A Note from the Editors:

Contribution To 17 Non-Profits

Following the 9/11 attacks, ILW.COM organized a telephonic seminar series "Immigration Implications of the September 11th Tragedy" moderated by Stephen Yale-Loehr, and co-sponsored by AILA and CINL/ABCNY. The series was created to provide people with timely and reliable information about the immigration implications of the 9/11 tragedy. From the dozens of positive feedback responses received and the seminar's large attendance, the seminar was a success by all standards.

This seminar was not part of the the usual for-profit seminar series that our company organizes each month at $499 per series. The 9/11 series was offered at $99 per series, and we had not expected that there would be anything left over. To our surprise and delight, however, we were left with many thousands of dollars. We are committed to distributing this sum to immigration-related non-profits. Accordingly, in April we sent a check made out to the American Immigration Law Foundation for $4,000. Last year, we solicited and received suggestions from the attendees of the seminar about other non-profits to whom we could contribute some monies, and we received a total of 17 names during the exercise. Today, we are sending checks for $100 each to these 17 organizations:

Freedom House, Detroit
The Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights Under Law of Texas/Immigrant and
Refugee Rights Project, Texas
Legal Aid Society, Rochester
International Institute of Connecticut, Connecticut
International Institute of Buffalo, Buffalo
Capital Area Immigrants' Rights Coalition, Washington, DC
Northwest Immigrants Rights Project, Seattle
Gay Men's Health Crisis, New York
Midwest Immigrant and Human Rights Center, Chicago
Immigrant Legal Resource Center, San Francisco
Catholic Social Services, Atlanta
National Immigration Project, National Lawyers Guild, Boston
Asian American Community Service Association, Oklahoma
ABA Commission on Immigration Policy, Practice and Pro Bono, Washington, DC
ABCNY/Committee on Immigraiton and Nationality Law, New York
National Immigration Forum, Washington, DC
NAFSA, Washington, DC

Approximately $2,000 remains and we would like to distribute this amount to aid the relatives of the undocumented immigrants who perished in the 9/11 tragedy (provided that they have not already received anything from the Federal government). We have heard there are several projects out there doing just that; aiding relatives of the undocumented victims of 9/11. If any of our readers know about any of these programs, we'd love to hear from you. Any help from a reader which leads to us identifying an organization to which we can disburse funds will be gratefully acknowledged. Email us at: editor@ilw.com.

Articles

Race, Nationality, and Reality: INS Administration of Racial Provisions in US Immigration and Nationality Law Since 1898, Part 4 of 8
Marian L. Smith writes "The Supreme Court first attempted to construe the meaning of "white persons" in 1922, in the case of Ozawa v. The US."

A Legal Guide For Detainees: Actions Brought Against INS Or Other Law Enforcement Officials For Personal Injury Or Property Damage or Loss: Part 1 of 3
The Commission on Immigration Practice, Policy, and Pro Bono of the American Bar Association offers a detailed guide at how to bring actions against INS for personal injury or property damage.

Vague Or Not Vague, That Is The Issue - Update On 2nd Circuit's Disposition Toward Testimony And Evidence In Asylum Hearings
Oliver H. Qiu, Esq. And Tao Lin, Esq. write "For advocates of international human rights under the jurisdiction of the second circuit, we have long peeked at the "liberal" decisions decided by the ninth Circuit with an envious yet unyielding hope for a change of life.

The Perils Of Pragmatism: Outsourcing, Not The Cap, Is What America Should Fear
Gary Endelman writes "the most important truth is that the extent to which IT jobs are leaving the US has little, if anything, to do with whether the H-1B cap rises or falls. Keeping the cap high will not cause jobs to leave and slashing it will not keep them home."

EOIR Suspends 2 Attorneys, Issues Final Orders Of Discipline For 2 Other Attys In Latest Disciplinary Actions
The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) of the Department of Justice has taken disciplinary action against four attorneys after charging them with violations of the rules of professional conduct for immigration practitioners.

