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08/13/2025 - The Child Support Enforcement Unit of the CNMI Office of the Attorney General has so far collected $151,854.75 in child support in 2025.
This, according to assistant attorney General Rebecca Wiggins, in an interview after Gov. David M. Apatang and Lt. Gov. Dennis C. Mendiola proclaimed August as Child Support and Awareness Month last Aug. 12 at the Governor’s Office conference room on Capitol Hill.
The collected amount includes $139,215.87 obtained from non-custodial parents, $10,060.88 from tax rebates/refunds, and $2,578.00 from the Earned Income Tax Credit.
In 2024, CSEU collected and distributed a total of $486,630.34 in child support. This amount encompasses $462,827.41 from non-custodial parents' monthly child support orders, $11,065.15 from tax rebates/refunds, $6,161.78 from child tax, and $6,576.00 from EITC.
“Everyone who has a child support order, frankly, should, if that's an interstate order, reach out to our office, whether you're the non-custodial parent or the custodial parent, because we will help track those payments. So, a lot of the people who are paying child support they want to support their children. They're just paying according to the order,” said Wiggins.
CSEU assists parents and custodians with interstate child support cases. An interstate child support case is between two parents who live in different states. For example, one parent resides in the CNMI, while the other parent resides in Guam or somewhere in the United States.
It currently handles over 163 active child support cases and remains committed to strengthening its services by actively exploring opportunities to expand its reach and effectiveness to better serve the local community.
Wiggins said it just makes sense to involve the courts when it comes to child support payments.
“Everyone should get an order, because otherwise it's just, ‘I'll give you this much this month, I'll give you diapers this month.’ No, there should be a consistent child support order so the custodial parent is able to know how to budget. So, I do want to set the record straight that a lot of non-custodial parents want to and willingly pay child support.”
When it comes to what percentage of people in the CNMI who have child support orders don’t actually pay, Wiggins said anecdotal evidence suggests over 50% are not paying.
“I would like to believe that it's because they cannot afford to pay, which is why we're initiating that Responsible Parent Program, Responsible Parent Corps, to try to help individuals who are not working to get a job.”
Under the program, CSEU, in partnership with the Department of Labor and the CNMI Judiciary, will help non-custodial parents find work under the Work Investment Agency.
“If they say, I'm not paying my child support because I don't have a job, we say, ‘Well, how lucky for you, because here's somebody in the courtroom from the
Department of Labor who will work with you through the WIA program and help get you a job,’” said Wiggins.
She also warned non-custodial parents who are remiss on their child support payments that CSEU has other tools apart from garnishments to get it done.
For instance, Public Law 20-47 empowers the enforcement of child support orders by implementing the suspension of various licenses, including but not limited to driver's licenses and hunting and fishing licenses, as a consequence of non-payment of child support obligations.
Apatang and Mendiola, in their brief remarks after the proclamation signing, emphasized the importance of child support in the local community.
“Just like it says, every child has every right to be supported, you know, for whoever is responsible for whatever they need. And every child deserves that. So, thank you, AG’s Office for coming out with this proclamation. It's very timely,” said Apatang.
“It's very important for us to make sure that we ensure we, you know, protect these students through the child support program and, you know, awareness. So, let August be a month of camping, raising this awareness for our kids, so that we can provide the necessary financial assistance that they so deserve,” said Mendiola.
In a moment of levity before the proclamation signing, Apatang jokingly asked Edward C. Camacho, Commonwealth Bureau of Military Affairs special assistant, if military personnel are up to date on their child support payments.
“Well, governor, after the last exercise, REFORPAC, I'm going to be following up with every one of those airmen,” said Camacho.
Report by Mark Rabago
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