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UWM gets positive response from Immigration regarding IR issues
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Posted on Dec 11 2008
Immigration Director Melvin L. Grey has responded to the comments of the United Workers Movement about the proposed changes to the Immigration regulations, saying he will carefully consider the issues.
In a letter dated Dec. 3 to UWM president Irene N. Tantiado, Grey said they would give each comment careful consideration before publishing the final version of the regulations.
Earlier on Nov. 25, UWM wrote Immigration with attached signatures by Freely Associated States citizens with non-FAS spouses.
Grey told UWM that the Division of Immigration had already worked on the policy aspects on the issue with various persons and groups.
On the issue of immediate relatives of FAS citizens, Grey said he does not anticipate Immigration granting them extended permits as these aliens are subject to FAS laws and should pursue their status with the FAS government.
“I thank Director Grey for responding to my comments. As far as immediate relatives of FAS citizens, we are not ready to give up yet. I have already asked them to schedule a meeting so we can discuss what can still be done,” Tantiado said in a statement.
The amendments will be in effect Jan. 1, 2009.
UWM is aware of the limited time but Tantiado said they could not just give up. “We will come up with plans to convince the AG to include these people,” she said.
UWM is urging Immigration to extend the permit, which she said should be worked out by the CNMI government and not the FAS governments.
As for the relatives of CNMI permanent residents, Grey said the change UWM is requesting is not necessary because this is a very small group of aliens who were granted permanent resident status in the 1970s and 1980s. “The proposed regulations make the immediate relatives of this group eligible for a two-year permit,” Grey said.
On the issue IR of qualified foreign national workers, Grey said the change UWM is requesting is not also necessary since the proposed regulations make foreign national workers eligible for a two-year permit and their immediate relatives are eligible for the same length of time as the alien sponsor.
Grey also said IRs of U.S. nationals will be treated in the same manner as IRs of U.S. citizens.
