On the heels of his new attempt to strip CNMI authority over its immigration, U.S. Sen. Frank Murkowski (R-Alaska) expressed fear over capability of federal officials to enforce the Immigration and Nationality Act in the Northern Marianas in view of the current Guam’s conditions.

The chairman of the Senate Committee of Energy and Natural Resources, which has oversight of U.S. territories, admitted it would be difficult to implement the new takeover proposal as he doubted whether the Immigration and Naturalization Service would meet the challenge.

“I think we need to be very careful in considering legislation to extend the immigration laws to the Northern Marianas that we do not create an even larger problem that the one we already have in Guam,” Murkowski said in a press statement.

Guam has been buffeted by the onslaught of illegal Chinese immigrants in recent months whose number may reach more than 2,000 — a situation that has strained its resources and worried federal authorities.

The influx of undocumented aliens from China has also highlighted the ability of INS to handle immigration on the neighboring island which, unlike the CNMI, is under the federal jurisdiction.

As Guam is a single island with an area of about 33 miles by 12 miles, Murkowski questioned whether the federal government could manage the whole Marianas archipelago with over 14 islands and 300 miles coastline.

“If we cannot adequately patrol Guam, how are we going to patrol the entire Marianas,” the senator asked.

Upon the request by Washington officials, Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio has agreed to host some of the illegals flooding Guam, accepting close to 500 aliens to be temporarily sheltered at two makeshift camps on Tinian.

Local legislators have hailed the governor’s move, citing importance for the Commonwealth to retain control of its immigration as the island does not provide asylum to refugees.

Those currently staying on Tinian are expected to be repatriated once Beijing agrees to resume talks with Washington, which have been stalled following China’s anger over recent NATO bombing of its embassy in Belgrade.

Lackluster: Murkowski considered Clinton Administration’s response to Guam’s immigration crisis as “lackluster,” noting frustration by its government on the limited funds given to the local INS.

“Only after the situation became even worse and the national media began to draw attention to what was happening, did the White House become involved,” he explained.

“Parenthetically, I would note that INS did not care about extending immigration laws to the Northern Mariana Islands until after the Readers’ Digest and other publications began to question the (Clinton) Administration’s commitment to human rights and the White House became concerned with its image.”

While he expects federal immigration officials to back the White House on the new bill, Murkowski stressed he has “some apprehensions over how solid the recent conversion of the INS is.”