Hosting of ‘boat people’ costs CNMI more • Teno administration revises upward reimbursement sought from feds

The CNMI government has spent over $700,000 in hosting close to 500 undocumented aliens from mainland China on Tinian, up from earlier estimate of half-a-millions dollars assessed by the Tenorio administration.

But the amount does not include fresh expenditures incurred by the 151 illegal Chinese immigrants who arrived there early this month and are still staying in temporary shelters on the island.

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio said he had met with the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service to discuss the situation.

“We have not been informed when will be the repatriation date” for the latest batch of undocumented aliens, he told reporters yesterday. “I made it very clear that INS is now responsible for the 151 people who are on Tinian. They are doing all the processing and as soon as they are ready, probably they would let us know when they will send them out.”

According to the governor, his administration has yet to establish how much the island government has spent for the new group, but he disclosed that CNMI has handed over billings totaling more than $700,000 to federal authorities to cover unpaid charges from previous operations.

The amount is higher than the $599,000 initially determined by the Department of Finance as expenditures shouldered by the Commonwealth during the first two months of providing shelter to the illegal immigrants.

These included overtime pay for local personnel stationed on Tinian to assist INS agents and officials, meal provision for the Chinese as well as rental of buses used to transport them to the airport and other charges.

“The bill that I submitted to the (federal government) for reimbursement is over $700,000, the last one is not included,” Tenorio explained, adding that Washington is still working on the submission.

He added the Commonwealth has continued to provide assistance to federal authorities in dealing with the immigration crisis, which has already burdened the neighboring Guam, despite lack of local funds.

“If they request for any assistance, we try to provide as much as possible,” pointed out the governor. “We need the money because we have other obligations to pay so we are using some of the funding that can be temporarily used for that purpose.”

Last week, Tenorio expressed hope that the CNMI would not be asked anymore to accept boatloads of immigrants seeking asylum from the U.S. government in an apparent sign that it has taken a toll on the government’s resources.

Island officials expect to spend less on the latest group than the previous boatloads who were given temporary shelter on Tinian prior to their repatriation. INS has vowed to send them home immediately to bring down costs.