By Jeff Marchesseault

GUAM - Guam's lone delegate to Congress evidently isn't satisfied with the visa waivers extended only to visitors from Hong Kong to Guam as a component of a federal interim-final rule on visa waivers for the U.S. Territory and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. That same temporary rule is allowing more types of visitors into the CNMI.

Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo wants to know more about the restricted visa waivers the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has granted visitors from China and Russia to the CNMI -- beyond the November 28, 2009 federal takeover of CNMI labor and immigration. The CNMI visa waivers will allow Chinese and Russian tourists who have been granted parole to stay in the CNMI for up to 45 days. But so far DHS is only allowing Hong Kong Chinese the same access in Guam. Bordallo wants to know why. And she's requesting assurances that all security-cleared Chinese and Russians be allowed to visit Guam under the same month-and-a-half visitation rights.

The news from DHS is a relief to the CNMI tourism industry and the struggling economy its supports, because Chinese and Russian tourists are generally regarded as capable of spending generously during their visits, and the China market in particular is seen as having enormous growth potential throughout the Marianas. Naturally, Guam's tourism industry is hoping for similar considerations from the Department of Homeland Security in the form of additional visa waivers here.

In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Bordallo requests a briefing on the interim-final rule to govern the Guam-CNMI visa waiver program under the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008.

As Guam News Factor quoted from a news release issued by Bordallo's office on Thursday: "DHS approved an administrative policy that would continue the admission of Chinese and Russian visitors to the CNMI after November 28, 2009...The interim rule taking effect would also allow Guam's tourism industry to grow with the inclusion of Hong Kong."

In that same release, Bordallo vowed: "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."

Read the Guam News Factor story, "Department Of Homeland Security Allows Russian And Chinese Nationals Into CNMI", Thursday, October 22, 2009.

Here is the news release issued by Bordallo's Washington office on Friday:

Congresswoman Bordallo Requests Meeting On Implementation of DHS Federalization And Use Of Parole Authority In CNMI

October 23, 2009 - Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo, today, sent a letter to the Honorable Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), requesting a briefing on the parole authority to be exercised on a case-by-case basis in the CNMI as interim-final rule regarding implementation of P.L. 110-229 which includes the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program. Congresswoman Bordallo's briefing request comes a day after DHS announced that Secretary Napolitano would utilize parole authority which is granted to her via statute to admit citizens of Russia and China into the CNMI after November 28, 2009.

"In my letter to Secretary Napolitano, I asked that she continue to adhere to the Congressional intent of Public Law 110-229 and that Russia and China ultimately be extended to the full Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program once the final rule is published," Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo said today. "During our meeting in September, Secretary Napolitano recognized the economic impact of the implementation of P.L. 110-229. Her decision to exercise parole authority to residents of China and Russia visiting the CNMI will allow their visitor industry to remain stable, while the addition of Hong Kong to the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program allows our visitor industry to expand into a new market. I requested a detailed briefing to clarify the new immigration procedures that will commence on November 28, 2009, and I look forward to working with Secretary Napolitano as the final rule on P.L. 110-229 is developed."

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