To write to Editor, send email to weeklyeditor@ilw.com.
Dear Editor:
So, my fellow immigrants, the Department of Justice has decided that we are
a fair target in deportation game because we did not notify the
headquarters about our move last week Or was it the move four years
ago? That in addition to mulling the idea of immigration law enforcement
by local police and the concept of profiling people based on their
accent. Presumably treating us all like suspects is supposed to make us
more patriotic.
Because INS is not getting any money or people to process this information,
it is very likely that the flood of it will never be entered into any
database and some forms will indeed be lost. Neither has it occured to
Justice Department that credit reporting agencies know where you live even
if you have a single credit card. Put the two together and what emerges is
this: this game is not about tracking people at all. It is about imposing
additional burden on law-abiding and tax-paying immigrants and about giving
the general public an impression that something is being done about
improving security.
So what do I say to this? I say: good. Let's give it to them, fellow
immigrants! Let's send that darn AR-11 to the headquarters every time we
move, or maybe four or five times per move. Maybe even every
week? Sending it via certified mail and requesting a receipt not only
covers your own hide in case all those forms get lost anyway, but also
ensures that INS has even more work. Let's bury that mail room under piles
and piles of paper. Maybe then John Ashcroft and his cronies will come to
their senses.
I understand that the INS employees in headquarters mail room had nothing
to say in the matter, and I feel for them, but what else can we, loyal
taxpayers but non-voters, do? We could, of course, sell our property and
businesses, take the money, and move back to our countries of
birth. Wouldn't that leave a void in tax revenues and the pool of
available labor? Department of Justice needs to stop treating immigrants
like scapegoats. Timothy McVeigh, Theodore Kaczynski, and that kid that
placed mailbox pipe bombs in a smiley face pattern are all native-born
American citizens and terrorists.
Outraged in Texas
Dear Editor:
I am writing to you in hope of getting at least an answer. I own a
bilingual magazine, 20 pages long and fully colored. We are still
growing and so are the needs of our readers. We would like to see in our
area ( Shreveport - Bossier City, Louisiana), an immigration attorney
providing legal services to us.
There have been a lot of unnecessary
misunderstandings coming from people that came to our area and have said
that they are accredited by Board of Immigration Appeals providing advice, issuing
IDs, from their office with the intention of giving immigrants some sort
of an ID. We now know that several immigrants have been deported.
Police here seem not to be very friendly. Anyhow, I just feel the urge
of helping.
I have in the past, published immigration related articles,
but it is not enough. What we need in our cities, is a qualified and
very competitive Spanish speaking attorney's office to go to. We want him/her to
present our cases, and we will pay for the services rendered. I rejoice thinking about the possibility
of having in my magazine, a column written by an attorney providing
legal advice. At least my readers will get some of their
questions answered. Well, I did offer it in previous issues, but the
attorney no longer writes such column. But what we truly would
like to see is to have an immigration attorney in our
area. We have one, but Hispanics have language barriers, and the attorney does
not speak English or understand their ways.
Perhaps through you, we can get some sort of an idea to assist the
Hispanic community, that is rapidly growing in our area. Please let me
know.
Sincerely,
Maria G. Austin
Dear Editor:
I want to express my disappointment in a law.com article published on 07-17-2002 entitled "The Snakehead Lawyers" by Elizabeth Amon of the National Law Journal."
I had expected that an organization like law.com should have the interests of justice and fairness at the heart of their mission. The article was misleading, as if it were an ethical violation to provide immigration legal services to individuals because the attorney happens to know that they were illegally smuggled into the US. There are many very honorable members of the immigration bar that are doing just that and are advancing the interests of human rights, not pecuniary gain.
While I'm sure that there are a small number of attorneys that might engage in such reprehensible conduct, the article was very one sided, smearing the image of both the immigration bar and, worse, the plight of those disadvantaged refugees that are the clients of "The Snakehead Lawyers."
Thomas W. Dean, JD
Immigration Attorney
Dear Editor:
Is it possible for you just to give this note to the JH person from the Ins and
say Thank you, with guys like you we can change a lot in the system!! Thank you again and may God bless you!
With love
Frieda
Dear Editor:
I have always enjoyed reading your weekly emails but never had any comments
but today I have a question that perhaps effects many people. Would you
please read and consider to answer it.
Recently, the Senate passed a bill titled "Child Status Protection Act"
which will allow certain aliens to be classified as children if the petition
on their behalf were filed when they were under 21 years of age. This will
entitle them to up-grade their status and to be eligible for immediate
issuance of green card in their favor. Now, I will describe below a case of an
unmarried son of a lawful permanent resident.
A petition was filed with INS on the alien's behalf by his lawful permanent
resident parent when the alien was under 21 years of age. The petition was
also approved for F2A (Family-sponsored) preference category before he
turned 21. At present, the petition is pending before National Visa Center
(Department of State), and the alien has been waiting for his immigrant visa
number. But now, his F2A preference status has been converted to F2B
category due to age out by his attainment of 21 while awaiting for the
immigrant visa number.
Now, I would like to know as to whether or not the above-detailed alien of
F2B preference category shall continue to be classified as a child in
accordance with the recently passed bill. For your reference, I mention
below the bill. I think the above case seems to be related to Section 3 of
this bill, but I can't understand Section 3 clearly. So, I am not sure if
the Section 3 will include the above-detailed alien also and he will
continue to be classified as a child Would you please explain me about the
Section 3 of this bill. Awaiting eagerly for your reply.
Ever yours,
Gopal Khadgi
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