Editorial Staff's Blog

52 Soldiers Become U.S. Citizens at Army Basic Training

February 6, 2011, 4:02 pm

FORT JACKSON, S.C. – On the day before they graduate from Army basic training, 52 Soldiers today became citizens of the United States during a ceremony here. Today’s ceremony is one of many being held during “Military Appreciation Month” to recognize members of the military and their families.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) conducted the special naturalization ceremony during basic training Family Day activities to allow the 1,000-plus family members and fellow recruits to observe the proceedings.

Before administering the Oath of Allegiance, Rosemary Langley Melville, Acting Southeast Regional Director for USCIS addressed the audience by saying, “As you hear these Soldiers recite the Oath of Allegiance, please remember all the men and women in uniform who dedicate themselves to serving our country. Their service helps make ceremonies like today’s possible.”

As the new citizens received their naturalization certificates, they were treated to a special musical presentation of patriotic songs, including “Proud to Be an American," written and performed by Eric Horner. The Family Day activities also included tactical military demonstrations with spectacular smoke displays and explosive simulations.

USCIS and the Army established the Naturalization at Basic Training Initiative to give non-citizen enlistees the opportunity to naturalize at the completion of basic training. Since September 2001, USCIS has naturalized more than 58,300 members of the military, including those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The soldiers naturalized at the Fort Jackson ceremony hail from the following 35 countries: Bahrain, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Germany, Ghana, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Liberia, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Korea, Somalia, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay, and Vietnam.

USCIS established a toll-free military help line, 1-877-CIS-4MIL (1-877-247-4645), and e-mail service, militaryinfo.nsc@dhs.gov, exclusively for members of the military and their families. Additional information about USCIS and our support of the military is available online athttp://www.uscis.gov/military.

Immigration Scam Shut Down by FTC

By: Editorial Staff

January 31, 2011, 3:47 pm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEADE

January 31, 2011

At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, a federal judge has shut down an operation that allegedly posed as the U.S. government, then duped consumers into paying fees ranging from $200 to $2,500 by claiming the fees would cover processing by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. The court froze the defendants’ assets and appointed a receiver to take over the business until the case is resolved. The FTC has asked the court to halt the business practices permanently and order the operation to repay its victims.

The real U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), a division of the Department of Homeland Security, offers advice and counseling to immigrants in the United States and people seeking to immigrate to the United States. USCIS provides application forms for such benefits as green card renewal, work visas, and applications for asylum. The application forms are free but can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars to process.

According to the FTC, defendants Immigration Center and Immigration Forms and Publications, Inc., set up websites that mimic official government sites, and then used the fake sites to steer immigrants to their deceptive telemarketing operation. The websites depicted American eagles, the U.S. flag, and the Statue of Liberty and had URLs such as www.uscis-ins.us and www.usgovernmenthelpline.com. The sites directed consumers to call a toll-free number that an automated voice answered, “Immigration Center.” Consumers were then transferred to a live person who answered, “USCIS or “U.S. Immigration Center,” and identified him or herself as an “agent,” “immigration officer,” or “caseworker.” The sites also offered counseling and application forms. The counseling was done by telemarketers who did not meet legal requirements to provide immigration services, the FTC said.

Adding to the consumers’ confusion, the FTC alleged, the defendants charged fees for application forms that were the same amount as the government processing fees, leading them to believe the fees covered the cost of USCIS processing. Some consumers who applied for the forms were told to send checks by overnight mail to cover the costs. Others paid with checks or money orders on delivery. Consumers ended up paying for applications that were never processed by the USCIS for failure to pay the official processing fee, or, in some cases, they were charged twice, once by the defendants and once by the government after the defendant forwarded their bank account information to USCIS.

The FTC charged the defendants with violating federal law by misrepresenting:

that they were authorized to provide immigration and naturalization services;
that they were affiliated with the U.S. government; and
that the fees paid by consumers would cover all the costs associated with submitting immigration documents to the USCIS.

In addition, two of the defendants were charged with providing the others with the means and instrumentalities to further the illegal scheme.

The correct website of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service is www.uscis.gov.

The defendants named in the case are Immigration Center; Immigration Forms and Publications, Inc; Charles Doucette, individually and doing business as Telestaffing; Immigration Forms and Services and Immigration Form Processing; Deborah Stilson aka Deborah Malmstrom; Alfred Boyce; Thomas Strawbridge; Robin Meredith; Thomas Lawrence; and Elizabeth Meredith.

