Democrat congressional candidate Alicia Limtiaco does not support the introduced legislation in Congress that would deny birthright citizenship to those in Guam and other U.S. territories born after January 2027.
Limtiaco shared her stance on this and other issues at a candidate forum hosted by the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce on Aug. 29 at Hyatt Regency Guam.
Del. James Moylan was invited as well but could not attend, according to forum moderator Patti Arroyo.
Limtiaco’s resume includes serving as the first woman to serve as attorney general of Guam and the first woman U.S. attorney for the districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Arroyo asked Limtiaco questions submitted by chamber members on topics ranging from economic opportunity and workforce development to deep sea mining and violence against women.
On the proposals aiming to end automatic citizenship for children born in the territories, as well as other initiatives to tighten visa and birth-related rules, Limtiaco said the alleged rationale for the legislation could be addressed in other ways.
The effort to end automatic birthright citizenship is rooted in national security concerns, such as fraud and abuse in terms of immigration. Rather than supporting restrictions or outright removal, Limtiaco would instead look into supporting federal agencies and the Guam Police Department in investigating the issues, if elected.
“We can provide on the federal level funding opportunities and appropriations that would help build capacity for personnel who are trained in lawfully investigating and reviewing these issues,” Limtiaco said.
Deep sea miningIf elected as Guam’s delegate, Limtiaco said her priority is to oppose deep sea mining in the Marianas and in the Pacific. As local law has already forbade such activity in Guam’s waters, Limtiaco aims to ensure Congress abides by Guam law and international law as well regarding the issue.
She said an emphasis needs to be made on protecting indigenous practices and culture, especially related to the oceans and environment.
“As we educate ourselves about deep sea mining, one very common denominator is there is not enough scientific data. As one expert said, we know more about the moon than we know about our own deep sea. How can we even consider risking the loss of our marine biodiversity?” Limtiaco said.
Workforce, economyLimtiaco said she is a firm believer in Guam building coalitions, strengthening alliances and building partnerships with community stakeholders, “whether we’re here in our local community of Guam and also in Washington D.C.”
These alliances would ensure the priorities of Guam, its people and its businesses met, she added.
On workforce development, Limtiaco said her standard is whether something improves the lives for people in Guam, because she “will always put the island first.”
A challenge for today’s working class is having to care for aging family members while also working full-time and providing for a family, Limtiaco said. To remedy this burden, she plans to pursue federal funding to make sure resources are acquired for competent and compassionate care.
This would support parents who need the financial assistance to continue working in Guam’s job market and provide for their families, she added.
“We don’t have the same opportunities or time that our family members had in the past to be primary caregivers for our manåmko’. We want to be there, but there are challenges ... One of my primary roles would be to ensure that I advocate for and pursue those policies,” Limtiaco said.
Supplemental Security Income eligibilityOn Guam’s exclusion from receiving Supplementary Security Income, Limtiaco said her office would track any and all litigation or bills that would compensate for it.
She mentioned the Aid to the Aged Blind and Disabled Act and a bill that would include children under the program. Limtiaco said this would be something to pursue, as Guam is included in the legislation already.
“It is not SSI technically, but it is certainly one that would help our children here,” Limtiaco said.
Safeguard American Voter Eligibility ActArroyo asked how Limtiaco would address the potential impacts of the SAVE Act, which would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.
The moderator pointed out how this could prevent women from registering, particularly those who decide to change their names after marriage or divorce and as such carry a document that may not match their current legal name.
This means they could be asked for additional documentation that is hard to access or could be time-consuming, Arroyo added.
Limtiaco said women and all citizens have the right to vote and have their voices heard without artificial barriers hindering them.
“I think all of us here would want to protect election integrity. However, we do not need to create artificial supervision barriers or challenges for women. I would not support any kind of legislation or any kind of initiative that would make it that much more challenging for any of us,” Limtiaco said.