‘Don’t include Chinese, Russians; don’t delay federalization’

While most of the 42 entities commenting on the federalization interim rule want a 180-day delay in the start of the transition and the inclusion of Chinese and Russian tourists in the Guam-CNMI visa waiver program, there are a few who either support a June 1 implementation or give a different take on issues.

One of them, ordinary citizen Jack Shafer, opposes including China and Russia in the federal visa waiver program because these countries do not grant visa waiver rights to U.S. citizens.

“Any visa waiver program that the U.S. would implement now or in the future should be based on the idea of reciprocity. Currently, U.S. citizens must pay an excessive amount of money to apply for a visa to visit either Russia or China,” said Shafer.

March 17 (March 18 Saipan time) is the deadline for submitting comments on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s interim final rule establishing U.S. ports of entry in the CNMI and establishing a Guam-CNMI visa waiver program.

Besides Taotao Tano Association Inc. whose support of the June 1 start of the transition period was already reported earlier, teacher Ronnie Hodges said that, if Gov. Benigno R. Fitial and the Saipan Chamber of Commerce were to prevail in court to delay federalization by 180 days, “will the CNMI still be allowed to enslave workers, not pay them, force them into the sex trade industry, force abortions, continue to receive U.S. aid, continue to be tax free, continue to fund Jack Abramoff’s replacements while our schools are underfunded…?”

He also asked whether the CNMI will still be allowed to “use the CNMI for ‘ice’ transshipments, allow illegal U.S. entry, continue to be a haven for organized crime and criminals from Asia, continue work for foreign guest workers without status, continue to legislate bias and racist policies, continue to restrict freedoms of speech, press, and assembly of both American and guest workers alike.”

Pastor Reid Ellis of Tinian said the DHS regulation has no sympathy to the people of the Commonwealth, especially on the people of Tinian who rely on the China tourism market.

“I am totally against the regulations as they are presently written. The visa waiver program must include China, the Philippines and Russia and be implemented with the input of the local Chamorro and Carolinian population from all three islands, not just Saipan,” said Reid, who has lived on Tinian for 17 years.

Most commenters want a delay in federalization until additional security measures are in place and resources are identified to effectively implement a federal immigration system in the CNMI.