The Commission vote authorizing staff to file the complaint was 5-0. The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada.

The FTC wishes to acknowledge the invaluable assistance in this matter by the Department of Homeland Security; the U.S. Customs and Immigration Services; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Office of the Attorney General of Colorado; Office of the Attorney General of Missouri; Office of the Attorney General of Nevada; the Pettis County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office; the Department of Justice and Executive Office for Immigration Review; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

NOTE: The Commission files a complaint when it has “reason to believe” that the law has been or is being violated, and it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest. The complaint is not a finding or ruling that the defendant has actually violated the law. The case will be decided by the court.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,800 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s Web site provides free information on a variety of consumer topics.

MEDIA CONTACT:: Claudia Bourne Farrell
Office of Public Affairs
202-326-2181
STAFF CONTACT:: David Horn
Northwest Region
206-220-4483

House Subcommittee on Immigration Policy and Enforcement: A Preview of What's to Come

By: Editorial Staff

January 27, 2011, 1:20 pm

For Immediate Release

House Subcommittee on Immigration Policy and Enforcement:

A Preview of What's to Come

January 26, 2011

Washington D.C. - Today, the newly named House Subcommittee on Immigration Policy and Enforcement held its first hearing of the new session entitled, "ICE Worksite Enforcement - Up to the Job?" The name change seems to be a signal that Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith and Subcommittee Chairman Elton Gallegly will focus on enforcement, rather than immigration reform this session. It is hardly surprising, then, that the first hearing of the year was designed to challenge the Obama administration's decision to move from the massive worksite raids of the past to the use of employer worksite audits.

The following statements were made today during a pre-hearing press conference call organized by the Immigration Policy Center:

Mary Giovagnoli, Director of the Immigration Policy Center said:

The Obama Administration's stepped up worksite enforcement efforts include conducting a record numbers of I-9 audits and collecting millions of dollars in fines. While this is an improvement over the arrests and round-ups involved in large-scale raids, which targeted workers, this new strategy is not without controversy. Across the country, I-9 audits, when not carefully conducted within the guidelines ICE has set for itself, can inadvertently lead to hardships for employers and workers alike, leading to the firing of thousands of workers, and leaving employers without the workers they need. If today's hearing is any indication of the committee's long-term vision, then we are in for sound bites rather than substance, and a call for the good old days of immigration enforcement first and forever."

Emily Tulli, Policy Attorney at the National Immigration Law Center said:

"This enforcement-only agenda, with military-style raids as its ceerrorize communitiesnterpiece, may make for good PR, but it is ineffective policy. These raids t, shutter businesses, and hurt our local economies. This enforcement-only model is not only unsustainable and inhumane, but also doesn't fix our broken immigration system. Instead of looking backwards, we need to focus on practical solutions that help American workplaces thrive. ICE has a unique opportunity to meet their goals while helping to support labor law enforcement. Our economic recovery depends upon allowing good employers to thrive, while ensuring that bad apple employers who exploit workers are appropriately punished. ICE should use its significant enforcement dollars to target and penalize the worst employers, helping to create an incentive for employer compliance with immigration and labor law."

Javier Morillo-Alicea President of Service Employees International Union Local 26 in Minneapolis, Minnesota said:

"We are going to see more and more small business going underground and paying people off the books as a way not to be audited. The assumption that an ICE audit results in unauthorized workers being replaced by authorized workers should be checked. It's time for us to look at the problem and understand that we cannot deport our way out of illegal immigration nor can we audit our way out of illegal immigration."

Dan Siciliano, Senior Lecturer in Law and Associate Dean for Executive Education and Special Programs at Stanford Law School said:

"There is no evidence to support the idea that worksite raids open up jobs for U.S. workers. Most immigrant workers-mid-skill, low skill, documented and undocumented-don't compete with American workers. The 2010 Census is showing us that this trend has accelerated over the last decade. We have a low-skilled worker gap in the country. The overall skill level of US workers is increasing, which means those low skill jobs are becoming harder to fill. It isn't right to look at the economy and workforce as a set of little boxes whereby you pluck someone out of workplace, leaving a perfect empty seat for someone to fill. Labor force dynamics are much more complex than that."

