Contact List: To Appeal for Support for Justice for the CNMI's Legal, Long-Term Foreign Workers

November 4, 2011

If you are a CNMI legal long-term foreign worker or a supporter you have probably wondered why the pro-immigration reformists in the U.S. Congress have ignored the plight of the CNMI foreign workers, or worse, have proposed an inferior status for only one quarter of the estimated 16,000 legal foreign workers. You may have asked why these "immigration champions" have sponsored or co-sponsored legislation that would grant permanent residency and a pathway to citizenship for an estimated 11 million undocumented aliens, yet co-sponsored an oppressive and restrictive status for only one quarter of the CNMI's 16,000 legal foreign workers through H.R. 1466. You may question why these supporters of equal justice and civil rights are gathering to take a stand against Alabama's anti-immigrant law, but remain silent on the plight of the CNMI's legal, long-term foreign workers. Why not ask them? Why not tell them of your family's personal plight, years in the CNMI and status. Why not appeal for justice?

Send inquiries, letters and comments to the co-sponsors of H.R. 1466 – those who stand up to advocate for the 11 million undocumented aliens in the U.S., but ignore the plight of the 16,000 legal aliens in the CNMI.  Click on a name below to go to an email link or call their offices. The addresses phone and fax numbers for the Asian Pacific American Caucus, Hispanic Caucus and Progressive Caucuses are listed below.


Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus:


We would expect that the members of this Caucus would rally behind the tens of thousands of Asians who have built the CNMI economy by working and living in the CNMI for years and even decades.  We would expect that they would stand strong to ensure that the millions of dollars in wages that have been stolen from the foreign workers by unscrupulous employers would be paid so these cheated Asian foreign workers would be made whole.

Most members and some associate members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus have co-sponsored H.R. 1466, a bill that purposely excludes 3/4 of the legal, lon-term foreign workers from any protection or status after November 27, 2011. A bill that mirrors the discriminatory and oppressive Black Codes of the post-Civil War era.

The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus website states:
Purpose
To ensure that legislation passed by the United States Congress, to the greatest extent possible, provides for the full participation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and reflects the concerns and needs of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities;

To educate other Members of Congress about the history, contributions and concerns of Asian American and Pacific Islanders;

To work with other Members and Caucuses to protect and advance the civil and constitutional rights of all Americans;

To establish policies on legislation and issues relating to persons of Asian and/or Pacific Islands ancestry who are citizens or nationals of, residents of, or immigrants to, the United States, its territories and possessions; and

To provide a structure to coordinate the efforts, and enhance the ability, of the Asian American and Pacific Islander Members of Congress to accomplish those goals.
CONTACTS FOR THE CONGRESSIONAL ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN CAUCUS:
Rep.Judy Chu (D-CA), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus


Additional email contacts:

Gene Kim
, Executive Director: 
gene.kim@mail.house.gov 



Krystal Ka'ai
, Assistant Coordinator:  
krystal.kaai@mail.house.gov




Mailing Address:
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
Rep. Judy Chu, Chair
Office:
1520 Longworth HOB

Washington, DC 20515


Phone: (202) 225-5464

Fax: (202) 225-5467


Some Members and Associate Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Who Co-sponsored H.R. 1466:


Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA)
Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA)
Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D-HI)
Rep. Al Green (D-TX)
Rep. Mazie K.Hirono (D-HI)
Rep.Barbara Lee (D-CA)
Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA)
Rep.Raul Grijalva (D-NM)
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA)
Rep. Lucille Royal-Allard (D-CA)
Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA)
Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA)

Some Members and Associate Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Who Did NOT Co-sponsor H.R. 1466:
Rep. Bob Filmer (D-CA)
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-CA)
Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI)
Rep. Joseph Crowley (D- NY)
Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA)
Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA)
Rep. Laura Richardson (D-CA)
Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN)
Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA)
Rep. Janice Schakowsky (R-IL)
Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA)


Senate Members:
Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI)
Senator Dan Inouye (D-HI)

Congressional Hispanic Caucus:
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is leading the battle for comprehensive immigration reform. I am somewhat confused by their flip-flopping stance. In 2009 I attended a meeting where leaders of the Hispanic Caucus assured participants that they would not submit immigration reform in a piece meal fashion, but would push for one comprehensive bill for all concerned. Yet, we see most members of this Caucus co-sponsoring H.R. 1466, an inferior and discriminatory bill that covers only 1/4 of the estimated 16,000 legal, long-term foreign workers –a bill that they would never even consider for the 11 million undocumented aliens in the U.S. mainland (Ironically, they have supported a pathway to citizenship for them in previous legislation that they have introduced or co-sponsored.)


