The Superior Court released on Friday a Filipino overstayer who was arrested last Wednesday as he was waiting in line to obtain an “umbrella permit” from the Department of Labor in San Antonio.
Associate Judge David A. Wiseman freed Danilo Rejano as he ordered the closure of the local court's 32-year immigration calendar and dismissed all pending immigration cases.
Rejano, 42, was directed to pay $300 cash for his outstanding bench warrant for not appearing in previous court hearing.
Rejano thanked the federal ombudsman for assisting him in the hearing and expressed appreciation to Pilipino Contract Workers Association Inc. board chair Ronnie Doca for helping contact the ombudsman's office and getting information from the Office of the Attorney General.
He said he was so embarrassed when a police officer, whom he believes was contacted by Immigration, handcuffed him as he was waiting in a long line of alien workers trying to obtain “umbrella permits.”
The auto body repairer said he went to Labor because he learned that overstayers have been granted waivers and would be given “umbrella permits.”
That day, Wednesday, Attorney General Edward T. Buckingham issued a public notice granting conditional “umbrella permits” to 628 aliens who have been classified overstayers. The notice was published in the newspapers the following day, Thursday. Rejano's name was on the list.
Rejano said he believes that he was singled out by Immigration because he used to have an Immediate Relative status for marrying a local resident.
He said an Immigration investigator spotted him at the long line of alien workers at Labor.
After his arrest, he was detained at the Department of Corrections and brought to court only last Friday, Rejano said.
He admitted that there was already a deportation order against him, but that he had been lying low while waiting for federalization.
Rejano said he has been in the CNMI since 1990 and that his parents and family members are already on Saipan.
United Workers Movement President Rabby Syed said they are very happy that Rejano is out and that Wiseman dismissed all deportation cases.
Syed said they want the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to consider people in Rejano's situation who have been in the CNMI for many years, those who have U.S. citizen children, and those with pending unpaid Labor awards.
Home | Weather | Advertising | Classifieds | Subscription | Contact
Us | About Us | Archives
©2006 Saipan Tribune. All Rights Reserved
