Immigration? Repatriation?

Of all of the things that bother me the most about the anticipated federal takeover of some of the CNMI’s affairs, it is the possibility that many of our long-term residents may be repatriated to their “technically” native shores. This just isn’t right. Oh, I’m sure it’s legal right enough, but for me at least I do not see it as right.

Decades have passed now as business in this archipelago was granted by the federal government the authority to design its own immigration methodology. The islands prospered at least in part because of this federally granted authority, certain as it was that there was nowhere near the necessary indigenous manpower to fulfill manpower requirements. And that simple truth has not changed: there are simply not enough indigenous folks to take care of the economic needs of the Commonwealth. And…

What of the human part of this equation? Those foreign citizens who came here, made homes here, contributed to the economy here have lives, too. They have lives here. Their children, and yes many of them have had children here—it often happens when people set down roots—have been raised in the American style of life and education and social and religious mores. Send them back to their native shores? Their native shores are here, not there, wherever there is!

I have lived in these islands for over 20 years. My mechanic is Filipino; he has been my mechanic for almost all of the 20 years that I have been here. I have even had some of his grandchildren in my high school classes when I was teaching. My tech assistant is Chinese; he’s 26 years old and was one of my students back in the ’90s—he came here with his parents when he was seven. Added to this is that my daughter’s boyfriend, a recent graduate of NMC, is Korean! Well, as you can see, I am indeed in a position to understand the problem that some of the of the less sanguine interpretations of the newly proposed federal regulations may cause.

There needs to be a very close look at some of the things that any thought about blanket repatriation might entail. Uprooting families, or individuals either if it comes to that, is not a good idea. Economically it is not a good idea, socially it is not a good idea, and in terms of humanity it is really not a good idea.

Our long-term resident alien population is no threat to the United States. Losing their industry and society would be a major blow, a major threat to the well-being of the CNMI. It is imperative that those who will be making decisions relating to this issue in the near future think long and hard about the human cost that arbitrary implementation of applicable federal rules might accrue to us.

That there should be some revision in the way that immigration is practiced in these islands is a given. Post-911 security, even out here on the cutting edge of American culture, is a concern. But those long-term immigrants that have so long lived and contributed and prospered here should not be made to pay an inordinate price for the sake of cold and heartless regulations. Regulations that frankly make little sense when looked at objectively. Please, those of you who will come or are already here look at these things objectively, not bureaucratically. It is only right.

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