Koror, Palau – A Palauan citizen and his American wife are suing the government after she was placed on a blacklist of “undesirable aliens,” barring her from entering the country.
Johnson Toribiong, a former Palauan president and lawyer, and his wife Christa, a US citizen and attorney, allege the decision violated her rights under the Palau Constitution, the Compact of Free Association with the United States, and international law.
Their lawsuit, filed in the Supreme Court, names President Surangel Whipps Jr. and Attorney General Ernestine Rengiil in their official capacities. It seeks a declaration that Christa has the right to live in Palau and that the government cannot ban her. They also challenge a Palauan law allowing the government to exclude individuals based on certain criteria.
Christa resided in Palau from 2018 to 2020, working as an Assistant Attorney General, before leaving temporarily. The lawsuit claims her name was added to the blacklist in 2022 “for personal reasons” without due process or explanation.
They argue her inclusion violates her right to due process, conjugal rights, and entry as a US citizen with no criminal record. They allege the decision was made without justification.
In July 2022, President Whipps approved a list of 230 “undesirable aliens” under Palauan law. This law grants the president power to deny entry or revoke entry permits for various reasons, including providing false information, espionage, or crimes of moral turpitude.
Christa, the only American on the list, is barred from entering. They married in July 2023 and cannot live together due to the blacklist designation.
The government has not responded to the lawsuit. The case is expected to raise complex legal questions about immigration rights, due process, and interpreting the Compact of Free Association.