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< Back to current issue of Immigrant's Weekly Dear Editor, I currently am engaged as an Immigration Legal Assistant in a large Law Firm in Pittsburgh. How I arrived in this position is probably fairly typical of those from abroad who enter the United States innocently and then become enmeshed in the snare of the Act. I left Northern Ireland in 1981after the death of my spouse to visit the United States on vacation. After a couple of months in the U.S. I was assured by well intentioned friends and relatives that I could simply 'stay' in America and equally simply file for and obtain a Green Card, and everything would be 'just wonderful'. As you can imagine it was not quite that simple. Had it not been for the intervention and representation by a Family Lawyer ( also from N.Ireland and a Protestant - imagine, a Catholic from N.Ireland being helped by a Protestant from N.Ireland in the U.S. !) I am certain that I would have been arrested. His presence changed the tone of the INS towards me and probably forced them to step back a little. Having been finally given Voluntary Departure by the local INS Sub District Office (1983), I married my U.S. Citizen girlfriend ( we are still happily married) and we filed the I-130/485 petition/application so that I could adjust status etc. During the intervening two (2) years I ran afoul of the local INS people to the extent that they informed my wife on the day of our interview that I was one of their least desirable cases. Not a great start to any relationship! That confrontation with the INS made me realize just how little aliens and US citizens actually understood the INA and how abrasive the INS officials could be. So, I decided to enter the legal profession as a Legal Assistant and to specialize in immigration matters. It has been a delightful experience for the past 18 years and I am happy to say that the local INS officers and I can look back and laugh about the 'good old' days. Even the one who was after my Irish hide back in 1983. I enjoy the friendly bantering with the Service personnel and I certainly have a great understanding of the confusion created by the Act in those from abroad attempting to enter the U.S. legally to start a new life. I can also understand why so many foreign nations enter the US legally and then work illegally and unknowingly place them selves in terrible jeopardy due to the well and not so well intentioned advise of many US corporate representatives who tend to see the foreign nationals as commodities rather than as people. It is an interesting life in an interesting environment and I thoroughly enjoy the challenges presented by each amendment to the Act. Thanks. Patrick J. Corr Copyright © 1999-2002 American Immigration LLC, ILW.COM
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