CNMI resident alien bill advances in U.S. House

Delegate Gregorio Kilili Sablan's bill seeking a grant of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)-only resident status to four groups of aliens is now ready for action by the full U.S. House of Representatives after a second panel approved it on Thursday, even as the Fitial administration said yesterday its "tentative action" may be to file a motion for preliminary injunction against U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' decision to grant parole for most of those covered by Sablan's H.R. 1466.

USCIS' grant of this parole is on a case-by-case basis. While there is no deadline for applying for this type of parole, USCIS "strongly recommends" that eligible individuals apply on or before Jan. 31, 2012.

HR 1466 got the U.S. House Committee on Judiciary's approval on Thursday, and was placed on union calendar.

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By Haidee V. Eugenio

Source: eastwestcenter.org