Got Immigration? The World’s Best Damn Blog About U.S. Immigration

I’m back, but don’t have much good news to report.  The Dream Act died a painful and very public death in the Senate on December 18th.  Although supporters insist the fight is not over, the fight is very much over for the time being.  I would be shocked if any legislation granting immigration benefits made it through Congress anytime before election day 2012, Dream Act included.  As if the Dream Act update isn’t depressing enough, there’s more bad news: family- based immigrant visa numbers, especially for the second preference category, will severely retrogress come January 1, 2011.  Although this shouldn’t affect anyone that obtains their immigrant visa this month, prospective immigrants that had interviews scheduled under the FB-2A or -2B categories in January or later will have a LONG wait before their soon-to-be rescheduled next appointment – approximately two years or so.  Hmmm…any other good news?  Not really, but I did read an interesting article in the LA Weekly (one of my local newspapers) about problems with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the agency most directly responsible for patrolling the U.S.-Mexico border and detaining/removing any immigrants attempting to the enter the country illegally.  According to the article, CBP routinely violates the civil and human rights of undocumented immigrants, with the agency stepping in only when a certain incident becomes public or is otherwise embarrassing.  Granted, there are plenty of good agents in CBP, and granted as well, they have one tough job – still, all agents need to be trained in enforcing the law while respecting the civil liberties of the undocumented.  I suppose that in the absence of Comprehensive Immigration Reform, I’ll take a kinder, gentler CBP for the time being instead.

In anticipation of Thanksgiving, I’d like to just say what I – as an immigration attorney – am thankful for.  I am thankful that I live in a country that is by and large very accepting of immigrants.  Although I rant and complain about how immigrants are treated in the U.S., I don’t lose sight of the fact that the United States absorbs more new immigrants in absolute terms than any other country in the world (of course, we probably also have the most immigration demand of any country in the world, but that doesn’t affect my point here).  I am thankful that immigrants have a means to redress grievances against the government in most cases.  I am thankful that agencies such as USCIS listen to the concerns of the public, even if they ignore our concerns when it suits them, and I am especially thankful for the Vermont Service Center, which is much easier to work with than USCIS’s other service facilities.  I am thankful that, despite outcries from the right, USCIS didn’t distance itself too strongly from an internal memo that was leaked outlining ways to provide benefits to immigrants in the absence of comprehensive immigration reform.  And finally, I am thankful that, in spite of a seemingly bleak future for undocumented immigrants in this country, minor miracles happen all the time.  Immigration laws are strictly enforced and are often obtuse and difficult to understand, but when you know how to use them to a client’s advantage, great things can and do happen all the time.  I guess that my advice this Thanksgiving to anyone that wants a piece of the American dream is not to give up, no matter how bad things look.  Of course, it never hurts to be smart about how you immigrate to the United States – and hiring a reputable attorney is always a good idea too.  Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers.  I’ll be back with more immigration posts after the long holiday weekend.

Today is a slow news day in the world of immigration, but I did see this photo-essay in the L.A. Times about odd border busts.  I especially like photo #4, which shows a man trying to sneak into the U.S. disguised as a chair (they say “sewn into the upholstery of a van seat,” but no – he’s disguised as a chair).  Check out the other photos too, which include people hiding in engines and marijuana hiding in concrete blocks and garden hoses.

You might have noticed that I’ve been off-radar for the past couple of days.  Trust me – it’s not by choice.  I have a nasty sore throat (maybe strep?),  my stomach is doing the rumba, and my joints are all achey.  I hope I’ll feel better by the end of the long Memorial Day weekend, and will have more posts for you then.

I’m going out of town tomorrow, but will be back at my computer writing more fun immigration articles bright and early Tuesday morning.  See you then!

I went to USCIS’s L.A. District Office yesterday, and was surprised to see the head of the InfoPass Unit giving a tour of the facilities to a group of Haitian immigrants.  I have to really commend USCIS for reaching out to the Haitian community in the United States so completely and effectively.  This is a lesson to all of us, even the ultra-jaded like me: the government can do the right thing when it wants to.  The private bar working with the government – here, USCIS – can make truly great things happen, and we can and should always strive to demand better from both sides of this equation.

You might realize that this has been a rather sparse week for postings.  That’s actually a good thing – I’ve been busy!  I’ll definitely have more to say next week, so make sure to check back then.

Another wedding, another trip to the Bay Area – I’ll be back with more immigration stories and updates on Tuesday.

Happy New Year to all my faithful readers.  I hope this will be the year of CIR, whatever form it may ultimately take.  All I ask is for a bill that gives us a more functional immigration system than we have right now.  I know it won’t be perfect, but I don’t think that “more functional” is really asking all that much!

This is going to be the last post for a little while – I’m taking the 24th and 25th off to rest my brain and spend some time with the family.  I’ll be back the week after Christmas with more exciting news from the world of immigration.

I know, I’ve only posted once this whole week.  It’s been a busy week, but I’ll be back on Monday with more stories from the world of immigration.  I’m going to a wedding Puerto Rico tomorrow, and won’t be back until Sunday – and no, I’m not bringing my laptop.  So sit tight, and check back in on Monday November 16th.