Tighter FAS migration gets strong House backing

A legislation seeking government monitor on the stay of citizens from the Freely Associated States in the Northern Marianas made headway yesterday after the House of Representatives offered amendment that would further define the restrictions it has proposed.

Members of the House committees on Federal and Foreign Relations as well as Labor and Immigration met yesterday to finalize their recommendations which the Legislature will consider when voting on the proposal begins.

Among the changes proposed at the meeting were a 30-day period on deportation proceedings for ineligible FAS nationals and limiting the age of their dependents at 18 years old, but exempting those with disabilities from the age requirement.

These recommendations are expected to be included in the report which will be submitted by next week, according to Rep. Melvin Faisao, chair of Federal and Foreign Relations Committee.

The joint House panel also hopes that voting on the measure will be conducted immediately so as not to further delay efforts by the CNMI government to put this proposal in place before new federal regulations on FAS migration become effective.

“It will assist our government in the accountability of FAS citizens staying on the island and also those who will migrate in the future,” Faisao said in an interview after the meeting.

He offered the measure, called the Habitual Residency Act, last year amid debate on the impact on local resources and infrastructure of the thousands of citizens from Palau, Marshalls and FSM who have migrated into the CNMI under the Compact agreement with the United States.

Because of the controversy surrounding the proposal, the representative also clarified that the bill “will not put up limitations on their stay, but only accountability by the CNMI government on their presence here.”

Several government agencies have overwhelmingly backed the move by the Legislature, noting that a big portion of its services have been directed toward FAS nationals who, although nonimmigrants, are also qualified to receive benefits granted only to indigenous people and U.S. citizens on the island.

But governments from neighboring islands have opposed the measure, calling it a discriminatory policy against their citizens.

The Commonwealth government has no exact figures on their population here, but estimates have ranged between 4,000 to 7,000. A preliminary study commissioned by Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio has disclosed that it spends at least $12 million each year to host FAS citizens.

Under the proposed law, the island government will screen these people to determine their eligibility under a list of requirements, including criminal records and health standards.

It will also restrict free entry to FAS citizens who are not full-time students, lawful dependents of a gainfully employed relative or active members of the U.S. Armed Forces.

This is the first attempt of the CNMI to deal with the open migration policy which has become a burden to the island after Washington reneged on its commitment to fully reimburse the government of its expenses.