Bordallo requests assistance on deportation of migrant criminals

Bordallo

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo yesterday wrote to Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular Areas Esther Kia’aina to request assistance regarding the removal of FAS migrants who have been convicted of crimes on Guam.

She urged Kia’aina to set up a meeting where appropriate federal entities could coordinate with the U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security and theeEmbassies of the FAS governments to discuss policy options to manage and remove individuals from the FAS who have been convicted of crimes back to their country of origin.

Bordallo underscored that increased focus must be directed from the federal government to reduce the burdens these criminals place on our community. She urged Kia’aina to work with State, DHS, and the FAS governments to develop an intergovernmental agreement that would increase focus on removing individuals who have been convicted of crimes back to their country of origin, similar to how DHS focuses on the removal of citizens from other nations on the mainland.

“Many FAS citizens who live in Guam contribute positively to our community and reflect the values and ideals that make our island strong. The Compacts are agreements between the U.S. and FAS nations and therefore the Federal government must be more responsive to Governor Calvo and the need of our local stakeholders on this important issue. When migrants break the law and are convicted of crimes, they violate the intent of the Compacts and should no longer be allowed to stay in our country. I understand the burdens these individuals place on our local government as well as Governor Calvo’s intention to remove them from Guam. I believe that greater federal attention must be given to remove FAS citizens convicted of crimes back to their nation of origin, just as the Department of Homeland Security prioritizes removing other foreign criminals in the mainland back to their home countries. I am confident that Assistant Secretary Kia’aina will work with the State Department, DHS, and the embassies of the FAS governments to set-up a meeting to have meaningful discussions that could lay the groundwork to develop intergovernmental agreements to address this problem. I look forward to working with her to resolve this issue and provide solutions that will make the Compacts more sustainable in the long-term.” (PR)