Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Immigration Board has given 10 days for the Filipino woman, who refused to renew her immigration status under her then sponsor to leave the jurisdiction of American Samoa. Failure to comply with the Board’s order would subject her to deportation under immigration laws.

Joselyn M. Intila, a Filipino national appeared before the immigration board last Wednesday, July 25, 2018 for her hearing. Intila, who became an illegal immigrant when her ID expired on May 31, 2018 was accompanied to the board hearing by her two private attorneys, along with the couple who is now willing to be her new sponsor.

However, the board denied the presence of the couple during the hearing, and Intila was then left with her two attorneys, according to an Immigration Board member, who wants to remain anonymous.

The Board chairperson did not wish to comment to Samoa News about this case, but according to the anonymous Immigration Board member, the board has now given the woman 10 days to depart American Samoa on her own recognizance. If not, then she will be subject to deportation.

The board member further stated that when asked about her immigration status, the woman admitted that her ID expired almost two months ago, which means that she is now an overstayer.

The woman further stated to the board that she refused to renew her ID (under her current sponsor) and she is no longer staying with her current sponsor, Rep. Vui Florence Saulo, the owner of the FSA Land Development, which owns and operates Siniva & Armelia’s Sewing Shop as one of its subsidiaries.

According to the board member, their decision was justified because the woman has now allegedly admitted that she violated immigration laws.

“This Filipino woman needs to depart immediately because she’s an overstayer right now. When her immigration ID expired, she refused to renew her ID through her legal sponsor, which is a clear violation of immigration laws for not having a legal immigration ID to stay in American Samoa,” the board member said.

According to the board member, the Immigration Office needs to do their work by enforcing immigration laws. The board member further stated that the Board can not overstep the Immigration Office’s responsibility.

Sources told Samoa News that the couple that wants to be this woman’s new sponsor wanted to be present during her board hearing, however, they were told by the board to leave the conference room because they had no right to be present in the hearing.

When questioned about this issue, the board member confirmed that to Samoa News, saying that the board made a decision to excuse the couple from the whole process.

“This couple is not the current sponsor. Even up to now, they have no right to be present in the hearing and they have nothing to do with this issue,” said the board member.

According to the board member, the only two people that were supposed to be present during the board hearing was the Filipino woman and her current sponsor, which is Vui. However, Vui was not present at the hearing, only the woman and her two attorneys, along with five members of the board.

“The couple informed the board that they’re willing to take over the sponsorship for the woman, but was told by the board chairwoman that they cannot do that because that issue is not before the board at this time. The issue before the board right now is that, this Filipino woman is an overstayer, who admitted that she violated immigration laws and she has to leave the jurisdiction of American Samoa right away,” the board member said.

Sources have told Samoa News that the US Labor Department office  involved in an investigation regarding this case, but the board member told Samoa News that there was no legal document presented to the board to prove such information.

According to the board member, one of the two attorneys, who accompanied Intila during her board hearing mentioned something about the US Labor Department being involved. The same attorney also pulled out a business card and allegedly showed it to the board, saying that, this was the business card of the person from one of the federal agencies that is now conducting an investigation regarding this matter.

“The board informed the woman and her two attorneys that the business card means nothing to the board. The board told the woman and her attorneys that if they want to discuss something about federal officials being involved in an investigation, they need the proper documents from the court to confirm it — not the business card,” the board member said.

According to the board member, the business card has nothing to do with the board dealing with its duty.

“The board told the two attorneys that we’re only dealing with immigration laws and issues. This is not the court and we’re not judging. If you’re looking at something like the feds being involve, file something in the court, but not in front of the board,” the board member said.

The 10 days the board has given Intila to depart the territory expires this Friday. If she has not left the territory by this Friday, immigration officers will look for her and deport her back to the Philippines.

Intila’s return ticket to her home country was paid for by her sponsor, Vui last May, when she was supposed to leave American Samoa.

Sources told Samoa News that Intila wrote a letter to the Immigration Board in response to her sponsor’s letter to the board regarding this case. But according to a board member, the board never received the woman’s letter.

Samoa News was able to obtain a copy of Intila’s letter to the board and will be publishing it in our next edition as a follow up on this matter.