By Edwin K. Propst for Kandit News & Views
I know undocumented workers or “illegals” on Saipan. I will never ever ever ever ever ever turn them in. Yeah, we hear all the rhetoric that they’re all breaking laws and stealing jobs.
And I laugh at that stupidity. These “illegals” took the jobs that no locals wanted. They built and cleaned our homes, washed our clothes and bathed and took care of our babies and our manamko parents, all the while making minimum wage or lower. One housekeeper or “maid” as some people love to call them was paid $200 a month and worked every single day of her life. Indentured servitude.
Despite being paid low wages and struggling to survive here, they chose to stay on Saipan because they love this place after living here for most of their adult lives, some having lived here for nearly three or four decades or more.
Some of them have kids who serve in the military, and the kids are trying to sponsor their “illegal” parents so that they can become U.S. citizens eventually.
And some of them have no kids, and have no opportunities if they go back home to the Philippines or where they came from, and no home or family to take care of them if they were to be deported. But they do have “family” here on island, people like me and other friends of theirs who they consider family, just as my wife and children and I consider them family because of our close relationship all these years.
Are these criminals? No. They’ve never broken a law, as most of them never got so much as a speeding ticket. They have contributed to our community and continue to be law-abiding, productive members of our close-knit community.
And what I’m most proud about is the fact that the majority of people living on Saipan feel the same way, because they actually listened when they attended Sunday church and heard our priests and pastors and religious leaders remind us to treat our neighbors with the love and respect.
So that is why I refuse to ever try to report an “illegal” from our island. If you got a problem with that, I could not honestly care less. I’m not in public office anymore and have the freedom to say things the way I see them whether you agree or disagree.
I love these so-called “illegals” and we welcome them into our home and hearts for the rest of our lives. Thank you.
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Edwin K. Propst is a resident of Dandan, Saipan.
Edwin K. Propst is a resident of Dandan, Saipan.
4 Comments
Ri
01/26/2025 at 2:28 PM
Beautifully said
Saipan Resident
01/27/2025 at 3:03 PM
While it’s admirable to recognize the hard work and contributions of undocumented workers, we cannot ignore that laws exist for a reason. A society that selectively enforces laws undermines its own foundation. It’s not about a lack of compassion—it’s about fairness and accountability.
Yes, many undocumented workers perform jobs others might not want, but that doesn’t justify bypassing immigration rules. Countless individuals around the world are waiting patiently to enter countries legally, respecting processes that ensure fairness and order. Is it fair to those who play by the rules to see others rewarded for skipping the line?
Also, while the community benefits from their work, the system’s dysfunction affects everyone. Low wages and exploitative conditions for undocumented workers drag down labor standards for all, including local workers. If this workforce were legalized or replaced by legal workers, wages and conditions could improve across the board, benefiting everyone—not just employers who profit from underpaying vulnerable people.
Compassion can coexist with the rule of law. Advocating for proper reforms that provide fair pathways to legalization while maintaining order would serve both undocumented workers and the community as a whole.
It’s not about being heartless—it’s about finding solutions that respect both human dignity and the integrity of the law.
Joe
01/27/2025 at 11:17 PM
While I agreed and I thank for it, you shouldn’t have mentioned about not being in politics anymore. I hope you’re not retiring from politics because I believe in you.
They call me Mr. Blasphemy
01/28/2025 at 11:57 PM
Too funny. Propst trying to stay relevant when he is not. Be sure to share some of your federally funded paycheck with the needy when they come knocking on your door looking for Mr. Water Walker.