Dekada lawyer dismisses Cohen statement

The lawyer representing the Dekada movement brushed aside the statement of Interior Deputy Assistant Secretary David Cohen, who earlier said there is no hope for the group in obtaining U.S. permanent residency status for its members.

“He [Cohen] doesn’t have any authority with regards to the immigration policy of the United States,” lawyer Stephen Woodruff said. “I never imagined that anyone from Interior could display hostility.”

Cohen earlier said that giving Dekada members false hopes of obtaining U.S. permanent residency status—commonly referred to as green card—could make these people vulnerable to exploitation. He added, though, that he has great sympathy for “hardworking and talented” people who share the American dream.

Dekada leader Bonifacio Sagana said most of the group’s members have children who are U.S. citizens and have spent their lives in the Commonwealth for more than 10 years.

Sagana said he does not believe that the members would be exploited, saying that the formation of the Dekada movement was aimed at properly managing funds for lobby efforts that would be facilitated by the group’s lawyer.

The group collects $100 from each member.

At least 3,000 members have completed their registration with the group, Sagana said. These workers have diverse nationalities: Filipinos, Bangladeshis, Thais, and Nepalese, among others. People who can join Dekada are those aliens who have proof of at least five consecutive years of lawful stay in the Commonwealth.

Woodruff said passing legislation that would grant permanent residency status to Dekada members fall under the province of the U.S. Congress.

Woodruff branded Cohen’s statement as “irresponsible,” saying that it could have been defamatory had the Interior official named a particular person.

“He’s [Cohen] supposed to be addressing issues of concern here in the CNMI,” Woodruff said.

The lawyer said Dekada members deserve to obtain improved long-term residence status, citing their contributions to the CNMI’s economy.

Woodruff said that, despite the autonomy of the CNMI in controlling its own immigration, Congress has the power to give them a “special green card.”

Woodruff indicated that the group is open to any other means of improving the immigration status of its members.