Governor, Demapan Back Parole

Statement

Thanks to Governor Ralph Torres and Representative Angel Demapan for supporting another two-year extension of parole-in-place for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens and other persons not eligible for visas. I believe this is the first time that a Governor or the Legislature has supported the parole-in-place policy. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services first granted parole to these individuals at my request in November 2011. I had introduced H.R. 1466, legislation giving them a way to get green cards, or U.S. lawful permanent resident status. And parole would allow them to remain legally in the Marianas, while Congress considered my bill. I also raised the issue with President Obama at our first meeting. Unfortunately, the Fitial administration successfully blocked H.R. 1466. Nevertheless, I was able to get the Obama administration to continue the parole policy in 2012, 2014, and 2016. It expires again at the end of 2018 and the question is whether the Trump administration will renew it. According to USCIS, there are currently 1,300 persons who have been granted this special status. But the Trump administration has also denied over 1,400 requests for the humanitarian parole.

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