19 May 2010

CNMI Governor wants US to withdraw immigration report

11:49 am on 19 May 2010

The governor of the Northern Marianas, Benigno Fitial, has asked the US to withdraw a report recommending long-term immigration status for foreign workers who have been in the CNMI for at least five years.

The request was put in a letter to the Secretary of the US Department of Interior, Ken Salazar, in regard to the report drawn up by the Office of Insular Affairs.

The letter was attached to his written testimony to the U.S. House Subcommittee on Insular Areas, Oceans, and Wildlife on the implementation of a law that placed CNMI immigration under federal control.

The governor told Mr Salazar that he and the CNMI Legislature have five serious problems with the report, including the lack of any effort to seek the views of the Commonwealth governor as required by law.