A Note from the Editors:

The Anti-Immigrationists' Worst Enemy

Ever since 9/11, the anti-immigration lobby has used the fig-leaf of national security to cover their purely anti-immigration aims. No sensible person, whether anti-immigration or pro-immigration, can have any quarrel over the principle that our country needed enhancements to national security after 9/11. The role of immigration in such national security is miniscule, a fact that anti-immigrationists do not understand, because perhaps they do not want to understand. Based on their own passionate feelings against immigration, the anti-immigrationists have energetically argued that a large undocumented population in the US makes it easier for terrorists to hide among. In fact, the anti-immigrationists have done the country a service by loudly insisting that we cannot have a huge number of undocumented aliens in a country under the rule of the law. On both these points, members of Congress would have to agree with the anti-immigrationists. Infact, bills recently introduced, and about to be introduced, make it clear that Congress is beginning to address our national ignominy in having such a large underground populace. Congress's solution of some kind of massive legalization, which is infact the only practical solution, is sure to infuriate the anti-immigrationists, however. They would rather that Congress somehow deport all the undocumented millions. That this would require us to become a Gestapo state and inevitably lead to the destruction of the liberties which have defined our country somehow escapes the anti-immigrationists. The very agencies, such as BICE, which the anti-immigrationists hope to use as a cudgel against the busboys and gardeners that terrorize the anti-immigrationists, in pursuing the very mission that the anti-immigrationists argue that they should pursue, i.e. national security, will in time become the strongest supporters of a massive legalization program, since there is really no other way of simultaneously enhancing national security, and solving a major American political problem. In insisting that Congress address the undocumented problem, and that our government agencies pursue a national security agenda, the anti-immigrationists may be digging their own grave. They are their own worst enemy.

We welcome readers to share their opinion and ideas with us by writing to weeklyeditor@ilw.com.

Articles

Foreign Registered Nurses: Successful Landing In Turbulent Waters
Zlata A. Dikaya & Howard F. Appelt II reviews immigration of foreign workers of Schedule A occupations to the US and discusses the process of preparing and filing an immigrant visa petition on behalf of a foreign registered nurse.

National Security Advisor Responds To Mexican Guest Worker Program Question
National Security Advisor Rice responded to the question on whether President Bush committed to Mexican President Fox a timetable for passage of a guest worker program.

Elephant In The Room: Amnesty And The Rule of Law
Gary Endelman writes "While amnesty is bad public policy, Congress' repeated actions/inactions in divorcing our immigration laws from our economic needs make such amnesty inevitable in some form or fashion."

EOIR Releases Latest Disciplinary Actions
The Executive Office for Immigration Review of the Department of Justice released its latest disciplinary actions: one attorney was immediately suspended, four attorneys received final orders of discipline, and one attorney was reinstated.

Congress Passes 5-Year Extension Providing Broad Eligibility For Religious Workers - While The USCIS Administratively Restricts Visa Issuance Via Narrow Interpretations
Bernard P. Wolfsdorf and Cliff Rosenthal write "On October 15, 2003, President Bush signed into law H.R. 2152 (P.L. 108-99) extending the special immigration status of religious workers for another 5 years."

Rep. Lofgren Advocates Immigration Legalization Protecting Children
Rep. Lofgren (D-CA) introduced both the Ameriasian Naturalization Bill and the Unaccompanied Alien Child Protection Act of 2003, legislation that confers citizenship on Amerasian children of American servicemen and minimum standards for the care and custody of unaccompanied alien children.

President Bush Sets FY'04 Refugee Target To 70,000
President Bush issued a memoranda setting the admissions of refugees to 70,000 for fiscal year '04.

E-mail Etiquette
Carol L. Schlein, Esq. provides helpful hints to lawyers to make most effective use of email.

EEOC Files Suits Against Alleged Post-9/11 Backlash Discrimination
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed two lawsuits against Plaza Hotel and Fairmont Hotel and Resorts, Inc., and Applied Graphics Technologies, Inc. and Newsweek, Inc. under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act for discrimination related to the events of September 11, 2001 against employees based on their national origin.

How Do I Get A New Arrival-Departure Record?
Read a detailed response from the BCIS on how to obtain a new arrival-departure record.

ILW.COM Highlights

Processing Times Updated

Vermont, Texas, and Nebraska processing times were recently updated.

Letters to Editors

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Immigrant Life

Apply to College?

What is the college application process?

Each school sets its own admission requirements. The college admission process consists of application forms, admission tests and essays. Colleges make admission decisions, based on academic achievement, admission test scores and applications. The academic section is generally the most important but not the only deciding factor.

To learn more, see here.

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