Also see additional IPC resources on this topic:

A Framework for Effective Immigration Worksite Employer Enforcement (IPC, Jaunary 25, 2011) This paper provides background on immigration worksite enforcement efforts and lays out principles that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the administration's immigration worksite enforcement program. The principles include: accountability to stated priorities, accessibility of information, uniformity and consistency of standards, and proportionality of sanctions.

After the Raid is Over: Marshalltown, Iowa and the Consequences of Worksite Enforcement Raids (IPC Special Report, January 25, 2011) This paper examines the effects of a large immigration raid on a single company in America's heartland. It reviews the ICE raid on the Swift & Company pork processing facility in Marshalltown, Iowa in 2006 and the toll it has taken on the community's financial, social, and human capital.

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For more information contact Wendy Sefsaf at wsefsaf@immcouncil.org or 202-507-7524

President's Plans for Winning the Future Include Immigration Reform

By: Editorial Staff

January 26, 2011, 3:27 pm

For Immediate Release

January 26, 2011

Washington, D.C. - Last night in his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama called on Republicans and Democrats to work together to "win the future" by taking on challenges that have been decades in the making - challenges like updating our current immigration laws to meet the needs of the country. The President outlined an ambitious agenda focused on innovation, education, and reform designed to expand economic growth and personal opportunity for all Americans. He specifically called on Congress to work with him to reform our laws so that we are able to attract the best and brightest minds from around the world, retain highly educated foreign students by making it easier for them to live and work in the United States, stop wasting the talent of students brought to this country illegally as children, and to end the problem of illegal immigration once and for all.

The following is a statement from Benjamin Johnson, Executive Director of the American Immigration Council:

"President Obama reminded Americans that they are capable of big things and big ideas. By acknowledging the contributions of immigrants - as entrepreneurs, innovators, students and workers - in his vision of a renewed America, the President reiterated that creating a 21st century immigration system is part of the solution for America's full economic recovery and future growth. But the President went a step further, decrying immigration policies that simply don't make sense, such as turning away the best and brightest minds from around the world, sending foreign students back to their countries to compete against us, or denying an education to students who have the potential to fill the jobs of the future.

By placing his discussion of immigration policy squarely within his plans for economic prosperity, the President continues the important work of reframing the immigration debate that he began during a major immigration speech last summer. By coupling his analysis with calls for civil discourse and more bipartisanship, he set the stage for a fresh start on this often divisive issue. We urge the Members of Congress to follow the President's lead and to come together to reform an immigration system that has, for too long, been out of step with what the country needs - innovators, entrepreneurs, skilled workers of all sorts, and dreamers."

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For more information, please contact Seth Hoy at shoy@immcouncil.org or 202-507-7509.

State Legislators Attempt to Turn Back Clock to Pre-Civil War Era,

By: Editorial Staff

January 5, 2011, 3:27 pm

For Immediate Release

January 5, 2011

Washington, D.C. - Today, State Legislators for Legal Immigration (SLLI), a coalition of state legislators, revealed their plan to challenge the 14^th Amendment and the Constitutional definition of citizenship. Claiming that they need to correct a "monumental misapplication of the 14^th Amendment" and protect their states from the "illegal alien invasion," the legislators proposed model legislation intended to spark a new Supreme Court ruling to reinterpret the 14th Amendment.

The model legislation attempts to create a new definition of "state citizenship" and narrow the categories of people who would be citizens at birth: only children born to at least one parent who is a U.S. citizen, national, or legal permanent resident would be considered citizens. The bill would also create a "state compact" requiring states to issue two different types of birth certificates: one for those considered "natural-born U.S. citizens" and another singling out those whom the state does not consider a citizen.

The following is a statement from Benjamin Johnson, Executive Director of the American Immigration Council:

"The proposal presented today is clearly unconstitutional and an embarrassing distraction from the need to reform our nation's immigration laws. It constitutes a vicious assault on the U.S. Constitution and flies in the face of generations of efforts to expand civil rights. Moreover, it is an attack on innocent children born in the U.S. who would be confined to a new second-class citizenship and vulnerable to abuse and discrimination. While claiming to uphold the Constitution, these legislators have taken a clear stance against American values and principles. In the U.S. we have confirmed a tradition of liberty, equality and justice, where we are no more able to punish children for the actions of their parents than we are to pass titles of nobility down from one generation to the next.

