
Hwang and co-defendants Yichuan Bai and Peter Deleon Guerrero face charges stemming from an Aug. 25, 2025, incident in Chinatown, where a tour guide was allegedly lured under false pretenses, kidnapped, and assaulted. Prosecutors later expanded the case after a search of Hwang’s residence uncovered a stolen firearm, ammunition, and controlled substances.
Hwang was previously ordered removed from the United States by Nov. 12, 2025, after Immigration Judge Clarence Wagner ruled that his CNMI criminal charges did not affect his removability. The judge denied a continuance request and found Hwang ineligible for voluntary departure, citing his overstayed visa and pending violent crime allegations.
Bryan Manabat was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College where he also studied criminal justice. He is the recipient of the NMI Humanities Award as an Outstanding Teacher (Non-Classroom) in 2013, and has worked for the CNMI Motheread/Fatheread Literacy Program as lead facilitator.
