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Babauta seeks alternative ways to reimburse CNMI
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Posted on Aug 19 1999
CNMI’s Resident Representative to Washington Juan N. Babauta yesterday said he has asked the U.S. Congress to immediately reimburse the Northern Marianas of some $600,000 for expenses it incurred in hosting more than 500 illegal Chinese immigrants on the island-municipality of Tinian.
Since it will take Congress some time to appropriate the amount, Babauta asked if it was possible to pay back the CNMI in other way because the island government does not have enough resources to spend in taking care of more illegal aliens.
Nearly two months after the last batch of undocumented Chinese were sent home, a boat carrying 151 illegal Chinese immigrants arrived on Tinian last Monday morning.
Babauta’s appeal to the U.S. Congress was in support of an earlier letter sent by Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio to Washington seeking payment for the costs of hosting the undocumented aliens. President Clinton has asked Congress to include in the FY 2000 spending package the reimbursement for the CNMI and Guam.
The reimbursements include expenses for the meals of Chinese nationals as well as overtime pay of local personnel stationed at the two temporary camps set up by the federal authorities on Tinian.
During the previous months, officials had to use the deportation funds being maintained by the Department of Labor and Immigration for nonresident workers here, to cover the expenses on Tinian.
The earlier boatloads of Chinese were intercepted by U.S. Coast Guard near Guam waters but were diverted to Tinian as Hagatna’s immigration detention centers are now crowded with illegal immigrants.
The governor has expressed concern on the influx of undocumented Chinese nationals believed to be victims of human smuggling. The CNMI’s security concern was brought about by the lack of assurance from representatives from the US Immigration and Naturalization Service as to when repatriation will begin and how long will the island government play host to these illegal aliens.
