Palau Declares Deportation Policy for 330 "Undesirable Aliens;" Illegal Foreign Fishing Persists
330 people declared undesirable aliens
by Leilani Reklai
September 23, 2022
Three hundred thirty (330) people have been declared undesirable aliens according to the Office of the Attorney General’s list of undesirable aliens as of April 2022. President Surangel Whipps Jr. approved the list on July 6, 2022.
The declared undesirable persons come from nine (9) countries: People’s Republic of China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Philippines, USA, Malaysia, Nepal, India, and Yap (FSM).
Of the 330 declared undesirable, 300 are Chinese (PRC) nationals, seven (7) are Bangladeshi nationals, four (4) are Vietnamese, twelve are Philippine nationals, two (2) Malaysians, one (1) Indian, one (1) Nepalese, one (1) FSM and one (1) American.
According to Palau law, the “President may deny entry or an entry permit to any person or revoke an entry permit upon substantial evidence of any of the following: (a) the wilful furnishing of false, incomplete, or misleading information in an application for an entry permit; (b) the advocacy of the overthrow or alteration of the government of the United States or the government of the Republic by unlawful means; (c) the commission of, or attempt or preparation to commit, an act of espionage, sabotage, sedition, or treason against the government of the United States or the government of the Republic, or conspiring with or aiding or abetting another to commit such an act; (d) performing or attempting to perform duties, or otherwise acting to serve the interests of another government, to the detriment of the United States or the Republic…deliberate unauthorized disclosure of classified defense information; (f) membership in, or affiliation or sympathetic association with, any foreign or domestic organization, association, movement, group or combination of persons, … serious mental irresponsibility evidenced by having been adjudged insane, or mentally irresponsible, or an incompetent, or a chronic alcoholic, or treated for serious mental or neurological disorders or for chronic alcoholism, without evidence of cure; (h) addiction to the use of narcotic drugs without adequate evidence of rehabilitation; (i) conviction of any of the following offenses under circumstances indicative of a criminal tendency potentially dangerous to the security of a strategic area containing military establishments: arson, unlawful trafficking in drugs, espionage, sabotage, treason, murder, kidnapping, blackmail, or sex offenses involving minors or perversion;the applicant or entry permit holder has been convicted of committing, attempting to commit, or conspiring to commit an offense which would be a felony if committed in the Republic or a crime of moral turpitude.”
Two people, who had seen their names on the list, expressed confusion about why they were on it.
“I don’t understand. I’ve lived here for years, have a Foreign Investment License, and have never been charged with a crime, yet my name is on the list. Why?” questions an investor who has been here for decades.
The Office of the Attorney General had not responded to the request for information as of press time.
https://islandtimes.org/330-people-declared-undesirable-aliens/
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Illegal fishing continues in Palau’s EEZ
by Leilani Reklai
September 16, 2022
Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing (IUU) is still coming into Palau’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) confirmed the National Security Coordinator Jennifer Anson.
Satellite images provided by Ocean Mind, a partner that Palau works with often show IUUs within Palau’s EEZ, revealed NSC Anson. “We see them all the time,” Anson said on the requested images that they received before deploying the patrol boats.
Working with multiple partners, like the Ocean Mind, which provides satellite imaging, improves the enforcement of Palau’s maritime but it is also an expensive effort. It costs $24k a month to avail of the satellite services, explained Anson. “PEW had sponsored that, and we have requested additional three more months, but after that, we will have to find other sources.”
Illegal fishing boats turn off their identification systems (AIS), hiding from law enforcement. Using satellite imaging, deploying Sea Dragon, and then lastly deploying the patrol boats improves the chances of capturing IUU fishing vessels, but it is still quite an expensive operation. Having licensed fishing boats before out in the EEZ helped with capturing IUUs, according to Anson. “They were like extra eyes out there for us reporting IUU. They reported IUUs because they were paying for licenses to fish while others did not, and they reported them.”
