Speech #1090172660

I believe that any one of these reasons is a basis for the administration to reaffirm its support. All five reasons make the case for continued support overwhelming. First. congressional action is needed because the CNMIs lack the institutional capacity to control its borders or to properly manage immigration and guest worker programs. In 1997. reports by both the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. INS. and by the bipartisan U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform found that the CNMI does not have. and never will have. the capacity to properly control its borders because border control requires sovereign authority to operate overseas consulates. issue visas. and have access to classified national and international "watch" lists. During the Energy Committees hearings on this legislation in September of 1999. the General Counsel of the INS. Mr. Bo Cooper. was asked. "Do you foresee any circumstances under which the government of the Commonwealth could operate an immigration system that is satisfactory to the Federal Government?" Mr. Cooper responded. "No. I do not." This fundamental fact has not changed with time. and it alone constitutes a basis for enacting legislation to extend Federal immigration control to the CNMI. Second. Federal legislative action is needed because the post9/11 environment requires that the United States secure its borders.