Federal visitors mum on Fitial’s planned suit

Federal officials stayed mum yesterday on the CNMI government’s plan to sue the U.S. government over the new immigration law in the Commonwealth, and said they look forward to having a cooperative relationship with local leaders while the “federalization” regulations are being drafted.

Igor V. Timofeyev, director of immigration policy and special adviser for refugee and asylum affairs at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and Steven Sander, congressional liaison at the U.S. Office of Insular Affairs, said in separate interviews that they were aware of the lawsuit Gov. Benigno R. Fitial had announced he would file against the U.S. government. But they both declined to comment about it.

“I have heard that is being considered. I don’t think that is my place to comment and, certainly, not in a situation where there is no lawsuit [filed yet],” said Timofeyev.

Sander echoed Timofeyev’s statement, saying the lawsuit has not figured in the visiting delegation’s meetings with the governor and administration officials on Saturday and yesterday.

“No lawsuit has been instituted at this point. We’re proceeding with the meetings and discussions, and we’ll just continue to do that,” said Sander.

The visiting delegation is made up of representatives from DHS, OIA, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, and Customs Border Protection, among other agencies. The group arrived on Saturday and will hold meetings with government, business, and community leaders through Wednesday.

According to Timofeyev, the purpose of the fact finding mission is get local perspective on what DHS and other concerned federal agencies should consider as they write the regulations implementing the law.

“Really, we look at this as the beginning of a dialogue between the federal government and the Commonwealth. Our goal is to ensure that, as we work to implement the law, we do in a way that it not only promotes the security of the United States, but also takes into account very important economic and other interests of the Commonwealth,” Timofeyev said.

He refused to talk specifically about the regulations, saying the discussion had only started. “It’s premature for me to say right now how restrictive or how flexible any specific provision is. We will do what we are required to do under the law,” he said.

He also said there is no definite timeline for the drafting of the regulations. However, he added that DHS and other agencies tasked with writing the regulations will abide by timelines set in the statute.

Under the law, the U.S. government will assume full control of local immigration by June 1, 2009.