Habeas Corpus, Where Art Thou?
A United Press International op-ed piece says "If you believe in the very first sentence of the very first law ever declared in the United States, then there's no way you can be opposed to immigration."

Immigration Update – Spring 2003
Cyrus D. Mehta writes "As the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has begun to administer the nation's immigration laws, we are getting some sense of changes in the culture of enforcing the laws or granting immigration benefits."

18 Arrested For Alleged Immigration Fraud
The San Jose Mercury News reports "Eighteen immigration consultants who allegedly misrepresented themselves as attorneys face criminal charges after a five-month investigation by city officials."

Integration with Third-Party Software: BCIS E-Filing
Juli Gammon writes "Walther Solutions has been engaged in a discussion with key BCIS officials since early April regarding the integration of e-filing with third party software. Because this information would be valuable to all attorneys using automated software, we are happy to share this information with Immigration Daily readers."

BICE Unveils Most Wanted Criminal Aliens List
The Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (BICE) unveiled a "most wanted" criminal aliens list, featuring criminal aliens from around the world who pose a continuing threat to public safety.

BICE Says 36,000 Criminal Aliens Deported To Date For FY 03'
Government Executive reports "[BICE] suspects that there are 300,000 aliens facing deportation orders currently in the United States, and 80,000 of those have been convicted of a crime. Many served prison time and were released. In the first six months of this fiscal year, [BICE] has deported 36,000 criminal aliens.

Somali Bantu Refugees Prepare For Life In US
The Sarasota Herald-Tribune of Southwest Florida reports "In a cramped classroom at the Nairobi offices of the International Organization of Migration, a group of Somali Bantu refugees spent Thursday learning how to get through an airport and on to the plane that in a few days will take them from a desperate life in Africa to a fresh start in the United States."

BICE Most Wanted Aliens List Leads To Arrest Of Two Men On List
The San Jose Mercury News reports "Two days after federal immigration officials unveiled a national "Most Wanted" list of illegal immigrants convicted of various crimes, officers here arrested two men on the list who were in hiding to avoid a deportation order."

How Do I Apply for INSPASS?
Read a comprehensive answer from BCIS on the INSPASS program.

ILW Highlights

Visa Bulletin Update

The most recent priority dates provided by the Department of State are now available.

Letters to Editors

To write to Editors, send emails to weeklyeditor@ilw.com.

Dear Editor:
This number looks impressive until one considers that the benefits paid out in Social Security alone amount to around $38 billion per month. SSI benefits are an additional $3 billion per month. (See the Social Security website http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/quickfacts/stat_snapshot/index.html) In other words, the suspense fund, the accumulation of years and decades of contributions by illegal aliens, among others, amounts to about six months worth of Social Security and SSI payments, a year's worth if one generously assumes that illegal aliens account for all the fund. Assuming, of course, that illegal aliens and their families are not provided with the ability to claim Social Security, an idea the Bush administration has been testing.

Ali Alexander

Immigrant Life

What Is a Driver's License?

A driver's license is a card which allows you to operate a motor vehicle legally. A driver's license is issued by the state in which you live but allows you to drive anywhere in the United States and Canada.

Why Is a Driver's License Important?

It is illegal in the USA to drive a car if you do not have a driver's license. And since public transportation tends to be limited unless you live in a large metropolitan area, owning a car is often a necessity. Many people in the USA do not live in the center of town where there is easier access to public transportation. Instead, many live in the suburbs and commute to work and shopping areas.

Continued.

Have a story that you'd like to share with us? Send your story as an immigrant to weeklyeditor@ilw.com.

This week's chat schedule

ILW.COM announces that as of May 2nd, all chats will be held at 7:00 pm Eastern Time.

When	Attorney
Monday, May 19 7:00 pm Eastern Time	Chris Musillo, Esq.
Wednesday, May 21 7:00 pm Eastern Time	Mira Mdivani, Esq.

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