Troubling Alien Registration

December 16, 2009 by Jack · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Opinion, Thoughts

Freedom Bell A few days ago I decided to write a letter to the editor of the Saipan Tribune about the illegal alien registration forms put out my the Federal Ombudsman Office. We have to stand up to tyranny and fight for freedom. This is my only motivation. The letter was published today so I decided to also publish it here for you all to read.

I am very concerned about the collection of information currently underway at the Federal Ombudsman’s Office for several reasons and I think everyone else should be concerned as well.

First off there are the concerns raised by Attorney Woodruff. There are no guarantees on how the information collected will be used and how long the data will be kept. I think it’s safe to say that ICE can get a hold of that data, if they so desire. Fortunately, that is a minor concern for most legal residents of the CNMI. There are bigger issues at stake.

I don’t claim to be a lawyer, but I remember from back in my school days that the Paperwork Reduction Act governs how federal government agencies gather data. It’s my understanding that all proper and legal requests for information must have an OMB control number on the form to ensure that the form complies not only with the law but also that the data collected truly is required by the government. Furthermore, it states just how the data may be used and for what purposes it may be used.

I looked very closely at the registration form prepared by the Federal Ombudsman’s Office and there is no OMB control number. There is also no Paperwork Reduction Act notice on the form. These facts alone mean that the registration form is not compulsory. You can fill it out if you want to, but there is no requirement to do it. It’s almost frightening to see that the form doesn’t have any statements on how exactly the data will be used and who will have access to that data. Some may find solace in the statements of the Ombudsperson that the data will be used only for the count of aliens, but without an OMB control number and a clear Privacy Act statement, we can only trust her and every other alphabet soup government agency that could possibly access the information.

I think that all residents of the CNMI, whether they are aliens or citizens, deserve a proper and legal count of long term guest workers in the CNMI that complies not just with Public Law 110-229 but every other law that governs how government agencies gather, collect and store data.

I hope that this will hopefully open up some eyes and get the proper people looking into this issue. Government, no matter how benign their purpose, must follow the law.

Tags: alien registration, CNMI, ombudsman, Saipan

Gestapo Like Registration In Saipan

December 15, 2009 by Jack · Leave a Comment
Filed under: News, Opinion

Saipan Gestapo It’s not very often that someone has to report a gestapo like registration program run by the Federal Government. I am waiting for the jack booted thugs to arrive and force people to register while giving up their rights under important federal laws. The CNMI government gets a bad rap for some of its activities, but this one is all federal government.

Basically, the Federal Ombudsman’s Office in Saipan has decided to undertake an alien registration program. The official notice makes it very clear that all aliens must report and register, no matter what status they have under the law. They are expected to line up in the government office to submit their proper papers. They are warned that there must be no delay and that people who don’t register on time will not be allowed to. It sounds kind of draconian and there is nothing in the notice to say that we are dealing with a voluntary registration.

Just read it for yourself…..

Now take a look at the form….

Did you see something there? Well maybe you did. First off it looks really amateurish for a federal government form. Unfortunately, the biggest problems with the form are the things that are not there. There is no OMB number. This means that the OMB didn’t review the form to ensure that the form was a legally required request. There is no privacy act notice and paperwork reduction act notice. There is no statement that the form is completely voluntary. In other words, the form itself is in violation of federal law. Yippee.

I wonder when someone will speak up and stop this gestapo like registration program? When will someone help ensure that the law is followed?

Tags: alien registration, CNMI, ombudsman, Saipan