From the Hispanic Caucus website:
The CHC aims to address national and international issues and the impact these policies have on the Hispanic community. The function of the Caucus is to serve as a forum for the Hispanic Members of Congress to coalesce around a collective legislative agenda. The Caucus is dedicated to voicing and advancing, through the legislative process, issues affecting Hispanics in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
CONTACTS FOR THE CONGRESSIONAL HISPANIC CAUCUS
Rep. Charles Gonzalez(D-TX), Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus

Mailing Address:
1436 Longworth HOB

Washington, DC 20515


Phone: 202-225-2410

Fax: 202-226-1915

Some Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Who Co-Sponsored H.R. 1466

Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL)
Rep. Ruben Hinosa (D-TX)
Rep Dennis Cardoza (D-CA)
Rep. Joe Baca (D-CA)
Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (R-NM)
Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA)
Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA)
Rep. Ed Pastor (D-AZ)
Rep. Pedro Pierluisi (D-PR)
Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-TX)
Rep. Lucille Royal-Allard (D-CA)
Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA)
Rep Jose Serrano (D-NY)
Rep Alnio Sires (D-NJ)
Rep Nydia Velazquez (D-NY)

Hispanic Caucus Members Who Did Not Co-sponsor H.R.1466:
Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX)

Senate Member:
Senator Robert Menendez (D - NJ)

Congressional Progressive Caucus 
Many members of this Caucus co-sponsored H.R. 1466. The website claims:
Our Caucus members promote a strong, progressive agenda, what we call “The Progressive Promise--Fairness for All”. The Progressive Promise is rooted in four core principles that embody national priorities and are consistent with the values, needs and aspirations of all the American people, not just the powerful and the privileged. They reflect a fundamental belief in government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

The four, core principles of the Progressive Promise:

1. Fighting for economic justice and security for all;
2. Protecting and preserving our civil rights and civil liberties;
3. Promoting global peace and security; and
4. Advancing environmental protection and energy independence

The CPC is committed to helping progressives, both inside and outside of Congress, to work together more effectively, in order to bring all of us closer to making good on The Progressive Promise.
CONTACTS FOR THE CONGRESSIONAL PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS:
E-Mail the Progressive Caucus at progressive@mail.house.gov

CO-CHAIR OFFICE LOCATIONS:

Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva
1511 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2435
Fax: (202) 225-1541

Rep. Keith Ellison
1027 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4755

Some Members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus Who Co-sponsored H.R. 1466
Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA)
Rep.Xavier Becerra (D-CA)
Rep. Donna Christensen (D-VI)
Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY)
Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN)
Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA)
Rep. Marcia Fudge (D- OH)
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-NM)
Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL)
Rep. Mazie Hirono(D-HI)
Rep. Michael Honda (D-CA)
Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX)
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)
Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM)
Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA)
Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)
Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ)
Rep. Ed Pastor (D-AZ)
Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY)
Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA)
Rep. Jose Serrano (D-NY)
Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA)
Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY)
Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA)

List of ALL Progressive Caucus Members

LIST OF ALL H.R. 1466 Co-sponsors

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) House Minority Leader
______________________________

FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS
The countries who are supplying foreign workers to the CNMI may be interested to know how many of their citizens are victims of wage theft and have not received the wages that are due to them; how many are in legal status but will be deemed illegal after November 27th; and how many foreign workers are being terminated right now, not because they are not good workers, but because they are being replaced with available U.S. citizens.

