Resolution 80 -- our comments are in bold caps...

WHEREAS, H.R. 3079, 'The Northern Mariana Islands Immigration, Security, and Labor Act', as introduced in the United States House of Representatives, and S.B. 1634, 'The Northern Mariana Islands Covenant Implementation Act', as introduced in the United States Senate, include provisions that are expected to adversely impact the quality of life for all of the people of Guam, including the indigenous Chamorro people, the lawfully domiciled permanent resident aliens admitted to Guam under the provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act', and United States citizens residing in Guam and;

WHEREAS, upon passage of H.R. 3079 and S.B. 1634, persons lawfully admitted to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands by the Commonwealth, pursuant to the Commonwealth Immigration Law, including the spouses and children of such persons, will be granted United States Nonimmigrant Status if such persons have (a) continually resided, except for brief absences, in the Commonwealth for at least the 5 years prior to the date of enactment of said legislation; (b) have legal immigration status within the Commonwealth on the date of enactment of the same legislation; and (c) who submit a complete application establishing such alien's eligibility, pursuant to regulations promulgated by the Secretary of Homeland Security, not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the said act; and THIS PART OF 3079 HAD BEEN DELETED SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE RESOLUTION 80 WAS WRITTEN. OPPOSITION TO THIS PROVISION WAS BASED ON THE FACT THAT THE “SPECIAL STATUS” ALIENS IN THE CNMI ARE OF CHINESE AND FILIPINO DESCENT.

WHEREAS, the granting of nonimmigrant status to such persons will provide previously unavailable and unprecedented legal authorization for such persons admitted by the CNMI into its immigration area, an expedited entry into the United States and its territories and possessions, including Guam; and

WHEREAS, officials of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands have expressed concern and opposition over the passage of H.R. 3079 and S.B. 1634 and the negative impact to the economic viability of the Commonwealth, most recently in a field hearing conducted by the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Insular Affairs of the United States House of Representatives; and THE BILLS WERE PART OF AN EFFORT TO UN-DO THE ACTIONS OF JACK ABRAMOFF AND HIS DEALINGS WITH CORRUPT OFFICIALS IN THE CNMI GOVERNMENT.

WHEREAS, the Honorable Benigno R. Fitial, Governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, has advised the United States Congress of the "need for a careful and professional study of the Commonwealth before enactment of legislation such as H.R. 3079...(1) to provide current and reliable information about the Commonwealth as it exists today -- its economy, workforce, changing population, and labor and immigration programs; and (2) to assess the economic, political, and social consequences of preempting the CNMI immigration and labor laws and substituting a federally managed guest work program in the Commonwealth "; and STUDIES THAT WOULD HAVE CONSUMED MUCH TIME WITH FINDINGS SUBJECT TO THE EDITORIAL CONTROL OF CNMI OFFICIALS.

WHEREAS, the current eligibility requirements for the admission of immigrants and non-immigrants to Guam are pursuant to the 'Immigration and Nationality Act', and the Compacts of Free Association between the United States and the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau, respectively; and

WHEREAS, persons admitted to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands by the Commonwealth, and pursuant to Commonwealth Immigration Law, have not been subjects to, or made to comply with, the requirements and processes mandated by the 'Immigration and Nationality Act' of any other persons seeking immigrant and nonimmigrant entry to the United States including Guam; and

WHEREAS, the regular application of the 'Immigration and Nationality Act' on Guam, combined with the non-immigrant status of the citizens of the Freely Associated States, has caused a substantive and dramatic shift in the demography of Guam including precipitating an overall increase in the Government of Guam's cost for providing basic public safety, health, education, and human services for its combined population of residents, immigrants, and non-immigrants, and resulting in the Chamorro people of Guam becoming an assimilated minority in their homeland under laws not of their own making; and GUAM GOVERNOR RICARDO BORDALLO PUBLICLY AND ENTHUSIASTICALLY EMBRACED THE IDEA OF ALLOWING THOSE PEOPLE TO COME TO GUAM

WHEREAS, Guam is an attractive port of entry for regular admission to the United States given its proximity and accessibility to the major ports of debarkation in Asia, and is the recipient of the largest wave of Micronesian non-immigrant migration because of it is the economic center of and gateway to Micronesia; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Defense has increased the number of active duty U.S. Armed Services personnel assigned to duty stations in Guam by the Department of the Navy and the Department of the Air Force; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Defense has also announced plans to relocate 8,000 active duty troops from the u.s. Marine Corps bases in Okinawa, Japan, in addition to approximately 10,000 spouses and associated dependants, and approximately 8,000 to 10,000 temporary employees necessary for construction of infrastructure and facilities, not including the number of regular civilian employees required for base operations; and

