News from Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo

DHS Responds to Concerns—Hearing Postponed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 21, 2009 – Washington, D.C. –

Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo today announced that the hearing on H.R. 3770 which was introduced by Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo on October 14, 2009 will be postponed until a later date in light of the announcement by DHS that they have approved an administrative policy that would continue the admission of Chinese and Russian visitors to the CNMI after November 28, 2009.  The Secretary of U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Honorable Janet Napolitano, issued a statement that exercises her parole authority to admit citizens of Russia and China into the CNMI on a case by case basis until a final rule is issued by DHS.  The interim rule will take affect on November 28, 2009, and would allow citizens of Russia and China, if granted parole, to stay in the CNMI for up to 45 days.  Additionally, on November 28th, citizens from Hong Kong will be allowed to enter Guam or the CNMI under the new joint visa waiver program. 

This is not the first time that our region has admitted visitors on a parole authority basis.  From May 1, 2000 through October 30, 2000, visitors from Japan to Guam were admitted under parole provisions after the then temporary visa waiver program expired and before the 106th Congress had adopted a new visa waiver program.

“The announcement by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program would allow the CNMI’s visitor industry to remain stable during the transition to federal immigration control,” Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo said today.  “The interim rule taking effect would also allow Guam’s tourism industry to grow with the inclusion of Hong Kong.  I will continue to work with my colleagues and the Department of Homeland Security to ensure an expanded tourist market for Guam over the coming years.  We will review the new DHS policy and we will work to ensure that the final rule that DHS will issue at a later time takes into account the Congressional intent in establishing a regional visa waiver program for Guam and the CNMI.”

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Contact: Matthew Mateo in Washington, D.C. at 202-225-1188 or Derek Mandell at 671-477-4272/4.

matthew.mateo@mail.house.gov or derek.mandell@mail.house.gov