“The comments will be submitted in hopes that the U.S Department of the Interior will understand the grievances of the [foreign workers] before it submits its recommendation to the U.S Congress [this May],” United Workers Movement president Rabby Syed said.
The meeting will allow nonresident who do not speak the English language well to express what is really on their minds and what they really want, he added.
“The group is comprised of workers from diverse cultures who have different ideas and different wants,” he said. “Sometimes language becomes a barrier but these meetings will help them say what they need to say.”
In a separate interview, some overstaying foreigners on island expressed “hopelessness” over their situation.
“We have been hoping for amnesty but there has been no news if we will be given amnesty,” one of them said.
“It’s hopeless,” said another.
A former garment worker admitted that she is “already getting tired of hoping for a better status.”
She said her only wish now is to be able to go back to the Philippines.
Asked if she will participate in the meetings, she replied: “I don’t know. The movement is okay but I think only the U.S. government can do something for us.”
