The Micronesians
Micronesians are leaving their home islands by the tens of thousands and coming to the U.S. This special report follows that journey and examines the effect it’s having on the communities in which they are settling.
This series is underwritten by
Mark Edward Harris/Civil Beat/2014
Chapter 1: An Untold Story of American Immigration
First we nuked their islands and then we took control of the whole region. In exchange, Micronesians can move to the U.S. without restriction. And they are coming — by the tens of thousands — for health care, education and jobs.
U.S. Department of Defense
Chapter 2: ‘A Journey That Has No Ending’
Most Americans have never even heard of the Compact of Free Association, but that may change as federal aid runs out, raising urgent questions about our moral, financial and legal responsibility to Micronesians.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
Chapter 3: The Odyssey of Jonithen Jackson
This "nuclear nomad" just wants to go home. Except home is a contaminated atoll 2,000 miles away.
Mark Edward Harris/Civil Beat
Chapter 4: Health Care: Migration Is Often a Matter of Survival
Diabetes and cancer are rampant throughout Micronesia, largely thanks to the legacy of nuclear tests and Western culture. But most islands lack adequate medical facilities, making migration a necessity.
Mark Edward Harris/Civil Beat/2015
Chapter 5: Climate Change: ‘The Single Greatest Threat To Our Existence’
Rising tides and changing ecosystems are destroying the subsistence lifestyle on many islands in Micronesia. If disease and a sinking economy don't drive residents away, global warming just might.
Mark Edward Harris/Civil Beat
Chapter 6: Jobs And The Economy: It’s Only Going To Get Worse
The U.S. has been funneling billions of dollars to Micronesian nations since 1986. That money is very likely going to dry up in just eight years. Then what?
Mark Edward Harris/Civil Beat
Chapter 7: The New Kids On The Block: A ‘Hidden Minority’
The Micronesian diaspora has spread out across the country, but many Americans still don't realize who their new neighbors are.
U.S. Department of Energy
Chapter : Report: Nuclear Waste Dome Not In Immediate Danger
But Marshall Islands leaders still have doubts about the safety of the Runit Dome.
Multimedia
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
SLIDESHOW: Hawaii and Guam
Hawaii and Guam are feeling the effects of thousands of Micronesian immigrants relocating in search of jobs, education and health care. But with the burden on social services comes a rich cultural contribution.
Mark Edward Harris/Civil Beat
SLIDESHOW: Chuuk
The poorest of the nations in the Federated States of Micronesia, Chuuk is also one of the largest sources of out-migration.
Mark Edward Harris/Civil Beat
SLIDESHOW: Ebeye and Majuro
Nuclear testing took a heavy toll on the Marshall Islands in the 1940s and '50s, and health effects remain. Today, the low-lying atolls are threatened by climate change.
Mark Edward Harris/Civil Beat
SLIDESHOW: Pohnpei And Kosrae
Pohnpei and Kosrae are two places where the residents live simple rural lifestyles, with fishing and farming as a way of life. But many people also struggle with alcohol and drug abuse and U.S. dollars do little to help pay for services.
Mark Edward Harris/Civil Beat
SLIDESHOW: Mainland Diaspora
The Micronesian exodus is taking tens of thousands of people to communities throughout the U.S. By some estimates, 30 percent of those in the Pacific region have left their home countries, with about half of the immigrants now living on the mainland.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
‘That’s JoJo — He’s Different’
PODCAST: JoJo Peter is a disabled Micronesian in Hawaii. Those misunderstood labels have given him a powerful position to bring about positive change.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
Yes, You Can Be A Micronesian And A Doctor
PODCAST: Oahu physician Sheldon Riklon is an inspiration for Micronesians and an epiphany for others.
Ongoing Coverage
Island Soldier
Chad Blair: The Story Of Micronesians Fighting America’s Wars
The documentary “Island Soldier” has its local premiere at the Hawaii International Film Festival Nov. 3 and 5.
Hilary Hosia
The Untimely Death Of A Marshall Islands Visionary
Author Jon Letman sat down with Mattlan Zackhras last year for a wide-ranging conversation on his vision and hope for the tiny island nation.
