‘Occupy USCIS’ celebrates foreign workers’ contributions to CNMI today

With only a few days to go before Nov. 27, nonresidents holding a peaceful vigil near the office of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in Garapan will be celebrating foreign workers’ unity, friendship and contributions to the CNMI from 2pm to 6pm today.

“We are inviting everyone to join us,” Human Dignity Movement president Itos Feliciano said yesterday.

Rabby Syed, president of United Workers Movement-NMI, said on Saturday that Occupy USCIS continues to ask USCIS to grant parole-in-place to “all legal alien workers” until Congress initiates legislation to grant these individuals improved immigration status.

“My request to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is to act quickly on this matter before Nov. 27 or before people go out of status; otherwise, it will be a big question mark under U.S. flag that many people, especially parents of U.S. citizen children, that their concerns were never heard,” Syed said in an interview.

USCIS is one of the component agencies of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Syed also said that he’s asking Gov. Benigno R. Fitial to “consider” the plight of long-term nonresidents “and bring this matter to DHS’ attention for immediate action.”

“Occupy USCIS” started setting up tents and put up banners near USCIS on Oct. 24, to drum up support for many long-term nonresidents’ call for a grant of parole-in-place for all legal workers until Congress acts to grant improved immigration status to foreign workers in the CNMI.

Nonresidents, mostly Filipinos, Bangladeshis and Chinese, have been taking turns manning the Occupy USCIS tents 24 hours, seven days a week at least until after Nov. 27.

Today’s celebration of friendship and unity from 2pm to 6pm will be followed by a candlelight vigil.

“We invite you to celebrate our unity. We came from many countries, speaking different languages, having our own customs and religions. Over many years and decades, we have become one: united in solidarity, joined by mutual hardships and bonded in one fight for justice. We are the foreign workers of the CNMI,” said a Human Dignity Movement statement.

It said today’s event will also be a celebration of foreign workers’ contributions to the CNMI.

“We dedicated years and decades of our lives to serving the CNMI as hard-working and proud laborers. We contributed our skills as laborers, teachers, nurses, mechanics, accountants, cashiers, maids, clerks, farmers, engineers, entertainers and professionals,” it said.