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A Note from the Editors:
ILW.COM received a Christmas card featuring a cartoon of Santa Claus from the law offices of Montiel Davis & Woodward Kimber, P.A. which might interest our readers (the card's illustration is credited to Eduardo Molina). Santa Claus appears stranded at "Anytown Airport, USA" with a look of distress on his face, his hands up in the air, and surrounded by various border officials with guns drawn, peppering Santa with the following questions: "And you are ... Santa, Santa Claus, St. Nick, Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas ... Which is it?" "And where's your change of address form? I heard you moved to the South Pole?" "Where's your proof of Special Registration? And your IBIS, NAILS, CLASS and NCIC checks! Under all names ever used." "You failed to provide us a list of all countries you've visited since you were six years old ..." Proving that fact is stranger than fiction, CNN.com reports that a "surfing santa" was indeed arrested by the Border Patrol on the Canadian Border (see link below).
Despite the implied reasons for worry in the anecdotes above, we feel there is reason for cheer, too. Movement of goods and people across our borders are intertwined. So long as America remains connected to the global economy, immigration will be a part of the American experience. If our border policy-gurus do not get this message, they will undoubtedly learn it through real-world experience.
We welcome readers to send their comments to weeklyeditor@ilw.com.
Articles
Preparing and Filing the H-1B Petition - Part 4
George N. Lester IV continues his discussion on the H-1B Application.
To Punish Mexican Immigrants For 9/11 Is Ridiculous
An opinion piece in the New York Sun says "None of the September 11 hijackers was Mexican. It seems ridiculous to punish them."
Firm Builds Business By Handling Immigration Cases Over The Web
Ben Harris writes about the firsthand benefits his firm reaped through immigration case management software.
Terrorists Laughing At Law-Abiding Registrants
An opinion column in the Los Angeles Times discuss the registration fiasco and quotes a community leader "If there are any terrorists out there, they are probably laughing at these law-abiding people who went and turned themselves in."
Expressing Outrage At Registration
Cyrus D. Mehta writes about the Special Registration Procedures and what lessons public officials in charge of administering these new regulations can draw from American history.
Border Patrol Arrests Santa
CNN.com reports on the arrest of a "surfing Santa" by the Border Patrol.
Department of Homeland Security Update: Part Two
Jose Latour writes about the newly formed Department of Homeland Security.
Scapegoating Undocumented Does Not Improve Airport Security
The Orange County Register reports on Operation Tarmac and says "Across the country, some have questioned whether the raids really improved airport security, because no terrorists were found."
How Do I Renew My Permanent Resident Card (Green Card)?
Read comprehensive answer from INS on how to renew your Green Card.
ILW.COM Highlights
Find a Lawyer
On ILW.COM's Find a Lawyer page we provide a place where people needing the services of an immigration lawyer can find a lawyer to meet their needs and preferences. We currently have over 350 attorneys listed in the directory. The Find a
Lawyer page allows searches based on location, areas of expertise and languages spoken. If you are looking for a specific lawyer or law firm, you can do so also.
Letters to Editors
To write to Editors, send emails to weeklyeditor@ilw.com.
Dear Editor,
I am writing in response to Elisa Martinez' letter. Maybe not as advice, but
as an empathetic listener, I too, was in your same situation. I am a US
Citizen and upon marrying my husband we applied for permanent residency (he
was undocumented at the time) and he had to return to his home country to
wait for his Immigrant Visa appt. at the US Consulate there. When he left I
was 4 months pregnant with our son. My husband had to stay for 2 weeks short
of a year to get his Visa processed. He ended up having 2 appts. at the
Consulate within that year. I visited him once when I was 7 months pregnant,
but because I was working and of my health insurance here, I could not stay
there with him. Our son was born here without my husband being present
(despite letters I wrote to INS about the injustice of it) and my husband
did not meet our son until he was 6 months old!!! It's heart-breaking, it's
excruciating, but you learn to live day by day and when he does get here
with his Visa, you'll appreciate him all the more and be glad that it was
done before your child grows up (even though I know that's hard to hear
now). Now my husband is here and was able to witness our daughter's birth
and this really was a healing process for both of us. It will make you
stronger, even though it's difficult now. Hang in there!
Hispanic Ministry - Diocese of Joliet
@ Catholic Charities
Dear Editor,
I filed an I751 form three months ago. About a month later, they sent me a confirmation with a receipt number. Last month, I went to https://egov.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/cris/jsps/caseStat.jsp to check status. I very carefully entered my 13 character RECEIPT number. I followed instructions and excluded dashes. I was told: "Status for this Receipt Number cannot be found at this time in this automated system. Please check your case receipt number to see if it is correct. If you have questions or concerns about your case status, please contact the service center where you submitted your application."
I then called the service center, both manually and then using an automatic dialer. I got a continuous busy signal for three hours.
Over the course of a month, I repeated the process a half dozen times -- both via email and via phone -- and have continuously received the same email message and the same busy signals. The service center is located 100 miles away, and I have no car. What would you recommend I do? Thank you.
T Turov
Editor's note: ILW.COM itself does not provide advice on immigration and related matters. However you may want to try ILW.COM discussion board.
Dear Editor,
Is there any chance of getting a class action, going of those special registrants (Iranians) who were detained, and subsequently released on bond. My clients case is particularly horrifying in that they released him (after one night in detention in honolulu federal prison) , then after he posted a $10,000.00 bond, INS said that his wife and kids would have to come in and also get processed as they had overstayed their visa's, but assured him that mother and kids would not have to be detained. Unfortunately when his wife came in the next day to get processed,,,they then found out that she and the boys were Visa Waiver overstayers from Germany.....they took her into custody.....and she is now being held in federal prison.....to be deported......They also plan to deport the boys as well (9 and 13.) who lived and grew up in Honolulu for their past six years and who want to stay in the US.....who now are still out with their dad.....Dad was awaiting labor certification which was timely filed and approvable when filed......and upon approval....getting his green card. I understand that Peter Shey in LA is also filing a similar case in Federal District Court in LA.......Honolulu's numbers are very very low in comparison.....but this families sad story should be enough to add to the list of those who have been irreparablly harmed by this whole registration process. Please let me know. Advocate Against Injustice,,,,,,against the very fabric of society that this great nation was born from.....the immigrant.
Name not provided
Immigrant Life
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An Important disclaimer! The information provided on this page is not legal advice. Transmission of this information is not intended to create, and receipt by you does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. Readers must not act upon any information without first seeking advice from a qualified attorney. Correspondence to weeklyeditor@ilw.com. Letters may be edited and may be published and otherwise used in any medium.
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