A Note from the Editors:

AGJOBS: Legalization For Half-Million

A recent news report from the Hill reports that the Agricultural Job Opportunity, Benefits, and Security Act, or AGJOBS has signed on its 60th co-sponsor, paving the way for the bill to clear the Senate. Although AGJOBS is among many immigration reform initiatives introduced this year in Congress, AGJOBS, with bi-partisan support, may be one of the few major immigration-reform measure to become law. AGJOBS could potentially qualify approximately 500,000 undocumented workers for permanent residency, no small number. Read Immigrant's Weekly to keep informed of the latest developments.

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

Articles

Asylum Resource Series: Congo
USCIS Asylum Resource Information Center offers asylum information on Congo.

USCIS Director Aguirre Says Fee Increase Will Transform USCIS Into Efficient, Effective Operation
USCIS Director Aguirre issued a press statement on the the recent fee hike saying, "This is an important moment for USCIS; we are fundamentally transforming a tired immigration services system, uniformly recognized in need of reform, into a more efficient and effective operation."

The Longest Summer - Strategies For Graduating Students, Exchange Visitors And Other Nonimmigrants With "Gap In The Cap" H-1B Specialty Occupation Issues
Bernard P. Wolfsdorf and Lisa K. Yu write "Employers of foreign nationals in F-1 and J-1 status are all wondering what to do with their current or prospective employees this summer when their Employment Authorization Documents ("EADs") or status expires before an H1B petition can be approved with an effective date of October 1st."

First Issue Of "Inside ICE"
ICE issued the first issue of its bi-monthly newsletter, Inside ICE, providing the latest news and announcements from the DHS’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Health Worker Shortages And The Potential Of Immigration Policy
Rob Paral for the Immigration Policy Center writes "Foreign-born and foreign-trained professionals play an important role in the delivery of health care in the US."

Proper Posting Practice: Nurses And Unknown Worksites
Cindy J. Unkenholt, Esq. writes "For healthcare organizations with a large number of facilities and many open nursing positions, establishing the specific facility where a particular nurse will work a year or more in advance of the actual start date is impractical, if not impossible."

Republic Of Marshall Islands Citizens No Longer Require EAD Docs
The USCIS announced today, effective immediately, an unexpired Republic of the Marshall Islands passport with unexpired documentation showing admission under the Compact of Free Association is valid proof of work authorization for citizens from the RMI. For the press release, see here. For the Office of Business Liaison Bulletin, see here.

The Terrible Twos
Diane Sandford writes "The grammatical "terrible twos," those words that have related meanings but are not interchangeable, [can] wreak [] havoc on writers."

Immigrant's Weekly Exclusive
Dealing With The H-1B Cap - Now And In 2005
Karen Lee Pollak, Esq. writes "Employers will now need to alter their hiring plans for bringing temporary professional workers to the US this year..."

Equal Employment Opportunity
Read a response from the USCIS explaining equal employment opportunity.

ILW.COM Highlights

Updated Forms

I-485 and I-129 forms were recently updated.

Letters to Editors

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

Dear Editor:
We read with great interest your article on discrimination of potential immigrants. We have had firsthand experience of this. The impression that we are given is that applying for immigrations should be a fairly straightforward process whereas in fact, it is anything but. We are both highly qualified teachers, with honors degrees, who wish to relocate to America. We have now found we can only have a job if: No American wants it. If a visa is available. (all have gone for this year and no more are available until 2005). If we can produce a teaching licence. (which we can not without a SSN) If we could get an SSN (not available without a visa) If the employer is willing to petition on our behalf for the correct visa. (A lot of hassle) As British citizens we are not even eligible for the Green Card Lottery. We could not even get an appointment to see the consular Officer at the American Embassy in London. So, as you can see this is a vicious circle. Our biggest frustration is that it appears other foreign nationals can walk easily into America without all this hassle and have jobs. Where is the equal opportunity in that. What is unfair is the fact that other foreign nationals do not seem to have piles of legislation put in their way as the British do. We hope you can find a way to cut through this legislation as it is clearly unfair and not offering equal opportunities.

