Murkowski said it best

Senator Frank Murkowski, chair of the Senate Energy Committee, has introduced a measure to impose federal immigration on the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. In doing so, he warned of the need to cautiously tread the issue given the situation on Guam where US Immigration can’t possibly handle the hundreds of illegal Chinese sailing into the island from provinces in mainland China.

It is no secret that the INS has suffered unjustified criticisms for its lackluster performance in patrolling the southern borders of the US stretching nearly 2,000 miles. This inefficiency isn’t solely the fault of INS given that it has always been underfunded, therefore, can’t deliver the services it is required under the law. Imagine if it were given further responsibility to patrol the wide-open waters between the Marianas and Asian countries. It’s an impossibility in terms of effective border patrol.

Senator Murkowski also made mention of the attitude of the Clinton administration treating the NMI as a “foreign country” scurrying to impose band-aid solutions when controversies emerge in order to protect its image. This is a substantive drawback that the NMI suffers as it attempts to convey its often inaudible voice in the seat of power be it in Pennsylvania Avenue or Capitol Hill. For instance, even Guam’s Non-Voting Delegate Robert Underwood had to give his colleagues a brief lesson in geography about a recent codel trip to the islands so it is understood that Guam is a US territory. And our southern neighbor has been represented in that august body for many years now.

In more ways than one, the NMI feels wounded and often must endure a forced sense of alienation trying to make sense of what our country stands for and how our very own country–through our detractors–has treated us like a non-member of the family. But we take comfort in the fact that Senator Murkowski plans to revisit this issue and we sincerely hope that when he and Senator Daniel Akaka buckle down to addressomg this matter that they do so with placing priority in allowing the NMI to feel a sense of belonging and the opportunity to assimilate into the greater American Economic Community. In other words, let us jointly regroup and do away with acrimony and grandstanding. It has helped no one except network ratings and the sale of newspapers among national dailies.

With respect to aliens who do not now enjoy participation in the political process in the NMI, this too will require careful review and consideration for proponents may have the best of intentions, but at the expense of the indigenous people who’d eventually be robbed of their political rights by a large foreign population when given US Citizenship. We hope that future discussions on these issues are given a win-win approach and the arcane treatment of the NMI as a foreign country turns into a closed chapter in American History. Si Yuus Maase’!