17 Nov 2011

Lawyer stresses negatives if foreign workers forced from CNMI

7:23 pm on 17 November 2011

A lawyer in the Northern Marianas says an exodus of foreign workers would doom the territory's economy.

Lawyer Stephen Woodruff says without a preliminary injunction, thousands of alien workers and their families could be forced out of the CNMI.

He has submitted a legal brief to the U.S. District Court for the Northern Marianas seeking such an injunction.

In the brief Mr Woodruff says the quality of life in the CNMI could deteriorate substantially due to the loss of workers, declining government revenues, and the loss of a free labour market and its benefits.

He is the counsel for a group of individuals suing to stop federal officials from enforcing the Transitional Worker final rule on November the 28th.

Mr Woodruff wants the court to prevent Homeland Security from implementing the rule for six months.