The increase in the number of joint exercises by Palau and its partners, the United States, Japan, Australia, and Taiwan, helped Palau with monitoring the EEZ but illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing continues.
https://islandtimes.org/illegal-fishing-continues-in-palaus-eez/
by Leilani Reklai
September 23, 2022
Three hundred thirty (330) people have been declared undesirable aliens according to the Office of the Attorney General’s list of undesirable aliens as of April 2022. President Surangel Whipps Jr. approved the list on July 6, 2022.
The declared undesirable persons come from nine (9) countries: People’s Republic of China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Philippines, USA, Malaysia, Nepal, India, and Yap (FSM).
Of the 330 declared undesirable, 300 are Chinese (PRC) nationals, seven (7) are Bangladeshi nationals, four (4) are Vietnamese, twelve are Philippine nationals, two (2) Malaysians, one (1) Indian, one (1) Nepalese, one (1) FSM and one (1) American.
According to Palau law, the “President may deny entry or an entry permit to any person or revoke an entry permit upon substantial evidence of any of the following: (a) the wilful furnishing of false, incomplete, or misleading information in an application for an entry permit; (b) the advocacy of the overthrow or alteration of the government of the United States or the government of the Republic by unlawful means; (c) the commission of, or attempt or preparation to commit, an act of espionage, sabotage, sedition, or treason against the government of the United States or the government of the Republic, or conspiring with or aiding or abetting another to commit such an act; (d) performing or attempting to perform duties, or otherwise acting to serve the interests of another government, to the detriment of the United States or the Republic…deliberate unauthorized disclosure of classified defense information; (f) membership in, or affiliation or sympathetic association with, any foreign or domestic organization, association, movement, group or combination of persons, … serious mental irresponsibility evidenced by having been adjudged insane, or mentally irresponsible, or an incompetent, or a chronic alcoholic, or treated for serious mental or neurological disorders or for chronic alcoholism, without evidence of cure; (h) addiction to the use of narcotic drugs without adequate evidence of rehabilitation; (i) conviction of any of the following offenses under circumstances indicative of a criminal tendency potentially dangerous to the security of a strategic area containing military establishments: arson, unlawful trafficking in drugs, espionage, sabotage, treason, murder, kidnapping, blackmail, or sex offenses involving minors or perversion;the applicant or entry permit holder has been convicted of committing, attempting to commit, or conspiring to commit an offense which would be a felony if committed in the Republic or a crime of moral turpitude.”
Two people, who had seen their names on the list, expressed confusion about why they were on it.
“I don’t understand. I’ve lived here for years, have a Foreign Investment License, and have never been charged with a crime, yet my name is on the list. Why?” questions an investor who has been here for decades.
The Office of the Attorney General had not responded to the request for information as of press time.
https://islandtimes.org/330-people-declared-undesirable-aliens/
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Illegal fishing continues in Palau’s EEZ
by Leilani Reklai
September 16, 2022
Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing (IUU) is still coming into Palau’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) confirmed the National Security Coordinator Jennifer Anson.
Satellite images provided by Ocean Mind, a partner that Palau works with often show IUUs within Palau’s EEZ, revealed NSC Anson. “We see them all the time,” Anson said on the requested images that they received before deploying the patrol boats.
Working with multiple partners, like the Ocean Mind, which provides satellite imaging, improves the enforcement of Palau’s maritime but it is also an expensive effort. It costs $24k a month to avail of the satellite services, explained Anson. “PEW had sponsored that, and we have requested additional three more months, but after that, we will have to find other sources.”
Illegal fishing boats turn off their identification systems (AIS), hiding from law enforcement. Using satellite imaging, deploying Sea Dragon, and then lastly deploying the patrol boats improves the chances of capturing IUU fishing vessels, but it is still quite an expensive operation. Having licensed fishing boats before out in the EEZ helped with capturing IUUs, according to Anson. “They were like extra eyes out there for us reporting IUU. They reported IUUs because they were paying for licenses to fish while others did not, and they reported them.”
The increase in the number of joint exercises by Palau and its partners, the United States, Japan, Australia, and Taiwan, helped Palau with monitoring the EEZ but illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing continues.
https://islandtimes.org/illegal-fishing-continues-in-palaus-eez/