Organic Act of Guam and Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952
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The Organic Act of Guam was signed into law on August 1, 1950. President Harry Truman appointed Carlton Skinner as the first governor of Guam. The act allowed Guam to govern itself instead of the U.S. Navy. However it was
very limited. The Organic Act of Guam gave the people U.S. citizenship but they
were not allowed to vote for U.S. presidents. Two years later the Immigration
and Nationality Act of 1952 was passed. What did the Immigration Nationality Act of 1952 do? This act provided specific visa status
for the Filipinos and other Asians coming to a U.S. territory. The incoming individual
was classified H-2 temporary laborers. H meant "An alien having a
residence in a foreign country which he has no intention of abandoning".
Then the double i (ii) means “who is coming temporarily to the U.S. to perform
other temporary services or labor if unemployed persons capable of performing
such service or labor cannot be found in this country.” As a result of this
policy, the Filipinos that were here on Guam since 1950 were given permanent
resident status and can petition to the INS to become a U.S. citizen. When the
Filipino's received their green cards, some of them moved to Hawaii, the
continental U.S. or stayed here on Guam.