Tonga Fisherman in Hawaii Last Alien to Apply
A commercial fisherman partied with native dancers and immigration officials early today as he became the last illegal alien in the United States to apply for legal residency status before a midnight deadline.
“No words can express my appreciation and my happiness at this time,” Sione Feiloakitau said through an interpreter.
Feiloakitau, 42, has lived in the United States since 1979 after coming to Hawaii from the South Pacific nation of Tonga. He was the last of more than an estimated 1.5 million illegal aliens nationwide who took advantage of the amnesty program.
A dozen people waited in the local Immigration and Naturalization Service’s legalization office lobby, hoping for the honor of becoming last applicant.
“They’re fighting over being the last one,” said Pamela Legates, chief legalization officer in the amnesty office. “They’d like to be the last person for historical purposes.”
INS District Director Bill Craig chose Feiloakitau at random as the clock struck midnight.
Because of the time difference between Honolulu and the mainland, Hawaii’s legalization office closed six hours after East Coast offices and three hours past those on the West Coast.
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