In Favor of a Pathway to Citizenship for Legal Alien Workers

WHEREAS, through the Consolidated Natural Resources Act, U.S. Public Law 110-229, the United States Congress directed the United States Department of Interior to submit recommendations related to whether or not Congress should consider permitting lawfully admitted alien workers lawfully residing in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to apply for long-term status under the immigration and nationality laws of the United States; and

WHEREAS, on April 2010 the U.S. Secretary of the Interior accordingly submitted a Report on the Alien Worker Population in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and has recommended that consistent with the goals of comprehensive immigration reform, Congress should consider permitting alien workers who have lawfully resided in the CNMI for a minimum period of five years to apply for long-term status under the immigration and nationality laws of the United States; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior has further recommended five possible status options under the Immigration and Nationalization Act that could be considered for long-term alien workers, with three options entailing a pathway to U.S. citizenship, and two options entailing a special status similar to that of the citizens of the freely associated states; NOW, THEREFORE, 

BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the undersigned leaders and members of the faith-based community in the CNMI, having carefully reviewed the Secretary of Interior's report on alien workers in the CNMI, strongly support and endorse the Secretary of Interior's recommendations for long-term status for legal alien workers; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that as leaders and members of the faith-based community we most strongly support and endorse a pathway to U.S. citizenship for legal alien workers who have lived in the CNMI for a minimum period of five years; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this petition and the signatures contained herein shall be transmitted to U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi; U.S. Congressman Gregorio Sablan; U.S. Congressman Nick Rahall; U.S. Congresswoman Madeline Bordallo; U.S. Congresswoman Donna Christensen; U.S. Congressman Eni Faleomavaega; U.S. Congressman George Miller; U.S. Congressman Luis Gutierrez; U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd; U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman; U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka; U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye; U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski; Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular Areas Anthony Babauta; U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar; U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden; and U.S. President Barack Obama.