UNLIKE other jurisdictions in the nation, the CNMI has no U.S. Marshals specifically assigned to it.
“Guam and the Northern Marianas (has) one Marshal’s office, but other districts have separate Marshals,” according to Joaquin Salas, the U.S. Marshal for Guam and the CNMI.
He said commonwealth officials may raise this issue in Washington, D.C.
Salas also noted that the CNMI has no permanent U.S. attorney despite being designated as a separate judicial district.
“It is always better to have your own designated Marshal or U.S. attorney, but this entails a decision from Washington,” Salas said
Federal law allows the CNMI to have its own U.S. Marshal, but because of “many other factors” it cannot be implemented, Salas added.
He said when he was appointed U.S. Marshal for Guam on Oct. 31, 1997, he was also directed to serve the CNMI.
Gov. Juan N. Babauta, who will meet Salas next week, said he will discuss this issue while he is in the U.S. to attend the annual meeting of the Western Governor’s Association.
Recently, the U.S. Marshals seized two Tinian ferries upon the orders of the U.S. District Court
Babauta said he was disappointed that the U.S. Marshals did not inform his office about the arrest order.