WHEREAS, the economic and social impact that this U.S. Military Buildup will have in relations to the people of Guam, including the indigenous Chamorro people, has not yet been determined, studied, and disclosed by either the Department of Defense or the Government of Guam, as an 'Environmental Impact Study' is underway for the purpose of determining the parameters for the relocation of Marines to Guam and the facilities and infrastructure required; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Defense has not provided the Government of Guam with specific planning information and infrastructure requirements necessary for the local preparation of the U.S. Military Buildup, including details on the proposed application, exemptions, or modifications to the provisions of the 'Immigration and Naturalization Act' for the purposes of facilitating the movement of Marines to Guam; and

WHEREAS, the increase in U.s. Armed Services, combined with the need for temporary labor to support such increase, and the granting of non-immigrant status to temporary workers of the Commonwealth for general admission to the United States including Guam, will further significantly (HAVE AN) impact the demography of the island of Guam, in addition to the capacity of Guam's social and natural environment; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that I Mina' Bente Nuebi Na Liheslaturan Guahan, the Twenty-Ninth Guam Legislature, on behalf of the people of Guam, does hereby express its opposition to, and caution and concern as it relates to Guam regarding the passage of H.R. 3079 and S.B. 1634, as introduced in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, respectively; and be it further

RESOLVED, that I Mina' Bente Nuebi Na Liheslaturan Guahan, the Twenty-Ninth Guam Legislature, on behalf of the people of Guam, does hereby petition Guam's Delegate to Congress Madeleine Z. Bordallo, to actively oppose the passage of H.R. 3079 and S.B. 1634 or any other similar or like measure introduced in the Congress or proposed by the United States Government; and be it further

RESOLVED, that I Mina' Bente Nuebi Na Liheslaturan Guahan, the Twenty-Ninth Guam Legislature, on behalf of the people of Guam, does hereby petition Guam's Delegate to Congress Madeleine Z. Bordallo, to actively oppose the passage of any federal legislation that would enable the admission of non-immigrants and immigrants to Guam for indefinite periods of time, the admission of which are not currently authorized by 'the Immigration and Nationality Act'; and

RESOLVED, that I Mina' Bente Nuebi Na Liheslaturan Guahan, the Twenty-Ninth Guam Legislature, on behalf of the people of Guam, does hereby petition Guam's Delegate to request the United States Government Accountability Office, to cause the careful study and report on the expected impact passage of H.R. 3079 and S.B. 1634, or any other similar or like measure or proposal will have on both Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; and be it further

RESOLVED, that I Mina' Bente Nuebi Na Liheslaturan Guahan, the Twenty-Ninth Guam Legislature, on behalf of the people of Guam, does hereby express its desire that the United States Permanent Mission to the United Nations provide the United Nations Committee on Decolonization with a report on the position and expressions of I Liheslaturan Guahan, the Guam Legislature, on behalf of the people of Guam, contained herein, relative to H.R. 3079 and S.B. 1634 or any other similar or like measure introduced in the Congress or proposed by the United States Government; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the Speaker certify, and the Legislative Secretary attest to the adoption hereof, and that copies of the same be transmitted to: The President of the U.S., members of the Cabinet, all members of Congress and the U.S. Ambassador to the UN, the Permanent Representative of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to the United Nations, the Chairperson of the United Nations Committee of 24; the Honorable Benigno M. Fitial, Governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; the Honorable Pete Tenorio, Resident Representative of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; and to the Honorable Felix P. Camacho, Governor of Guam. INVOLVING THE UN IS A SOP TO THAT TINY GROUP OF GUAM RESIDENTS WHO COMPLAIN ABOUT U.S. “COLONIZATION” -- NOT IN THE CLASSIC SENSE IN WHICH A NATION COLONIZES A PLACE BY SENDING PEOPLE TO POPULATE IT OR TO EXPLOIT ITS RESOURCES. FOR THIS GROUP, “COLONIALISM” IS THEIR WORD FOR UNWANTED, INTRUSIVE FEDERAL LAWS, INTERVENTION, CONTROL OR REGULATION -- INFLICTED ON GUAM ALONG WITH U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND ALL THAT STATUS PROVIDES, COVERAGE OF ALL FEDERAL LAWS THAT GUARANTEE THEIR LIVES, RIGHTS AND PROPERTY, PLUS ELIGIBILITY FOR ALL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC WORKS, HEALTH/MEDICAL, WELFARE PROGRAMS, PARTICIPATION IN THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM AND VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION DEFENSE OF THE ISLAND AND ITS PEOPLE FROM ANY AGGRESSOR.