Cruz said U.S. Senate staffer Allen Stayman has already pointed out there are no “grandfathering” of foreign nationals in the CNMI and nonresident workers cannot obtain improve immigration status under the federalization law that will take effect next year.
“Why do you continue to advocate something that has already been decided upon?” he asked Hocog, Ind-Rota.
But human rights advocate Wendy Doromal believes that federal government may still grant permanent status to long-term guest workers, saying the federalization law requires the White House, in consultation with the CNMI, to report to the U.S. Congress no later than the second year after enactment regarding the islands’ long-term guest workers.
“While U.S. P.L. 110-229 [the federalization law] no longer has a specific provision to grant long-term guest workers status, it does contain language that allows the federal government to grant status to the long-term guest workers,” Doromal said.
Hocog said the 10-year permit for nonresident workers is in anticipation of the possible increase in economic activities in commonwealth, adding that the CNMI “cannot grow without an adequate number of workers.”
But Cruz doesn’t agree with Hocog’s “economic assessment.”
