A Senate rebuke

If you are interested in the status of alien workers in the CNMI, you know Howard Willens has been at it again. It being promulgation in the media (specifically, publication in both local newspapers and posting to former representative Cinta Kapait's MyCNMI blog) of an absolutely specious argument that H.R. 3079, to extend U.S. immigration law to the CNMI, is designed to have all kinds of negative and destructive aefects on alien workers and the economy.

His first absurd interpretation -- intended to strike fear in the hearts of foreign workers and confuse at least one U.S. senator into thinking the bill is conroversial and should be held up for further deliberation -- was exposed for the nonsense it was by me and by a Senate staffer as reported in the local media.

So apparently Howard figured he needed to try again, with a more detailed, more public "analysis" that he hoped ... well, we can't get inside his head (like Harry with Voldemort), but he certainly had the same goals and wanted also to defend his ridiculed (and indefensible) first position.

I have been trying to find time to prepare a post on the real plain meaning of H.R. 3079, laying out clearly and systematically what the bill actually provides so people can easily see for themselves the truth in this matter. This is a task I will complete as soon as possible.

In the meantime, Bill Wicker, Communications Director for the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, has given Mr. Willens a finger-wagging. I expect it will be in the local newspapers tomorrow, but you can read about it now at Unheard No More.