Philippine Overseas Employment Administration
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Republic of the Philippines
Department of Foreign Affairs, Republic of the Philippines
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The People's Republic of China
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dhaka, Bangladesh

______________________________

CONTACTS FOR SOME HUMAN RIGHTS and CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS:

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH PRESS DESK
Tel: +1-212-216-1832
Fax: +1-212-736-1300
Email: hrwpress@hrw.org
Skype: hrwpress

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
Washington, DC
Address: 1630 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20009 USA
Tel: +1-202-612-4321
Fax:+1-202-612-4333
E-mail: hrwdc@hrw.org

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
New York
Address: 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th floor
New York, NY 10118-3299 USA
Tel: +1-212-290-4700
Fax: +1-212-736-1300
Email: hrwnyc@hrw.org

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
International Secretariat
Telephone: +44-20-74135500
Fax number: +44-20-79561157
Address:
1 Easton Street
London
WC1X 0DW, UK

SEND AN EMAIL TO AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER
FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (OHCHR)
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Telephone: +41 22 917 9220

SOUTHERN LAW POVERTY CENTER
Richard Cohen, President
400 Washington Ave.
Montgomery, AL 36104
Phone: 334.956.8200

ACLU OF HAWAII
Executive Director: Vanessa Y. Chong
P.O. Box 3410
Honolulu, HI 96801
Phone: (808) 522-5900 Fax: (808) 522-5909
office@acluhawaii.org
Web: http://www.acluhawaii.org

NATIONAL ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN CONSORTIUM
1140 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 1200
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 296-2300
Fax: (202) 296-2318
www.napalc.org
____________________

CONTACTS FOR OTHER U.S. OFFICIALS:


U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001
Department of Justice Main Switchboard - 202-514-2000
Office of the Attorney General Public Comment Line - 202-353-1555

EMAIL USDOJ AskDOJ@usdoj.gov

USDOJ CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION
Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez
U.S. Department of Justice
Civil Rights Division
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Office of the Assistant Attorney General, Main
Washington, D.C. 20530
Phone: (202) 514-4609
Fax: (202) 514-0293

From the USDOJ Civil Rights Division web site:
The Civil Rights Division is committed to upholding the civil and constitutional rights of all individuals, particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society. The Division enforces federal statutes designed to protect the civil rights of all individuals and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, and national origin.
____________________


Secretary Janet Napolitano
Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528
____________________

Secretary Ken Salazar
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20240

Phone: (202) 208-3100
E-Mail: feedback@ios.doi.gov
____________________

Assistant Secretary Tony Babauta
U.S. Department of the Interior
Office of Insular Affairs
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20240

Phone: (202) 208-6816
FAX: (202) 219-1989
____________________

Secretary Hilda Solis
U.S. Department of Labor
200 Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20210
_____________________

CONTACT THE INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
  • Keith Olbermann Countdown@msnbc.com
  • Rachel Maddow Show rachel@msnbc.com

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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do you support hr 1466 if it is amend to include all OCWs and green cards?

November 5, 2011 at 3:45 AM
Wendy Doromal said...

Yes. Look at the box in the upper left and corner!

November 5, 2011 at 4:36 AM
Anonymous said...

Adding:
http://www.mofa.gov.bd/
http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/
http://www.poea.gov.ph/
http://www.owwa.gov.ph/wcmqs/
http://dfa.gov.ph/main/

It's about time that DFA of countries with current GWs in CNMI, starts working not to send additional workers to CNMI to avoid additional problems.
Regardless if there's 22k CW visa allotted for CNMI, with only 3 yrs of non-guaranteed work.

November 5, 2011 at 11:22 AM
Wendy Doromal said...

Thank you 11:22. I will post these in the article above. I'll be sending letters and documents to them this weekend.

November 5, 2011 at 11:31 AM
Anonymous said...

@anon 11:22

Recently the Philippines has implemented a number of additional hoops that off-island potential workers must go through before they can legally work abroad. Aside from U.S. visa requirements, they will need wage and repatriation bonds, and will have to go through a number of screens. Fixers from POEA and the Philippine DFA will need to be paid.

Many current workers in the CNMI never experienced the new requirements due to a major flaw in the CNMI system. All a worker had to do was get a tourist or student permit, arrive in the CNMI, and pay a fixer at CNMI DOL and they could change their status. This method was full of abuse and fraud. That loophole is now closed.

November 7, 2011 at 7:51 AM

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