Taotao Tano: Don’t delay federalization

Taotao Tano CNMI Association Inc., a local advocacy group, is so far the only entity that opposes any request for a 180-delay in the June 1 transition to federal immigration system.

Gregorio Cruz Jr., president of Taotao Tano, cited national security and border control and the “failures” of past and present elected leaders to secure a high standard of living for indigenous residents for opposing any delay.

Twenty-two entities have so far commented on the interim final rules on the establishment of U.S. ports of entry in the CNMI and the implementation of a Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program ahead of the March 17 deadline for public comments.

Most of the comments want the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to delay by 180 days the implementation of federalization due to projected severe negative impact on the already strained economy and foreign labor, and insufficient time, funding, manpower and other resources to put the local system under federal control.

They warn that excluding Chinese and Russian tourists from the list of countries exempt from the U.S. visa requirement will result in $339 million in lost revenues for the CNMI annually.

But Cruz said national security and border control is a priority for the federal government.

“The nuclear threats of both North Korea and Iran are a threat to humanity; therefore we must prioritize national security measures…,” he said.

In his second comment, Cruz said, “We are opposed to such request to further delay the implementation simply for…one, national security and border control priorities. Two, failures of our past and present veteran elected leaders of our homeland to secure a high standard of living for all U.S. local indigenous citizens and residents of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. territory.”

Human rights advocate Wendy Doromal, in a response to a Saipan Tribune inquiry, said she would not ask for a delay in the federalization.

She, however, said if the regulations are not completed and published within time limits, if personnel are not hired and trained, if offices and equipment are not ready, and systems are not in place, then of course, a delay will happen.

“I do not see how a delay will benefit the guest workers or people of the CNMI,” she said, adding that the cash-strapped CNMI government fought the takeover of federal immigration law for over a decade, spending an estimated $11 million to hire lobbyist Jack Abramoff to successfully scheme with members of the U.S. Congress to block reform legislation.

She also cited the Fitial administration’s lawsuit against the federal government to block federalization.

“All of these actions were or are delay tactics,” she added.

Doromal said these delays have not just resulted in a tremendous financial cost to taxpayers, but also resulted in a huge human cost.

“The delays have allowed the local system to continue, which has resulted in never-ending labor and human rights abuses that have caused unjust damage and pain to innocent foreign workers and their families. These are evidenced by the many labor, EEOC, NLRB, criminal and civil cases that has been filed by foreign workers, by the $6.1 million in unpaid judgments, and most recently by the class action suit filed against the CNMI Department of Labor. It is time to put an end to the worst guest worker program ever allowed to flourish on U.S. soil since the time of slavery,” she added.

Cruz said it is high time that the federal government takes over local labor and immigration, saying for “25 years, no elected official…had lifted a finger to correct a corrupt and politicized immigration and labor system in our homeland…”

“It is with such embarrassment that our leaders are now requesting further delay in the implementation of federal immigration prioritizing tourism and economy as an excuse,” he said.

The Fitial administration, Delegate Gregorio “Kilili” C. Sablan, the CNMI Legislature, businesses, and other entities in the CNMI sought for a 180-day delay in the transition to a federal system.