"Denying citizenship to certain children born in the U.S. would not decrease unauthorized immigration; in fact it would increase the number of people in the U.S. without legal immigration status. Moreover, the impact of this misguided effort would be felt well beyond the undocumented population. Every American parent would have to prove the citizenship status of their children, requiring new documentation and a large government bureaucracy to sort through historical records, immigration documents, and international citizenship laws at taxpayer expense.

"We acknowledge that our immigration laws are badly broken, and we recognize that state and local legislators are frustrated by Congress's unwillingness to reform our immigration system. However, attacking constitutional citizenship is simply another distraction that moves us further away from addressing the real problems with our broken immigration system. Rather than challenging Congress to reinterpret the 14^th amendment, we need to redouble the effort to reform our immigration laws."

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For more information, please contact Seth Hoy at shoy@immcouncil.org or 202-507-7509.

___________________________________________________________________________

The American Immigration Council.

A Rising Star: Anthony Rainone Named Partner at Podvey Meanor P.C.

By: Editorial Staff

January 4, 2011, 2:01 pm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEWARK, NJ, January 4, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Podvey Meanor is pleased to announce that Anthony M. Rainone, Esq. has become a partner in the firm. Mr. Rainone has been with the firm since 2004 and specializes in complex business litigation, employment law, construction law and land use law, as well as state and federal civil rights law.

"Anthony has quickly developed a reputation for outstanding legal skills and zealous advocacy for his clients, always reevaluating his strategy and looking for the opening that will win his client's case. He also has a knack for creating lasting relationships with his clients. Elevating him to partner reflects the respect of his colleagues at the firm and throughout the legal community. The recognition is well deserved," says Robert Podvey, a founding partner of the firm.

Anthony is a graduate of Seton Hall University School of Law where he was a member of the Seton Hall Law Review, a member of the Seton Hall Interscholastic Moot Court Team, and a member of the Seton Hall Moot Court Board. He also received a pro bono service award at Seton Hall for his work as a volunteer tax preparer for the Internal Revenue Service.

"I represent clients the way I would like to be represented - creatively and aggressively," says Anthony. "((I’m passionate about finding the best possible outcome for my clients, and it is important to me that I be responsive and accessible))."

About Podvey Meanor:

Podvey Meanor P.C. is a Newark-based law firm that helps businesses navigate both complex and routine legal issues that arise in today's business climate. Offering a depth of legal experience that rivals the largest firms, combined with unmatched accessibility and personal service, Podvey Meanor offers expertise in litigation in nearly all areas of the law, including: complex commercial disputes, insurance coverage litigation, professional liability, employment law and real estate. For more information visit us at www.podvey.com.For additional information contact: Lori Maltzman, Marketing Director, Podvey Meanor, P.C. 1037 Raymond Blvd., Suite 800, Newark, NJ 07102, 973.623.1000 lmaltzman@podvey.com, http://www.podvey.com

Lori Maltzman
Marketing Director
Podvey Meanor
1 Riverfront Plaza
Newark, NJ 07102
p: (973) 623-6280
f: (973) 623-6080
e: lmaltzman@podvey.com

Vejatv.com becomes a Youtube partner and now offers live streaming and films online

By: Editorial Staff

December 24, 2010, 6:44 pm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New York, December 24, 2010 - The video website Vejatv.com been granted a partnership with youtube to broadcast “Live streaming events”. In this partnership with the Youtube (Google, incorporation) Vejatv.com will transmit events for the whole world using the latest technology in video streaming through the www.youtube.com/vejatvbroadcast channel. Recent events such as the U2 concert that had more than 700,000 viewers, some president Obama’s speeches and other streamed shows has made it clear that it is inevitable that television is headed towards internet streaming. The future of television as we know it is about to change and vejatv.com is ready for the change.

An important aspect of the partnership of Vejatv.com with the Youtube is the ability for viewers to participate in vejatv’s Portuguese language shows, such as “America Legal” right on the computer screen, through a Ipod, Iphone, Ipad, GoogleTV or AppleTV,. This new technology is flooding the homes of the Americans and it promises to be the 2011’s technological sensation. The Vejatvbroadcast channel in youtube, is filled with more than on 1,900 vejatv produced videos. During the year 2010 vejatv.com has had over 1.5 million unique visitors on its site (according to Google analytic) and projects for 2011, over 3 million users. Plans are under way to offer video rental, television programs, musical comedies and other shows, such as the Miss Brasil USA pageant and the Brazilian Day Festival.

