It has been in the news for quite some time that there are many people in the District of Columbia and other states and territories of the United States who are struggling to avoid deportation. Many of these people are here legally, but in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), many hard working citizens there are facing deportation. The reason that they are in this predicament is because the economy is struggling to keep people afloat and those who are legal immigrants are now facing a new rule that could force their deportation.
The rule is also referred to as the “Commonwealth-only worker rule,” which under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will not allow foreigners to be hired as caregivers or for household work. However, there is a bill that many are hoping that the Obama administration will pass through to protect them. The bill would allow people that have immigrated to the CNMI resident status, namely to those who have immediate relatives that are U.S. citizens.
Although these people will continue to fight deportation, their fight may be over sooner than expected. The bill is currently awaiting approval in the District of Columbia by the Senate and the President.
It is an extremely complex battle when it comes to immigration courts, but a battle that is worth the fight. Anyone, whether in the mainland U.S. or one of its territories, may be well served to pursue legal counsel and defense in their battle to fight deportation. An experienced attorney can help them to understand their legal rights as well as the steps they can make on their path to citizenship.
Source: The Saipan Tribune, “Jobless foreign workers and caregivers prepare for worst,” Haidee V. Eugenio, Sept. 12, 2011