Mark Edward Harris/Civil Beat
Census To Count Micronesians In Hawaii, US Territories
The number of COFA migrants will determine how much the money the regions receive to compensate for health care, education and other costs.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
Feds Offer An Additional $3 Million To Help Ease Impact Of Micronesian Migration
Hawaii will receive an additional $1.27 million on top of an annual payment of $12.6 million, but the costs of serving the immigrants is far higher.
Wikimedia Commons
Court Rejects Marshall Islands’ Suit Against US Over Nuclear Treaty
The lawsuit sought to force the U.S. to comply with an international treaty on nuclear nonproliferation.
Micronesia Hires DC Lobbyists
The Federated States of Micronesia wants legal and political help regarding COFA.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
One-Stop Centers For Micronesians Fight Back Amid Criticism
UPDATED 12/2/2016: Supporters say the program helps immigrants acclimate, rather than encouraging them to drain public resources.
Yap Visitors Bureau
Chinese ‘Mega Resort’ For Yap?
Local leaders fear that residents will be "shunted from their homes" and "reduced to just doing cultural dances" for tourists.
Chad Blair/Civil Beat
Drought Disaster In Marshall Islands
President Obama issues declaration allowing FEMA to provide emergency relief to the archipelago.
Flickr: LuxTonnerre
US Senate Bill Calls For $137 Million In Aid To COFA Nation of Palau
Two other COFA nations “face challenges” in achieving self-sufficiency, the Government Accountability Office reports.
Courtesy of LuxTonnerre via Flickr
Murkowski Wants US-Palau Deal
The Republican senator from Alaska has introduced legislation co-sponsored by Mazie Hirono of Hawaii.
U.S. Department of Energy
Nuclear Victims: Will We Help Vets Who Cleaned Up After Atomic Blasts?
Hawaii Congressman Mark Takai pushes to compensate military personnel exposed to radioactive soil and debris in the Marshall Islands.
Chad Blair/Civil Beat
U.S. Territories Criticize United Airlines
The attorneys general from Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands say the airlines' service "has declined beyond what we ever could have imagined."
U.S. Defense Special Weapons Agency
Help For Micronesia ‘Atomic Veterans’
Hawaii Rep. Mark Takai wants to extend benefits to veterans who helped clean up Micronesia nuclear contamination.
Mark Edward Harris/Civil Beat
Congress Needs To Stop Passing The Buck On Micronesia
With the out-migration expected to get much worse in the next eight years, U.S. leaders need to amend the COFA treaty. But Hawaii also needs to prepare itself to handle the influx.
A Marshallese Poet Speaks Out On Climate Change
Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner traveled halfway across the Earth to read her poem on how climate change is affecting her island home to the United Nations.
Mark Edward Harris/Civil Beat
The Faces of Micronesia
Photographer Mark Edward Harris traveled throughout Micronesia and captured some of the many intriguing faces of the islands.
Wikimedia Commons
Help Sought for Bikini Islanders
U.S. Senate and House leadership is urged to allow the people of Bikini to use resettlement funds to relocate outside of the Marshall Islands.
Mark Edward Harris/Civil Beat
The Projector: The Micronesians
From Majuro to Honolulu, Micronesians as seen through the lenses of Civil Beat photographers.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
Congress Needs to Fix a Medicaid Flaw That Excludes Legal Immigrants
The federal government is failing to live up to our treaty obligations to Micronesian immigrants -- leaving Hawaii to bear the burden.
Mark Edward Harris/Civil Beat
The Story Behind ‘The Micronesians’
Micronesians are coming to the U.S. in large numbers, tapping taxpayers for heath care and social services. We wanted to find out why.
Join Us Oct. 27 for a Micronesia Storytelling Event
The first Hawaii Storytellers event focuses on stories of Micronesian immigration.
Mark Edward Harris/Civil Beat
‘The Micronesians’: A Civil Beat Special Report Coming Wednesday
Micronesians are leaving their island homes in search of better lives in the U.S., and many are coming to Hawaii.