In 2010 Vejatv.com had an explosive expansion in number of accesses, making it one of the pre-eminent Portuguese language video web site in the United States, Brazil and Portugal and is the most visited Portuguese language web site in the United States. The site focuses on the Portuguese language, with interviews, news, immigration programs, parades, shows, music and much more. However it also has thousands of videos in the English and Spanish language as well as over 140 streaming radio channels form Brazil. Portugal and Latin America. All the content of the website www.vejatv.com is free, produced by the staff of vejatv or uploaded by its users. There are about 25 thousand registered users.

Local or international channels that would like to be featured on vejatv.com are welcomed. Vejatv offers its own channels to video producers. Everything on the site is free, included program to embed videos, create play lists and photo albums. Many other tools are available for webmasters.

Vejatv.com offers a unique opportunity for websites, community organizations, local newspapers, and local government to reach out to the Portuguese language community throughout the world.

If anyone is interested in learning more about the Vejatv.com channel on youtube go to http://www.youtube.com/vejatvbroadcast.. If video producers are interested in having their own channel contact vejatv@gmail.com.

USCIS Reminds Haitians to Register for Temporary Protected Status

By: Editorial Staff

December 22, 2010, 11:17 pm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reminds Haitian nationals that the registration deadline for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is Jan. 18, 2011.

Haitian nationals who have continuously resided in the United States since Jan. 12, 2010, and who meet other TPS eligibility requirements, must file their applications for TPS no later than Jan. 18, 2011. The TPS designation for Haiti will remain in effect through July 22, 2011.

USCIS advises Haitian nationals to review their TPS application packages carefully. Details and procedures for applying for TPS are provided on the USCIS website and in the Federal Register notice announcing TPS for Haiti.

TPS forms are available on the USCIS website or by calling toll-free 1-800-870-3676. For additional information, applicants may also contact the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283.

For guidance and information on USCIS’s response to the earthquake in Haiti, please visit www.uscis.gov/haitianearthquake. Applicants requesting a fee waiver must comply with the requirements described on USCIS’s Fee Waiver Guidance Web page.

For more information on USCIS and its programs, visit www.uscis.gov.

As U.S. Senate Prepares to Vote, State Lawmakers Urge Passage of Dream Act

By: Editorial Staff

December 16, 2010, 9:36 pm

For Immediate Release

December 16, 2010

Washington D.C. - Today, a group of state legislators from Colorado, Massachusetts, Maine, Texas, and Utah participated in a briefing to share their support for federal legislation know as the DREAM Act. The bi-partisan DREAM Act passed the House of Representatives and awaits a final vote in the Senate in the days ahead. The DREAM Act offers undocumented students the opportunity to gain legal status after completing two years of college or military service, in addition to other requirements. The Migration Policy Institute estimates that 755,000 of the 1.9 million eligible unauthorized immigrants would likely satisfy the DREAM Act's postsecondary or military requirements and obtain legal permanent status.

The state legislators convened by Progressive State Action and the Immigration Policy Center discussed what's at stake for their individual states, how the DREAM Act would benefit local communities, and why they are strongly urging their U.S. Senators to vote in favor of the bill.

State Representative Diane Russell of Maine said "Passing the DREAM Act is a great example of a common sense proposal. It expands opportunity for all our residents - a goal that I know resonates with many Maine voters, including my colleagues in the U.S. Senate. We should not be punishing young people for their parent's decision to come to this country illegally. That said, we do need to find a realistic way to bring those young people into the fold and onto the books without "getting ahead of the line." The DREAM Act is precisely the kind of common sense policy that would do so that is good for Maine's economy, its residents and our communities."

State Representative Jessica Farrar of Texas enhanced the need for the DREAM Act particularly in Texas where in-state tuition for kids is under attack. Farrar said "In our last election, a super majority of Republicans were elected. Their number one target has been the repeal of in-state tuition. Now, I feel like the repeal will pass. I'm very concerned because education promotes assimilation and provides opportunities for students ... I want to ask Senators Cornyn and Hutchinson why we would walk away from the opportunity to develop medical researchers, entrepreneurs, scientists and educators?"

