WASHINGTON, DC –– In a joint meeting with the U.S. Departments of State and Interior, the embassies of the three Freely Associated States (FAS) in the United States, Palau, Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), met with key U.S. officials to discuss recent Executive Orders issued by the new U.S. administration, the 90-day pause on some categories of foreign assistance, and other matters of mutual concern.
The FAS ambassadors noted that the Executive Orders on immigration issues should not affect FAS citizens living and residing in the United States legally under the special provisions of the Compact of Free Association applicable to each government. The ambassadors explained that the Orders, including the birthright Executive Orders, are not applicable to their citizens because of the detailed rights accorded to FAS citizens under the Compacts. The U.S. side noted that it understood the Compact rights, took these concerns seriously, and would continue to be in touch with the FAS embassies.
The ambassadors raised the 90-day U.S. pause on some categories of foreign assistance and noted their understanding that the pause was not relevant to Compact sector grants, which are administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior and therefore not covered under the foreign assistance order. The ambassadors also noted the importance of having no or minimal interruptions in other categories of assistance that are administered by the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (and therefore covered by the pause). The United States officials in attendance agreed to review the foreign assistance Orders with these concerns in mind and noted that the 90-day freeze on some categories of foreign assistance was, in any event, the subject of undergoing internal review.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the U.S. officials assured the FAS ambassadors that the United States was taking these issues seriously and would continue to keep channels of communication open to address these or other concerns of FAS citizens.
