Feds check NMI refugee program

Federal refugee protection experts have been visiting the islands to closely monitor the CNMI’s implementation of the U.N. treaty on refugee protection.

Right now, a “protection consultant” from the Homeland Security Department’s Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, is holding office at the newly installed Refugee Protection Office, located at the Governor’s Office on Capitol Hill.

These “protection consultants” come to the CNMI on a rotating basis and are paid by the federal government, said attorney general Pamela Brown. She did not identify the protection consultant currently on-island.

“The protection consultant works with us and counsels us, advises us as to our implementation of the U.N. treaty. Of course, we don’t want to do something that is counterproductive or is not in compliance with what the U.N. requires of the [United States],” said Brown.

She said the Refugee Protection Office also employs two hearing judges: Dana Emery and Arin Greenwood.

The office holds hearings and keeps files for the program. This process is part of the memorandum of agreement on refugee protection that was signed between the CNMI and the Department of the Interior in 2003.

The MOA enables the CNMI as a U.S. jurisdiction to comply with the international treaties and convention on refugee protection and convention against torture and other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment.

In an interview Tuesday, Brown declined to reveal how many individuals have applied so far for the CNMI’s refugee protection program.

“I can’t even discuss it at all. Under the treaty, we want to make sure that this whole system is kept extremely confidential. We are trying to protect people from persecution and torture. We want to make sure that their home country doesn’t know anything about it,” said Brown.

She also declined to confirm a recent report that her office had approved the refugee protection application of a member of Falun Gong, a group of Chinese people on Saipan.

“I can’t divulge anything. We don’t want to have any discussion of that,” said Brown.

Falun Gong or Falu Dafa practitioners are reportedly being persecuted and tortured in China.

The Falun Gong Association of Saipan earlier confirmed that one of their members filed for refugee protection.

In summer last year, the AGO said at least 10 people, mostly Chinese and two from Myanmar wanted to avail themselves of the refugee program in the CNMI.

The AGO had postponed their deportation proceedings in view of the pending adoption of refugee protection rules.

The MOA’s implementing rules and regulations were published and adopted last year.