‘No voluntary surrender of deportable aliens yet’

The CNMI’s immigration enforcement attorney said yesterday that none among the deportable members of the garment class action suit have voluntarily presented themselves to his office as of yesterday.

Assistant Attorney General Eric O’Malley said there are some 154 aliens on the list of those who pursued the garment class action but have failed to obtain legal status to remain in the Commonwealth.

The Attorney General’s Office earlier gave these aliens up to July 15 to voluntarily turn themselves over to the Immigration Division or face deportation.

The AGO said it might allow the aliens to voluntarily depart from the Commonwealth if they turn themselves in on or before Thursday. Once an alien is deported from the Commonwealth, he may never return to the islands.

The 154 aliens failed to obtain valid immigration status despite numerous opportunities provided them by the Labor Department, the AGO said.

The AGO earlier urged those who might have questions about the matter to call O’Malley at 664-2366 or attorney general Pamela Brown at 664-2341.