A Note from the Editors:

We have updated several INS forms and also added several DOS forms. All forms, many of which are fillable, can be accessed on our forms page. Processing Times on our processing times page have also been updated.

Articles

The ABCs of Immigration - Naturalization - Children
Greg Siskind and Amy Ballentine write about how children under 18 obtain US citizenship.

H-1B Series: The H-1B Beneficiary's Required Qualifications, Part 1
George N. Lester IV continues the H-1B series by beginning 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 3rd of 8 parts of its Legal Guide for INS Detainees.

Post-9/11 Immigration Rules Create False Sense Of Security
The New York Law Journal quotes immigration attorney Michael Berger on the stricter immigration rules imposed after 9/11 "The question is: Will it make America safer? While this is great window dressing and great public relations, terrorists who want to get into this country will still get into this country. What it has done is create a false sense of security."

Stricter Enforcement Post-9/11 By INS
The Recorder quotes immigration attorney Marc Van Der Hout "The INS has even prosecuted people in the Bay Area for failing to file a change of address."

Uncle Sam Wants You: Why America Needs A Wartime Immigration Law
Gary Endelman asks "How does an ever-growing mountain of I-9 forms help defeat Osama Bin Laden?"

Undocumented Apprehensions Down 28%
INS issued a news release saying that apprehensions of undocumented immigrants trying to enter the US illegally were down 28%.

The ABCs Of Immigration - Issues In Losing Citizenship
Gregory Siskind and Amy Ballentine write about matters connected to losing citizenship.

Naturalization Ceremonies For Thousands In Memory Of Founding Fathers
INS announced that 15,000 immigrants would be naturalized in 23 separate ceremonies throughout the country in observance of Citizenship Day and quoted INS Commissioner James Ziglar "These ceremonies are a tribute to the memory of our founding fathers who on September 17, 1787, created our system of government with the signing of the U.S. constitution, INS is doing its part to foster a greater appreciation for the constitution by welcoming new U.S. citizens."

Most People Grasp Distinction Between Criminals And The Undocumented
An Editorial in the Rocky Mountain News says "Yet the fact remains that a Mexican construction worker who came here illegally is not in the same moral class as, say, a mugger - even though both have broken a law. Most people grasp the distinction even if they can't quite explain it. That's why they'd never dream of failing to report the sighting of a mugger to police, for example, yet fail to report probable illegal immigrants all the time."

Congressional Policy To Permit Large Scale Undocumented Immigration Manifested In Underfunding Of INS Enforcement
An opinion column in the Rocky Mountain News says "The American economy depends on the cheap labor of immigrants, many of whom are in the country illegally, who do the jobs American citizens won't touch. Congress passes largely symbolic laws to curry favor with constituents who believe they oppose this accommodation (although the first instance of a voter refusing to eat in one of the thousands of restaurant where illegals do the dishes is yet to be recorded), while at the same time funding the INS at a level that ensures enforcement of the immigration laws will be sporadic at best."

Recognizing Our Vulnerability As America
Jose Latour writes "Americans do not fear other Americans because of acts of terror committed by Americans. But Americans fear foreigners because of acts of terror committed by other foreigners. It is this oxymoronic reality which we, as immigration attorneys, face on a daily basis."

President Bush Signs Child Status Protection Act
Clarice F. Liao writes " the Child Status Protection Act comes at time when severe backlogs at the INS and the Department of State have jeopardized the immigration of children who cannot immigrate with their parents because they have aged-out. For this, the Child Status Protection Act is welcome news to parents and their children who now do not have to fret about being separated because the children age-out."

Rep. Tancredo Wants Honor Student Deported, Says Undocumented Photo On Front Page Is "Mockery Of Justice"
The Denver Post reports that Rep. Tancredo (R-CO) wants an honor student and his family deported because of their undocumented status. Rep. Tancredo is quoted as saying that the fact that the "A" student was featured on the front page of the Denver Post was "a mockery of justice."

Colorado Fracas Spotlights Need To Change Immigration Law
An opinion column in the Denver Post says even if we "make it easier for people to become legal residents. There will still be an outcry. For some, the problem isn't with the word "illegal," it's with the word "Mexican."

Columnist Asks: Should We Deport Tancredo?
A columnist in the Rocky Mountain News asks "Or should we - and I guess legally there's no remedy here - simply deport Tancredo?"

How Do I Replace My Permanent Resident Card (Green Card)?
Read comprehensive answer from INS on who needs to replace their Green Card and how to go about it.

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Letters to Editors

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

Dear Editor:

Thank you so very much for your e-mail and all the information and articles to read. I find much good and helpful information in all the web pages and letters I receive as I am on your mailing list.

A friend of mine, a woman who has been in this country now for 26 years and is a citizen, asked me to find out how a person should word a letter to the American Consulate (or what ever US government entity that is in charge) to obtain a visa, permission to visit here in the USA. Her mother is in Iran, where my friend was born and raised, and wants to come to the USA to visit her, my friend.

Are there any sample letters on line to show what the proper way to address and word such a letter? Where can we obtain information on the way a relative can leave Iran to visit a citizen close relative here in the USA?

I am sure it is more complicated that I can imagine and I don't know if I am asking the right questions. But Sheila, my friend, just would like her mom from Iran to come here to California for a visit. Unfortunately, I am learning, it is not as simple as asking her mom to come from Denver to Los Angeles, a pity.

Sincerely,
Robert Todd
Hemet, CA

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