A Note from the Editors:

One of today's Article is by Daryl F. Bloom, Assistant District Counsel - INS Philadelphia District who writes on "INS's Role In Fighting Terrorism." Mr. Bloom was the INS's representative at the Strategic Information and Operations Center which was the heart of the Pentagon/Twin Towers Bombing Investigation. In other words, Mr. Bloom knows the subject about which he writes.

The article offers a fascinating window into the government's response to the terrible terrorist attacks of 9/11, and we are heartened to note the dedication of government employees in responding to those attacks. This article offers a front-row seat into the actions and workings of the INS in the terrorist investigations - a subject surely of interest to Immigration Daily readers.

Beyond the obvious points, there are a number of gems in this article. This one, for example could be a surprise to some in the anti-immigration camp: "A common fallacy is that the INS can detain aliens based solely on their illegal presence in the United States. Although aliens arriving in the United States are not eligible for bond, there must be a justification for the detention of aliens already present in the United States."

What we found particularly interesting, and unfortunately also particularly troubling, was this: "Authorized INS officers have the power to board and search for aliens on any vessel within the territorial waters of the United States, and any railway car, aircraft, conveyance, or vehicle within a reasonable distance from any external boundary of the United States. INS officers also have extended interrogation and arrest authority. Authorized officers and employees of the INS have the power, without warrant, to interrogate any alien or person believed to be an alien, as to his or her right to be, or to remain, in the United States." In the hands of the wrong person(s), this gives the Executive Branch powers over US citizens in the United States, based merely on a "belief" that they are aliens, powers which, are, in many cases, subject only to limited, or no, judicial review. Our nation is headed down a slippery slope. We doubt if the Founding Fathers would approve of this.

That said, this article is on a subject of uncommon interest, and is written by one who speaks with authority. We commend it to our readers' attention.

Articles

The ABCs of Immigration - J Waivers
Greg Siskind and Amy Ballentine write about how to obtain J waivers.

H-1B Series: The H-1B Beneficiary's Required Qualifications, Part 2
George N. Lester IV continues the H-1B series with a discussion on the qualifications of the H-1B beneficiary.

ABA Series: A Legal Guide For INS Detainees
The Commission on Immigration Policy, Practice and Pro Bono of the American Bar Association provides the 4th of 8 parts of its Legal Guide for INS Detainees.

INS's Role In Fighting Terrorism
Daryl F. Bloom, Assistant District Counsel - INS Philadelphia District writes "A common fallacy is that the INS can detain aliens based solely on their illegal presence in the United States. Although aliens arriving in the United States are not eligible for bond, there must be a justification for the detention of aliens already present in the United States."

Immigrants Vital To Economy
Writing in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, immigration attorney Karen Weinstock says "Immigrants, both legal and illegal, make a vital contribution to the economy today and will play an ever-greater role in keeping this country strong."

Visa to the US: Students look for employment in an uncertain world
Dr. Arun Vakil writes about individuals seeking student visas to the US from an Indian perspective.

Feds To Fingerprint And Track Saudis, Pakistanis, Indonesians And Malaysians
Worldnetdaily reports that a limited-circulation, not-for-the-public, Justice Department memo says that some nationals of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Indonesia and Malaysia would be subject to fingerprinting and tracking in the US.

A Heart And A Brain: Compassionate Self-Interest And US Immigration
Gary Endelman writes that immigration advocates and restrictionists are alike in being reactive rather than proactive, and both reject an internationalism which is based on the national interest.

Undocumented Immigrants Are Not The Problem, Immigration Policy Is The Problem
An opinion column in the Arizona Republic says "the problem isn't immigrants, but immigration policy so fouled up that it makes criminals of people we should be welcoming."

U.S. And Mexico Now Distant Neighbors
Carl R. Baldwin writes "God Bless America for not being a police state where a round-up would have occurred" during a parade celebrating the rebellion by Mexico against the Spanish crown.

Immigrants Are 20% Of Medal Of Honor Receipients
An opinion column in the Virginian-Pilot says "According to the Pentagon, more than 30,000 foreign-born individuals -- both naturalized and noncitizens -- currently serve their adopted country. In 1999, half of all new recruits at the Army station in Flushing, N.Y., were born in such far-flung countries as India, Korea and Guyana. And immigrants make up 20 percent of Congressional Medal of Honor recipients."

Affidavits Of Support For Immigrant Visas And Adjustment Of Status
Rosalba Novoa writes "Due to the serious implications of signing an I-864, Affidavit of Support, a thorough understanding of the I-864, Affidavit of Support’s terms and conditions, is highly recommended before one signs or files."

Effect Of 1977 Supremes Decision On Advertising In Law Practice Today
The National Law Journal reports on a 1977 Supreme Court decision which permitted advertising by lawyers and how it has affected the practice of law ever since then.

How do I become a lawful permanent resident while in the U.S.?
Read comprehensive answer from INS on how to become a lawful premanent resident while in the U.S.

ILW Highlights

Share your Weekly with Friends and Family

In Post 9/11 scene it is more important than ever before to keep abreast of latest immigration development. Help keep your friends and family informed as well. You can do so by using the 'Share this page' on top right corner of the latest Weekly. Fill out your friend's email address and just send it to him/her.

Letters to Editors

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

Dear Editor:

I read your article regarding Tancredo trying to deport the honor student and his family. I agree that his first priotity should be anti-terrorism and protecting our country, but your statement about leaving undocumented immigrants alone is unbelievable. How can anyone editing or controlling the content of this site state that the government should leave the situation alone? I agree that Tancredo's actions are harsh and that his priorities seem out of whack, but none of us can afford to ignore the situation. I think that to advocate ignoring the issue is irresponsible. We've all heard the arguments that immigrants strengthen the country and contribute to the labor pool, and this is true, but there are other issues at stake, too, that burden our society as well. I found that statement ill-contrived and poorly worded and doubt the wisdom of any editing staff that would convey the message that illegal immigration should be overlooked or ignored. Tancredo needs to get his priorities straight, granted, but none of us should let immigration reform be ignored.

Lisa David

Editor's note:
Immigrant's Weekly carries a mix of articles and links each week. We do edit the articles that we carry, however, we have no control over the items that we link to on other sites (we link primarily to major newspaper sites). We carried no article on Rep. Tancredo last week, however we did link to a number of articles mentioning him from the Denver Post, Rocky Mountain News, etc.

Immigrant Life

The High Cost of Not Having Health Insurance

"..........It is a sad fact, but in America you will receive far better health care if you have insurance. Substandard care may mean waiting longer for care or it may mean not getting necessary preventative care. Some hospitals may not even admit an uninsured person or they may send them to a public hospital where the lines are even longer! Many uninsured immigrants feel like they have been placed in a lower category of society because of not having insurance......." (Cont'd).

This week's chat schedule

When Attorney Monday, September 30 9:00 pm Eastern Time Thomas Esparza, Esq. Wednesday, October 2 9:00 pm Eastern Time Mira Mdivani, Esq. Friday, October 4 9:00 pm Eastern Time Fariba Faiz, Esq.

Classifieds

For information on advertising in the classifieds please click here.