DHS: Requirements for govt jobs still up to the NMI

The CNMI will continue to have a say on the status requirements needed for employment in government agencies and departments even after the federal takeover of local labor and immigration on June 1.

This was according to Marie Therese Sebrechts, Department of Homeland Security-U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services regional media manager, in an e-mail to the Saipan Tribune.

“The decision on what status is required for a CNMI government job will still be up to the CNMI,” said Sebrecht.

The issue stems from the potential impact federalization will have on existing employees who have Immediate Relative status and are not able to obtain their U.S. green cards during the transition period.

Based on CNMI law, only U.S. citizen and persons with Immediate Relative status, IRs, can be employed in government agencies like the Public School System, where there are 96 IRs.

The local government is believed to employ a significant number of IRs who are at risk of losing their jobs if they fail to apply for a green card on the prescribed time and through the local law mandating such a requirement.

Federal officials had confirmed that only two categories will be honored after the transition period: U.S. citizen or immigrants and non-U.S. citizens status.

In an earlier interview, Sebrechts said the USCIS’ functions focus solely on immigration issues and status.

She expressed hope for a smooth transition in the CNMI, currently set to begin on June 1, 2009. The law mandating the federal takeover of local immigration provides a possible extension of 180 days. The local government, lawmakers, and business groups had asked the Department of Homeland Security for a delay.

Sebrechts said the pros and cons for a six-month delay, based on what they had gathered from the islands’ various sectors, were presented to DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano for a decision. She has yet to make a decision on this.

Board of Education officials earlier said the possible loss of a significant number of IR personnel will impact the operation of the school system. They encouraged these IR employees to work on their documents now to avert any impact on school operations.

In an interview with some IR personnel at PSS who declined to be identified, they vowed to complete the processing of their applications in order to keep their jobs.

“We have no other choice but to fix our papers…or else we will lose our jobs,” one of them said yesterday.

However, many of them expressed hope that, if a significant number of IRs fail to get a permanent resident status, legislators will consider proposing amendments to the local law so these non-U.S. citizen employees may keep their jobs.

USCIS recently opened its Application Support Center in Garapan to help IRs process their papers. Interviews are also being conducted at the facility to help customers save time and money in going to Guam.