Mr and Mrs. Bullock

Dear Editor:
I really like your Immigrant's Weekly; that"s why I read every new issue. I am an illigal immigrant I has been residing USA since two years. I came with student program and whenever my status finished I just decideed to stay and to fix my future life in this great country but I do not have that many opportunities for future development. I work as a server now. I would like to say that this country is really losing young and clever people who can contribute much better to American society, life and its economy. I already have a bachelors degree in economical sciences from a European country. I also passed the GMAT exmine with scores high enough to go and study for a master degree in a top 40 American university. I know 3 languages. How long are they going to keep us without an immigration status and lose these minds because I now at least 100 people like me. I also know that they are not just 100, thereare many more than 100. They just stay on the bottom, working something like dishwashers, busers, and servers. I would like to ask when are they going to give us good status and give us chance for future development.

Name Not Provided

Dear Editor:
If anti-immigration groups keep the focus on undocumented in order to legitimate their accusations concerning war against terrorists, it is pretty similar to falsification against something that is not wrong. Dishwashers and gardeners have worked so hard with less pay than average, but have contributed more. They could not even afford to buy gun (what for?), while high school students could (for something obvious). They supposed to think how to make students read more, learn more, think more, how to increase the quality of education, where after studies the student could become a man or a woman with qualities, with better presentation as a quality human, a quality American - would think wise and just. Anti-immigration groups have really been wasting time and energy in focusing these minor, where they thoughts have wasted instead of taking care of the real thing that is major - concerns about terrorists threat. If they are paid by government, then it is such a shame. These undocumented are among those who work hard and are good tax payers. They don't get unpaid wages when they get sick and could not work to make money, but they will pay tax when they work and earn money. It is contrary with some (not all) Americans who don't work (some intentionally) and get paid (the money of course is from taxpayers). What a shame.

Harris Sarengat

Dear Editor:
I was under the impression that a K3 visa was a way for an American citizen to be joined with her spouse while waiting for the I-130 to be approved. This visa was supposed to bring a man and wife together in a quick fashion. I was married in Cairo, Egypt last June. We filed all the paperwork there at the embassy in Egypt. My husband and I have heard that all the paperwork is correct and verified. Now we are waiting for his final interview so he can be granted his visa to come here. It will be soon be a year since our marriage. That is a long time to wait for this K3 visa. I have written my congressman and the embassy and all I hear is that our petition is still under 'adminstrative processing". What does that mean anyway? I did fly to Egypt for an interview in Dec. We were told it was just a 'petition interview' and that my husband's final interview would be in a about one month. It has been almost 5 since then. This is just all too much. Good luck to anyone else that is going through this procedure. I can understand why some aliens would come into America illegally. When you go through the motions and do things correctly the process takes so very long.

Patti Close
New York

Dear Editor:
I am so confused about the processing times for I-130. My husband filed a Form I -130 for his brother on 08/2002 and we got a letter from USCIS that this case will start processing after 365 days and 2 months later on 10/2002, I filed for my brother and again we got a letter where they are saying this case will be processed for 500 days. So far we didn't get anything from them, not a word. As you see, both case dates have expired already and I did call the number over there they told me you have to wait because the load of the cases and they told me the processing time always get change. I don't get it. If you are sending a letter and you are saying processing will start after 365 days or 500 days you have to start right or you have to send a letter again to let us know what's going on. Why do you have to call? If you think we have to pay more to get processing done faster, you have to tell us and not to wait and wait and one day have our application got lost and start over again.

H Hoxha
Houston TX

Immigrant Life

What is a credit card?

A credit card is a plastic card that allows the holder access to a line of credit from a financial institution. Using the line of credit is like getting a short-term, pre-approved loan from the bank, but the interest on the loan is much higher than a regular loan. Some cards offer perks like frequent-flier miles, cash back, warranties or rental car insurance with use, so in many cases paying with a credit card can be more beneficial than paying with cash.

To learn more, see here.

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

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When	Attorney
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