Previous Story
Public hearing today on sponsorships, IR permits
|
Posted on Feb 21 2006
The Office of the Attorney General will hold a public hearing today, Feb. 22, on proposed regulations governing immigration sponsorships and Immediate Relative permits, including sponsorships of alien spouses with IR status. The public hearing is at 6pm, at the Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe.
“All members of the public with an interest in this topic are invited to attend and lend their views,” acting Attorney General Matthew Gregory said in a notice issued yesterday.
In an earlier statement, Gregory said that sham marriages are a significant and longstanding problem in the Commonwealth.
“As our law now stands, a foreign national may enter the islands, marry any U.S. or former Trust Territory citizen (even those with no connection to the Commonwealth), and use them as a sponsor to obtain an IR permit,” said Gregory.
This permit, he said, then allows the foreign national to stay in the Commonwealth and to work without restrictions.
“Sometimes, a sponsor will enter, get married, and then leave the Commonwealth and the alien-spouse, never to return. Often, in such situations, the couple has never met. Almost always, there is an exchange of money,” he said.
The acting AG said criminal measures put in place several years ago only kick in after the marriage is complete, and have proven to be an ineffective deterrent.
Gregory said the goal of the proposed regulations is to balance the rights of those getting married for “bona fide” reasons, against the damage done to the Commonwealth when people are getting married for the sole purpose of making a dollar or obtaining an immigration benefit.
“Of course, this poses some questions. What is the correct balance? What is a ‘bona fide’ reason? For these answers, the Office of the Attorney General welcomes and needs the public’s input,” he said.
