SAIPAN — The Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands is asking Congresswoman Kimberlyn King-Hinds to press federal agencies for faster Employment Authorization Document processing, warning that delays could sideline up to 10 percent of the CNMI workforce as the islands recover from Super Typhoon Sinlaku.
In a May 5 letter, HANMI Board Chairman Ivan Quichocho said EAD renewal delays are already causing staffing shortages, reduced capacity and constrained service delivery in the hospitality and tourism sector, the Commonwealth’s primary economic drivers.
NMI News Service notes that the publication’s editor and news director has a longstanding personal relationship with Congresswoman King-Hinds, predating her election to office. The disclosure is provided for transparency on coverage involving her office.
Quichocho said member hotels depend on a stable and authorized workforce to maintain operations and meet visitor expectations. He said federal immigration processing delays are exacerbating longstanding workforce challenges unique to the CNMI, and that uncertainty around EAD processing is undermining a labor framework critical to economic activity and investor confidence.
The HANMI letter cited recent correspondence King-Hinds has already sent to federal agencies on the issue, in which she warned that delays could sideline up to 10 percent of the CNMI workforce.
Quichocho said the urgency has been compounded by Sinlaku, with workforce reliability now more critical than ever for recovery and rebuilding.
“Any further disruption to workforce availability at this stage risks undermining both recovery efforts and economic stabilization,” Quichocho said in the letter.
HANMI is asking King-Hinds to advocate for expedited processing and adjudication of EAD renewals for CNMI workers, the implementation of automatic extensions or interim authorization measures to prevent workforce interruptions, and clear and consistent federal guidance to employers and employees navigating the renewal process.
The letter closed with an offer to support the congresswoman’s efforts in any way possible.
