The struggle for citizenship

For several years, Randy Mendoza always thought that his status in the CNMI would not be a problem until two years ago when his employer informed him that his employment category needed to be changed to a contract worker status.

It made him feel sick and extremely uneasy that he resorted to doing all kinds of things to move heaven and earth to grant him his U.S. citizenship.

Mendoza, 22, admits that he actually wrote to the New York Times, Larry King Live, O’Reilly Factor, among others, in hopes of getting help from them.

“I wrote so many letters [and] petitions because I was really hurt. I was turning 21 soon and I was told that my employment status would change,” said Mendoza.

He said his employment meant a lot to him because he is a family breadwinner.

“The thing is I was born and raised here. My family and friends are here. There is no question that I am from here, yet I was not recognized as a citizen [of this place],” he said.

He said his letters to U.S.-based media did not work but locally, he said, radio commentator Harry Blalock willingly read his letter on air. “I was so glad that he attended to my letter. I’m so grateful.”

Being “stateless,” meant uncertainty for his future, he said, citing that it was impossible for him and others in the same situation to get a good education because they were not eligible to apply for various scholarships.

Neither were they free to travel due to the lack of a U.S. passport. Mendoza said the last time he went off-island was when he went to Guam about five years ago. Before that, he said, he went to the Philippines with his parents. He was three years old.

“We can’t just travel,” he said.

While they could easily choose the citizenship of their parents, they always believed that they are U.S. citizens because they were born in a U.S. territory.

Mendoza’s brother Ryan, 21, expressed relief that he can now declare, “I’m a U.S. citizen” when asked or whenever he signs documents. Before, he said, the Motor Vehicle Bureau and other agencies would list him as “Saipan-Filipino.”

Nanette Magallanes and Maria Mendoza said that due to their status, they have never traveled out of the CNMI. Most of them, they said, have never been to other places, not even Guam.

“We’ve been to the Guam airport, but not outside,” they said.

Shiela Perez, 25, said her last trip to Guam was about 10 years ago. “Other than that, I’ve never been out,” she said.

When she finally gets her U.S. passport, Maria said, “ I want to see the world.”

Meantime, Randy said that his quest for U.S. citizenship led him to do more research and connect with a lot of people, including his Current Affairs instructor at Northern Marianas College, Sam McPhetres.

“He [McPhetres] advised me about the Covenant and how it relates to us,” he said.

Mendoza then began to meet with other stateless individuals. He said they worked as a group, lobbying lawmakers to take up their cause.

Among those who first responded to them was House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial and Rep. Clyde Norita, who took their names for submission to concerned agencies. This also resulted in the Legislature passing a bill that essentially grants them permanent residency in the CNMI.

Last year, he said, the group was grateful to the Babauta administration for approving the bill and taking their cause further to a member of the U.S. Congress.

While this was going on, a different group of stateless persons brought their case to the U.S. District Court, which denied their petition to be granted citizenship.

Represented by lawyer Rey Yana, the petitioners, led by Jacinto Sabangan, appealed the decision to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The Court of Appeals effectively reversed the local court’s decision, and ruled in favor of the petitioners.

The Appeals Court recognized them as U.S. citizens, citing that the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitutions, which provides that individuals born in the U.S. becomes its citizens, is applicable in the Commonwealth from Jan. 9, 1978 onwards.

The ruling took effect this week after the U.S. government decided not to further appeal the case at the U.S. Supreme Court.

“I agree with my friends that the news made us feel like we’re finally out from our prison,” Mendoza said.