A Note from the Editors:

Over the past few months our readers must have noticed various changes in Immigrant's Weekly. We have introduced on a weekly basis practical articles such as ABCs of immigration and INS's 'How do I?'. We now also include more informal articles on lives of immigrants which we hope are of value to you. We are happy to watch a very active 'Letters to the Editor' section. We wish to involve you still further in your Immigrant's Weekly. We invite readers to write to us about their views and opinions on immigration and related issues, their experiences - good and bad - as immigrants, on the frustrations as well as pleasant surprises they have had with various government organizations. We would also like our readers to send us articles from the media about immigration and immigrants to weeklyeditor@ilw.com.

Articles

The ABCs of Immigration - Naturalization
Greg Siskind and Amy Ballentine write about the requirements for naturalization.

H-1B Series: More On Making Your Case For An H-1B "Specialty Occupation"
George N. Lester IV continues the H-1B series by presenting more information on specialty occupations.

ABA Series: A Legal Guide For INS Detainees
The Commission on Immigration Policy, Practice and Pro Bono of the American Bar Association provides the 1st of 8 parts of its Legal Guide for INS Detainees.

TPS Extended For Burundi And Sudan
INS extended Temporary Protected Status for Burundi and Sudan.

Attorney Says Latinos Are Not Going Away
Writing in Long Island Newsday, attorney Myrka A. Gonzalez says "It is futile to try to block out the sun with a finger. The Latino population will continue to grow. This country needs and uses immigrant labor, ingenuity and determination. All immigrants share common experiences. Latinos died at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11. The first New York State resident to die during Operation Desert Storm was a Latino pilot, Marine Lt. Manuel Rivera Jr."

An Analysis Of The Child Status Protection Act
Cyrus D. Mehta writes about the Child Status Protection Act.

SEVIS: The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service's New Tracking System for International Students and Exchange Visitors
Ellen H. Badger, Director of International Student and Scholar Services at the State University of New York at Binghamton writes "the INS is mandating schools to be in compliance with a product that is not yet fully functional. As of mid-August 2002, the entire J-1 SEVIS component has yet to be released, nor has the batch process, which allows schools with relatively large international student populations to send multiple records to the INS, yet been made available for testing."

Mexican Immigrant Workers And The U.S. Economy - An Increasingly Vital Role
The American Immigration Law Foundation writes "America's current immigration policies are antiquated and fail to recognize the importance of Mexican workers to the national economy."

Shearing Designed To Rid BIA Of Liberal Judges
Law.com reports on the restructuring of the Board Of Immigration Appeals saying "Several board members are seen as likely targets because of their dissents and opinions. At the top of the list is Lory Rosenberg, who served on the American Immigration Lawyers Association's board of governors and frequently dissents."

Multiculturalism In Immigration Is Destructive To America
An op-ed piece against the Diversity Lottery in the Washington Times says " ... the normal behavior of some cultures is criminal or deeply offensive to us. Such unacceptable practices are as much a part of the multicultural package as popular ethnic cuisine ... Our crowded little planet is awash in wars and conflict that are based on just those differences we are urged to celebrate — culture, religion and ethnicity."

How Do I Report A Missing Person Suspected Of Falling Victim To Dangers Along The Border?
Read comprehensive answer from INS on how to report a person suspected to be missing at the border.

ILW Highlights

Immigration Information

How Do I Renew My Permanent Resident Card (Green Card)?
How do I bring my family to the United States?
Can I change my status to another nonimmigrant status?

Read answers to all above questions and more in ILW.COM Immigration Information section.

Letters to Editors

To write to Editor, send email to weeklyeditor@ilw.com.

Dear Editor:

I heard about Rep. Gephardt's immigrant initiative and was glad to hear that someone is bringing the issue of immigration back to the table. I hope this becomes law. There are many hard working, law abiding people here who contribute to our communities, and we all benefit from their presence. I am concerned, though, about the condition that people who will/may be considered for legal status had to pay taxes during their minimum two year employment. I know a large number of immigrants, and I work with and translate for over a hundred (currently) foreign workers, and very few of them claim the correct number of dependents or file taxes at the end of the year. I will admit that this frustrates and angers me, because I lose over 30% of my weekly check to federal and state deductions, but I am concerned for the people who have worked hard, obeyed the law, and been positive additions to our communities who did not pay their fair share of taxes. I think Gephardt should amend his initiative to state that these people will be given a set period of time to repay their correct amount of state and federal tax and then be considered for legal status. I hope that all wage earners, regardless of the amount of time they work in the U.S. each year, will be held to the same tax laws, and that they will support and contribute financially to our communities. I think everyone should be required to provide proof that they support the number of dependents they claim. The immigrants who have not contributed should still be considered for legal status, I think, if they pay their back taxes and have otherwise been law-abiding residents. I hope this initiative becomes reality, and I encourage all of you to write to your state and federal representatives and urge them to support this.

Thank you,
Brenda Archer

Immigrant Life

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