Today is a monumental day for me, my family, human rights advocates, and all of the guest workers in the US Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). President Bush signed S. 2739 this morning applying US immigration law to the CNMI.

In 1990, I wrote my first letter to federal officials calling their attention to the labor and human rights abuses I was witnessing in the CNMI.  I asked them to enforce federal labor and immigration laws on US soil. Eighteen years later, after an arduous journey, finally reform legislation that will apply U.S. immigration law to the CNMI was signed into law...

It’s Labor Day. What does it mean to you? The last day of summer vacation? A day off from work? A day to take advantage of the big sales?  Most Americans don’t generally recognize Labor Day as a day to celebrate the social and economic contributions of the American workers.

When my family lived on the island of Rota in the CNMI we began to observe Labor Day as a day to show appreciation to the foreign contract workers who were the threads that held the island’s economy and social fabric together.  We joined Filipino groups to sponsor several Labor Day concerts and celebrations to honor the guest workers.  

I’m asking you to please remember the guest workers in the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands on this Labor Day. Who are they? Why should you care? Please read on to find out…

I wrote a diary Saturday to ask for your help to end human trafficking, human rights abuses, and indentured servitude on U.S. soil; to bring justice and political rights to the guest workers in the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Thank you to everyone who responded by contacting key members of Congress, and members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the House Natural Resources Committee, and the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs to ask them to revise legislation that is pending in both houses of Congress.  

In a few hours (which is Wednesday, August 15, 2007 in the CNMI) there will be a Field Hearing of the House Natural Resources Committee’s Subcommittee on Insular Affairs on Saipan. Donna Christensen (D-VI), Chair of the committee is leading the hearing.

Last evening there was a prayer vigil and march in Saipan organized by the guest workers. Please read on…

I need help to end human trafficking, human rights abuses, & indentured servitude on U.S. soil.  Thanks to dengre’s tireless efforts, regular Daily Kos readers are familiar with the plight of the disenfranchised underclass of guest workers in the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).

I want to thank dengre and the people on the Daily Kos—Charlie Brown and his team, Hiddengnostic, NION, Dover Bitch, Land of Enchantment, Ripples of Hope, and others who have been helping with this issue by educating the American public, and contacting members of Congress to solicit their support for reform.

Last week when I talked to a staffer from the House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Insular Affairs he said that Kos readers had been contacting him.

I am grateful for your assistance.

I’ve been working to end the abuse since the late 1980’s.

I’m writing my first dairy on this site to humbly ask that you please help again.

Legislation that is pending in both houses of Congress needs to be revised.

Please read on…