11 May 2010

CNMI Senate and House of Reps hold sessions on Federal govt's immigration moves

10:31 am on 11 May 2010

The House of Representatives and Senate in the Northern Marianas will hold a back-to-back session today, hoping to pass a key joint resolution against the US federal government's immigration moves.

They plan to strongly urge the U.S. Congress to reject the Department of Interior's recommendation to grant long-term immigration status to some 20,000 non-residents in the CNMI.

The Department of the Interior gave five options for such long-term immigration status, including conferring U.S. citizenship and permanent residency leading to U.S. citizenship to aliens who have been legally residing in the CNMI for at least five years.

But a joint House resolution calls for the U.S. Congress to reject the recommendations until such time as the U.S. government and the CNMI government meet.