‘Only aliens with parole need extension’

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is reminding employers and foreign workers in the CNMI that only paroled foreign nationals need to apply for an extension on their parole.

“Every day about 10 people who do not need to apply for parole or parole extensions come to the USCIS Saipan office with an InfoPass appointment. This is a waste of their time and it delays appointments for about 50 people each week who actually need something from USCIS in order to maintain their status,” said USCIS regional media manager Marie Therese Sebrechts in a statement yesterday.

She urged employers and applicants to review their requirements for parole extension as they don’t need to extend parole if they were never was granted parole in the first place.

“If a worker has an umbrella permit and his or her employer is petitioning for CW-1 status, that worker has a continuing lawful presence and employment provision while awaiting the decision on the I-129CW petition and does not need to ask USCIS for parole,” said Sebrechts.

Only those people who were paroled into the CNMI and whose Arrival-Departure Record, Form I-94, has expired or is expiring need to apply for an extension of their parole to maintain a lawful status, she said.

“Anyone paroled into the CNMI must keep parole and work authorization (if employed) current. This does not include those who have been paroled into the United States solely as tourists. Tourists are not eligible for extension of parole.

“We ask that anyone who has made an InfoPass appointment and, in reviewing this update realizes that he or she does not need to apply for parole or parole extensions, to please cancel any appointment you do not need so that it is available for others,” said the USCIS official.

Not fair

Rep. Ralph S. Demapan (Cov-Saipan) advises jobless nonresident workers to depart the CNMI before the Nov. 27, 2011, expiration of umbrella permits. Demapan is a former staff of the Division of Immigration.

“The CNMI people will not support subsidies to people who are not contributing to society. If you’re out of job and you’re not from here, I think it only makes sense that you return to your point of origin,” he said.

Demapan, who counts many alien workers as friends, said that for jobless foreign workers to continue to stay in the CNMI and be “subsidized” by the CNMI government without contributing to the community is not fair.

“Every country has its own immigration laws and.we should uphold those immigration laws. If you’re out of status, you’re out of status,” he said.

Demapan’s call comes in the heels of former Immigration and Naturalization Services general attorney Loida Nicolas Lewis and immigration lawyer Ted Laguatan advising jobless nonresident not to fear deportation without first presenting their “equities” in immigration court.

These so-called equities include having U.S. citizen mother, father, spouses, sisters, brothers; having been a good member of the community and with no criminal record; not receiving welfare; have paid taxes; and have legally stayed in the CNMI for many years.