by Nick Delgado

Guam - The Department of Homeland Security is preparing a comprehensive analysis on how the visa waiver program for Guam will affect national security, border protection and economic development in Guam and the CNMI. According to a new release from the governor's office, Defense department officials are working to reconcile their position on national security with DHS.

Governor Eddie Calvo and Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo met with DHS and the Department of Defense officials immediately after this past week's hearings on H.R. 44 – the WWII loyalty recognition act and P.L. 110-229 - the Consolidated Natural Resources Act, which established the Guam-CNMI visa waiver program.

Calvo states, "This was Guam's most productive meeting on the visa waiver programs to date." Calvo adds he will keep pushing the issue and providing DHS the information they need to decide in Guam's favor. "I'm also very grateful for those in the Defense Department, who are engaging in this issue on Guam's behalf. We have some very vocal advocates in DoD on this issue. This is not their program, but by all indications, they want to do what they can to help Guam meet its goals."

Calvo also received assurances from Under Secretary of the Navy Robert Work and Navy Assistant secretary Jackalyne Pfannenstiel that DoD is working on listening to Guam's position on the visa waiver programs.