Gulick, however, did not say whether overstayers who obtained a conditional umbrella permit can still legally work in the CNMI during the transition period.
Gulick, Department of Homeland Security immigration policy advisor Alexander Y. Hartman and USCIS regional media manager Marie Therese Sebrechts spoke to members of the Cornerstone Christian Church in As Perdido, Sunday.
Gulick noted that the umbrella permit ends on Nov. 27, 2011.
He said by obtaining this permit, those who don’t have status are protected from deportation as long as what they are doing is lawful.
Once the umbrella permit expires, Gulick said the holder must qualify for a CNMI transitional worker permit to continue to be employed here.
The federal court has ordered Homeland Security not to implement its interim final regulations on transitional workers program because the public wasn’t given enough time to comment before they were adopted.
Gulick is hoping the regulations will be effective by next year so CNMI employers can begin submitting CW-1 applications for their employees.
He said those with pending labor cases involving unpaid wages are still under the jurisdiction of the CNMI Department of Labor.
Gulick reiterated that U.S. immigration law does not give any benefits to long-term guest workers in the CNMI, although their employers may submit a petition to grant immigrant status to these workers.
The petition is subject to the federal government’s approval and there’s a limit on how many immigrants can come in every year.
The USCIS will be announcing later this week or next week a “relief” for permanent residents and immediate relatives of U.S. and FAS citizens.
