A call to defend our homeland against federalization

As president of TAOTAO TANO I call on our legislators to stand strong and proud in defending our homeland against the Federal Immigration Bill. We have the right to challenge the federal government in court to get rid of the Federal Immigration Bill altogether, and we should do that. I read in the news that Americans all over the country are challenging the federal government in the courts on these immigration issues about guest workers because they do not like the heavy hand that the federal government lays on local people.

The federal government will try to buy us off. I know that they will threaten our legislators with keeping down federal aid in our time of need, and they will suggest that if we only give up our right to sue, they will open the federal wallet and help us. Well, we know how that works. They open the federal wallet and then they have all kinds of strings attached to make us obey. I say to our legislators that this Federal Immigration Bill is wrong and we should stand up in court and say so. We have Mr. Willens, one of the best lawyers, working for us for free. So we can win and get rid of this insulting legislation. Do you really want Mr. Benedetto as King of Labor on this island?

As president of TAOTAO TANO I also have to respectfully rescind further discussions or dialogue with the foreign guest workers on the issue of long-term residency here in our homeland. Although this a matter of economical benefits and the possibility of working together in one direction to address our current economic crisis in our homeland it is of great sensitivity to my local indigenous people of the land, the Chamorros and Carolinians. This is an issue best left alone until we win in the courts, and there is no more Federal Immigration Bill. Then it can be decided by the local community.

The last two (2) meetings we attended both in Kagman and in San Vicente sent out a clear message that there are pros and cons on the issue and as president of the TAOTAO TANO and an advocate for the indigenous local Northern Mariana Descent people of the land I want us to do the right thing, but I want to get rid of federalization first.

On the passage of the Federal Immigration Bill we do not believe that it is a victory to the foreign nonresident guest workers or human rights advocates but rather it is to their detriment and complete phase out in the years to come. It is important for everyone to read and fully understand the contents of all the Congressional bills that were drafted and introduced before U.S. Congress, all four (4) Bills stated clearly and loudly that our argument to remove the granting of non-immigrant provisions to foreigners in our homeland is a complete victory to the TAOTAO TANO and that the federal issue had always been an argument between the CNMI and U.S. Congress for our right to self-governance as intended in our Covenant was challenged.

The removal of the non-immigrant provision on the Federal Immigration Bill speaks in volumes for itself for we are the one true voice in the Commonwealth. Now we must concentrate fully on an area of great importance and significant value and that is the protection of our culture, natural resources, and our heritage ensuring that we uphold the responsibility for our future generations. We must also be optimistic and open minded to any ideas or solutions presented before us for we are humble, respectable, and reasonable people of the land. There is an urgent need that we now set new course of direction to fully address and enforce a higher standard of living as intended in our Covenant in political union with the United States for the benefit of our people and our homeland as a whole. We the indigenous local Northern Mariana Descent people of the land can forgive but we must never forget the total disrespect inflicted upon us.