Cohen: No hope for green card for Dekada

Interior Deputy Assistant Secretary David Cohen said there is no hope for the Dekada movement to succeed in obtaining U.S. permanent residency for its members, citing the autonomy in the CNMI’s immigration system.

Cohen said that, while he has great sympathy for hardworking and talented people who share the American dream, allowing people to have false hope could make them vulnerable to exploitation.

“I don’t want to shatter anyone’s dream of becoming an American. But I want people to come to the CNMI for the right reasons, and not based on the mistaken belief that it will somehow improve their chances of becoming U.S. citizens,” Cohen said.

“I don’t want to see people investing a lot of time and money in something that is not going to succeed. I think it’s better for people to know the truth up front, even if the truth isn’t pleasant,” he added.

Speaking in a phone interview from Guam, Cohen noted that granting U.S. permanent residency status—commonly referred to as green card—to Dekada members is inconsistent with the special arrangement between the federal government and the Commonwealth regarding immigration.

He said the federal government would not allow the Commonwealth to continue to control its own immigration if decisions by CNMI immigration authorities could be binding on U.S. immigration authorities.

“The U.S. has a basic bargain with the CNMI: The CNMI can choose whom to let into the CNMI, but the U.S. has absolute control over whom to let into the rest of the U.S. The U.S. will not allow people to eventually obtain rights to U.S. residency on the basis of their having been admitted to the CNMI by the CNMI authorities,” Cohen said.

Cohen’s statement came about after the Dekada movement’s recent disclosure that lobby efforts have effectively begun to advance the group’s cause before the U.S. Congress. Dekada leader Bonifacio Sagana disclosed that lawyer Stephen Woodruff recently flew to Washington, D.C. to meet with key persons who could help the group.

At least 3,000 alien workers have completed their registration with the group, according to Sagana. These workers have diverse nationalities such as Filipino, Bangladeshi, Thai, and Nepalese, among others.

Eligible for membersip to Dekada are those aliens who have proof of at least five consecutive years of lawful stay in the Commonwealth. Dekada has been collecting $100 from each member.

Federal immigration rules allow aliens lawfully living in the United States for five consecutive years to apply for permanent residency status. The group will ask the U.S. Congress to pass legislation that will grant its members U.S. permanent residency status.

“Aliens who work in the CNMI can still become U.S. permanent residents, and eventually citizens, if they qualify and go through the necessary procedures with U.S. immigration authorities. America is a nation of immigrants, and our strength lies in the talent, creativity and determination of all the wonderful people that we have welcomed to our shores,” Cohen said.

“In order to get U.S. Immigration benefits, however, one has to go through the U.S. process. In that process, time spent in the CNMI does not count,” he said.

Cohen added, however, that the CNMI government could confer CNMI permanent residency to Dekada members if it chooses, but clarified that such development would have no effect on eligibility for obtaining U.S. green card.