In fact. the failure of the Northern Marianas to deal with asylum issues as a matter of local legislation was one of the arguments that the Administration made in support of the extension of federal legislation. That contradiction will also need to be explored. It appears from press reports that the Administration plans to consider claims of asylum. but given the peculiar situation of refugees from mainland China. it will be interesting to see how those claims are processed. I am also aware of suggestions in Guam that we need to amend the immigration laws to prevent the claim of asylum on Guam. Congressman Underwood has introduced legislation to that effect already. I think we need to be very careful in considering legislation to extend the immigration laws to the Northern Marianas that we do not create an even larger problem than the one we already have in Guam. Guam is a single island. about 33 miles by 12 miles. The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is an archipelago of fourteen islands three hundred miles long.
Keywords matched
refugees immigration