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2 original asylum seekers say govt not helping them
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Posted on Jan 05 2006
Two of the 22 original asylum seekers in the CNMI complained that it has already been three years since their complaint was settled but until now they are still waiting for refugee protection.
Juyel Ahmed and Kamal Hossain, both Bangladeshis, told the Saipan Tribune on Wednesday that they have been suffering economically but the CNMI government has not been helping them.
“We’re like human trafficking victims, too,” Ahmed said.
The two questioned why some of the Falon Gong members were reportedly granted refugee status, yet they—who were the first to file asylum applications—have not been granted such a status.
Ahmed said they survive on Saipan by asking for food and money from friends.
The two said the government only gave them temporary work authorizations but these are not enough for them to obtain full-time employment.
They said they talked with assistant attorney general Arin Greenwood, who advised them to see assistant attorney general Ian Catlett to inquire about their application status.
Catlett reportedly told them that he would look into the case because he does not know what happened to this case.
Ahmed also said they don’t know what to do because they have no contact anymore with their former counsel, Bruce Jorgensen.
Under the settlement, in exchange for the asylum applicants’ dismissing their civil cases filed in federal court, the Commonwealth agreed not to remove from the CNMI any of the plaintiffs until the Commonwealth or the U.S. government implements a system for refugees.
No monetary compensation was mentioned in the settlement.
The asylum seekers filed a consolidated complaint against former assistant attorney general Robert Goldberg and then Labor and Immigration Secretary Mark Zachares and other co-defendants for wrongfully imprisoning them.