State Representative Denise Provost of Massachusetts said "Immigrants have added tremendous value to our state. Massachusetts has invested heavily in K-12 education. We're investing in every student. But because federal immigration law is so outmoded and in need of change, we're prevented from benefiting from the investment we have in our students. We produce way too many valedictorians who have no future. The DREAM Act is something that would benefit our state. Massachusetts needs that workforce and the military could use the help."

State Senator Luz Robles of Utah said "The country will agree that criminalizing children is not the way we run our country, it doesn't reflect our culture or who we are as a nation...Any individual in this country who wants an opportunity to continue to grow and be a taxpayer should get that opportunity and that's what the DREAM Act does. It recognizes that they're here and it recognizes that they're a great source of revenue for our states. More importantly, they are the future of this country."

State Representative Joe Miklosi of Colorado said "It doesn't make sense to invest 12 years of education and then say we're going to stop after they graduate. I can't think of why we would stop professional development. It just doesn't seem to make economic sense... In Colorado, we want to continue our job growth, but in order to keep that momentum, we need to expand educational opportunities to more people and give the undocumented the ability to pay their own way. It's a win-win for everyone."

To listen to a recording of the conversation see:

http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/sites/default/files/docs/ipc/7STATE%20121610.mp3

For more resources on the DREAM Act see:

http://immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/dream-act-2010

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For more information contact Wendy Sefsaf at wsefsaf@immcouncil.org or 202-507-7524.

___________________________________________________________________________

The Immigration Policy Center (IPC), established in 2003, is the policy arm of the American Immigration Council. IPC's mission is to shape a rational national conversation on immigration and immigrant integration. Through its research and analysis, IPC provides policymakers, the media, and the general public with accurate information about the role of immigrants and immigration policy on U.S. society. IPC reports and materials are widely disseminated and relied upon by press and policy makers. IPC staff regularly serves as experts to leaders on Capitol Hill, opinion-makers and the media. IPC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor opposes any political party or candidate for office.

Division of the American Immigration Council.

Why don’t immigrants come to the U.S. legally? Why don’t they get in line?

By: Editorial Staff

December 16, 2010, 6:47 am

December 16, 2010 -- - In today's immigration debate, many Americans repeatedly ask, Why don't immigrants come legally? Why don't they get in line? For the majority of the 12 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S., there is no line. Given restrictions on family-based immigration and the low number of employment-based green cards available, coupled with outdated immigration laws, the number of green cards available is extremely low. Those fortunate enough to achieve legal status face years of waiting before they naturalize because U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is severely backlogged due to the increase in applications and the lack of personnel to process them. There are four routes by which an immigrant can enter legally into the U.S.:

- Employment: Employers can petition for qualified workers in certain professions if they cannot find a qualified American. These immigrants must prove a high level of education and experience. The number of green cards for low-skilled workers is limited to 5,000 annually for the entire U.S., a grossly insufficient number given that the demand for these workers has surged while the supply of U.S. workers has decreased as more Americans become better educated.

- Family: U.S. citizen family members can petition for green cards for spouses, parents, children and siblings. Legal permanent residents can only petition for their spouses and unmarried children, provided they meet certain other requirements. There are limited green cards available within most family categories, but the high demand has created a major backlog.

- Refugees: Immigrants who can prove a well-founded fear of persecution may be granted refugee status or asylum. They must prove that any harm done to them is based on ìrace, religion, membership in a social group, political opinion, or national origin.î Even if they satisfy this requirement, they are subject to quotas. Immigrants cannot qualify for refugee status because of severe economic conditions in their home country.

- Lottery: The annual diversity visa program makes 55,000 green cards available to persons from countries with low immigration rates to the U.S., so people from nations like Mexico, Brazil, China and India are excluded. Applicants must have a high-school education and two years of work experience. The U.S. immigration system is considered outdated and is overwhelmed by green card applicants, making it virtually impossible to come legally. As a nation of immigrants, the U.S. must transform the broken immigration system into one that works for everyone.

It becomes readily apparent; that getting in line will never resolve the dilemma our country faces with 12 million illegal immigrants living within our borders. A great percentage of them have been here for many years and have developed family, businesses and other social ties. There is only one solution to the immigration problem; comprehensive immigration reform.

This article incorporated with permission an article published by AILA (American Immigration Lawyers Association) AILA Doc. No. 08031243.

For more information on immigration policies, visit www.aila.org.

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