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7 tourists apply for refugee protection
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Posted on May 07 2006
The seven tourists who were ordered deported by the Superior Court have remained on island and formally applied for refugee protection.
Gov. Benigno R. Fitial confirmed this during a news briefing Friday.
“They are going through a due process. When they were ordered deported by the court, they immediately sought asylum [refugee protection],” said Fitial.
He said the individuals are under the supervision of the Attorney General Office and the Division of Immigration.
In March this year, Superior Court Associate Judge David A. Wiseman ordered the deportation of the seven overstaying tourists from China.
Wiseman said that the tourists had deceived the CNMI government.
He said the respondents came to Saipan under false pretenses and that they had placed tourism in jeopardy “because of their own selfish desires.”
The seven tourists are twin sisters He Yong and He Jing; Wu Ying Lai; his sons Guo Bao Long, and Guo Qiang; Guo Bao Long’s wife, Liu Lan Lan; and his uncle, Liu Changmei.
All respondents had signed a stipulation with the Division of Immigration to the issuance of a deportation order, acknowledging that they are overstaying in the Commonwealth and that they are deportable aliens.
Under applicable law, the respondents must first receive an order of deportation before they can apply for protection with the Office of Refugee Protection.
The Chinese nationals earlier claimed that Chinese police had tortured two of them and have been looking for the three of them for allegedly practicing or supporting Falun Gong or Falun Dafa.
This is group of people who practice meditation that is not allowed by the Chinese government.
