Visa waivers approved, temporarily

The Pacific Daily News is reporting that a CNMI-only visa waiver for Chinese and Russian tourists will be approved after Nov. 28 "on a case-by-case basis".*

It might only be a breather, because the "parole" will only be available "During the period from Nov. 28, 2009 (the transition program effective date), until the date of publication of the final Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program (VWP) rule (or other date that the Secretary of Homeland Security may determine)."

Still, it's good news in the short term, and maybe we can separate the coming of federal immigration control from the coming election.

That's a pretty vain hope. Several politicians have said they are going to raise issues with Customs and Border Patrol officials who are here for an operational visit. Operational is the key word here; they're not policy makers. Here's the list printed by the Saipan Tribune:

The visiting federal officials are led by CBP Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Field Operations Thomas S. Winkowski, and CBP Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Information Technology Charles Armstrong.

Also visiting are David Morrell, executive director of the Office of Field Operations' Mission Support; Cheryl Peters, program manager of the Office of Field Operations; Richard Vigna, director of Field Operations in San Francisco; Bruce Murley, area port director in Honolulu, Hawaii; and Rocky Miner, port director in Guam.

Later in the day...
Pacific News Center has a short blurb, indifferently written, on the officials' visit to Guam:

The speaker (Judi Wonpat) says that the federalization of CNMI's immigration will require them to use some of Guam's US customs agents however it will be on a part time basis and shouldn't affect any of Guam's operations.

The speaker adds that they did not have an answer as to the viability of extending the visa-waiver program to China and Russia. They did however reassure the Speaker that they would be on track to implament the CNMI's federalization on Nov. 28th.

More...
PNC has also reprinted a Press Release (indifferently written) from Guam Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo's office saying that the hearing on H.R. 3770 has been posponed until a later date. That bill proposes a one-year delay in implementing the Guam-CNMI visa waiver.

And...
Last, but certainly not least, PNC has the (decently written) reaction from Congressman Gregorio C. Sablan:

"I’ve been assured that all the necessary equipment to do the pre-screening and monitor visitor exits will be in place by November 28,” said Kilili. “I have been very concerned about the Department’s operational readiness, but I’m beginning to see some forward motion."

* I'm glad I stopped by Unheard No More this morning. I missed the PDN headline when I picked up the local papers this morning. The Department of Interior's announcement doesn't appear on their website yet; I'll try to link to it soon, particularly when PDN's pay-per-view time limit kicks in.

CNMI Immigration countdown

Rep. Gregorio C. Sablan's bill to delay federal immigration control for one year and Rep. Madelline Bordallo's similar bill to delay the Guam/CNMI Visa Waiver Program seem to have fallen into a cone of silence.

I've had problems with broken links to searches of the Library of Congress' Thomas database in the past and both bills are short, so I pasted Sablan's H.R. 3647 and Bordallo's H.R. 3770 here for easy reference.

Nov. 28 is only weeks away, and both bills have been referred to committee. "No news coverage" of H.R. 3647 or H.R. 3770, says opencongress.org. The Pacific News Service blurb I mentioned last week didn't include the bill number. The Marianas Variety ran a press release from Bordallo's office Wednesday, but it doesn't appear to be on their website.

Legislation that's not controversial doesn't sail through the House and Senate in six weeks, and these bills are bound to face opposition. I haven't seen this elsewhere, but an immigration attorney in Japan says "Legislative Hearing on the H.R. 3770 amendment is scheduled to take place on Thursday, October 22, 2009, at 10:00 a.m."

At this late date, I wonder how many people just want to get rid of the uncertainty.

H. R. 3770

Just the text of the bill so I can refer to it in a later post

H . R . 3770

To make technical corrections to subtitle A of title VII of the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 8, 2009

Ms. BORDALLO (for herself, Mr. BROWN of South Carolina, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. PIERLUISI, Mr. BOREN, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, and Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To make technical corrections to subtitle A of title VII of the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. STUDY.

Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report on the economic situation in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the effect of the amendments made by subtitle A of title VII of the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 on the future economic situation of the Commonwealth.

SEC. 2. NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS VISITOR ENTRY PROGRAM TRANSITION.

(a) In General- Notwithstanding section 705(b) of the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 (48 U.S.C. 1806(b)), the amendments made by section 702(b) of such Act shall take effect on the date that is 1 year after the transition program effective date described in section 6(a) of Public Law 94-241 (48 U.S.C. 1806(a)) (as added by section 702(a) of the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008). In a case in which the transition program effective date has been modified under paragraph (3) of such section 6(a) before the date of the enactment of this Act, such amendments shall take effect on the date that is 1 year after the modified date.

(b) Treatment of CNMI Visitor Entry Program- During the 1-year period referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall administer the visitor entry program of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands consistent with the provisions of Commonwealth law governing the program that were in effect on the day before the commencement of such period.