hsingh82
04-28 12:09 AM
Is there any minumum periods which i can reenter to us with the same old VISA. Means if i travel back on July/Aug and my VISA expires on Sept. I heard i should have a minimum 3 months validity for the VISA before i am reentering to US. Is that true?
Some people say this is 6 months, I am not sure and I have been asking on various forums but haven't received a concrete answer yet.
Some people say this is 6 months, I am not sure and I have been asking on various forums but haven't received a concrete answer yet.
wallpaper New Qamp;A in the Charlotte
GC4US
01-21 01:44 AM
Can soneone help me with this question.....please....
My husband is on H1B and I'm on Ead.....both of us have expired I-94 stamps.....we are planing to go to our home country this year...we want to apply for advance parole......my question is.....can we enter U.S both of us with AD?
I read on Uscis website that you need to have personal reason in order to go to your country while I-485 is pending....and you have to prove your personal reason.....is that true....we want only to visit our parents.
Thanks in advance!
My husband is on H1B and I'm on Ead.....both of us have expired I-94 stamps.....we are planing to go to our home country this year...we want to apply for advance parole......my question is.....can we enter U.S both of us with AD?
I read on Uscis website that you need to have personal reason in order to go to your country while I-485 is pending....and you have to prove your personal reason.....is that true....we want only to visit our parents.
Thanks in advance!
abimanyu
09-11 07:10 AM
My significant other's labor processing begain in DEC 2002, the application was made in Jan 2003, and it reached the Dallas BEC on July 2003, here labor was certified on Aug 2006, and we received notice from the lawyers day before yesterday. Now the next wait begins, for PD to become current.
It took 3 years for the 1st stage processing, maybe it will take another 6 years to complete the 2nd and 3rd stage processing. If this trend continues I might be ready to retire by the time the GC arrives.:)
After reading this, I was not sure whether that 140K included the Labour backlogs. I know the BECs have been a lot more active lately and have been pumping out approvals/denials more rapidly.
If infact 140K backlogs do include them, then perhaps that would be a good thing, since atleast then we can perhaps begin to get our arms around this and understand how long our waits will actually be.
One thing is for sure they have definitely stepped up the speed of things at the USCIS with other filings after retrogression hit.
It took 3 years for the 1st stage processing, maybe it will take another 6 years to complete the 2nd and 3rd stage processing. If this trend continues I might be ready to retire by the time the GC arrives.:)
After reading this, I was not sure whether that 140K included the Labour backlogs. I know the BECs have been a lot more active lately and have been pumping out approvals/denials more rapidly.
If infact 140K backlogs do include them, then perhaps that would be a good thing, since atleast then we can perhaps begin to get our arms around this and understand how long our waits will actually be.
One thing is for sure they have definitely stepped up the speed of things at the USCIS with other filings after retrogression hit.
2011 THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER
Templarian
01-01 07:06 PM
^That's a good idea glosrfc, AS3 only should be added to the guidelines.
jk/ing... actually not, but it would sound mean if I wasn't
jk/ing... actually not, but it would sound mean if I wasn't
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mrane1
06-07 08:58 PM
Hi Dhundhun,
Sorry for my late response. After thinking long and hard, I have actually taken ARRA for my health insurance. I have decided not to go for Unemplyment. I read about a specific case somewhere online where an applicant got a RFE on his 485 after applying for unemployement. I am not sure if RFE was because of unemployement, but on that forum a lot of people suspected that applying for umpl could be one of the reasons.
For me, I was really running out of options, without ARRA, health insurance would have costed me over $1500 so I went for it.
Thanks
A friend of mine was laid off few months back and he applied for unemployement benefits. USCIS called his company to check his employement situation before making a decision on his case (he was current at the time). The company said he was laid off and so his 485 was rejected. he has filed a MTR. I dont think the unemployement had anything to do with it. But its better not to apply for any government aid if possible. There are many people who have applied for unemployement. It would be interesting to find out if they had issues during the 485 approval
Sorry for my late response. After thinking long and hard, I have actually taken ARRA for my health insurance. I have decided not to go for Unemplyment. I read about a specific case somewhere online where an applicant got a RFE on his 485 after applying for unemployement. I am not sure if RFE was because of unemployement, but on that forum a lot of people suspected that applying for umpl could be one of the reasons.
For me, I was really running out of options, without ARRA, health insurance would have costed me over $1500 so I went for it.
Thanks
A friend of mine was laid off few months back and he applied for unemployement benefits. USCIS called his company to check his employement situation before making a decision on his case (he was current at the time). The company said he was laid off and so his 485 was rejected. he has filed a MTR. I dont think the unemployement had anything to do with it. But its better not to apply for any government aid if possible. There are many people who have applied for unemployement. It would be interesting to find out if they had issues during the 485 approval
indianabacklog
07-30 10:11 PM
Are you saying that a child will age out if the child's 485 cannot be immediately adjudicated due to retrogression and the child is over 21 when that 485 is eventually processed?
Yes assuming after the deduction of the time it took to adjudicate the I140 the child is still over 21. If this occurs the childs application will automatically be transferred to the respective family based category and processed that way and we know how long the waits are for those dates to become current.
Yes assuming after the deduction of the time it took to adjudicate the I140 the child is still over 21. If this occurs the childs application will automatically be transferred to the respective family based category and processed that way and we know how long the waits are for those dates to become current.
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coolmanasip
07-19 09:51 AM
GURUs cna u reply when you get a chance!
2010 Please check with The Charlotte Observer / Homefinder.com to confirm
simple1
05-11 06:49 PM
desi3933,
Only if "if not otherwise entitled to an immigrant status and the immediate issuance of a visa under subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this section"
In this case they are eligible for FB2A. So it nullifies that.
again “respective subsection” is not referring to primary’s subsection.
same status = parolee, denied etc.
same order of consideration = PD order.
respective subsection=the respective/related/corresponding subsection of derivative not the primary.
This point was already discussed on member's and donor's thread with same subject.
Member thread: http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showthread.php?t=25432
Donor thread: http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showthread.php?p=340449
This thread is for lawyer's thoughts. I appreciate you post your thoughts on the above member/donor threads and let us keep this thread for Attorney only.
Thanks.
INA 203(d) Treatment of family members
A spouse or child as defined in subparagraph (A), (B), (C), (D), or (E) of section 1101(b)(1) of this title shall, if not otherwise entitled to an immigrant status and the immediate issuance of a visa under subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this section, be entitled to the same status, and the same order of consideration provided in the respective subsection, if accompanying or following to join, the spouse or parent.
This means that if primary beneficiary is using visa number from EB(2) classification then dependent(s) will also be using same classification as primary beneficiary (i.e. EB(2) in this example).
______________________
Not a legal advice
US citizen of Indian origin
Only if "if not otherwise entitled to an immigrant status and the immediate issuance of a visa under subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this section"
In this case they are eligible for FB2A. So it nullifies that.
again “respective subsection” is not referring to primary’s subsection.
same status = parolee, denied etc.
same order of consideration = PD order.
respective subsection=the respective/related/corresponding subsection of derivative not the primary.
This point was already discussed on member's and donor's thread with same subject.
Member thread: http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showthread.php?t=25432
Donor thread: http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showthread.php?p=340449
This thread is for lawyer's thoughts. I appreciate you post your thoughts on the above member/donor threads and let us keep this thread for Attorney only.
Thanks.
INA 203(d) Treatment of family members
A spouse or child as defined in subparagraph (A), (B), (C), (D), or (E) of section 1101(b)(1) of this title shall, if not otherwise entitled to an immigrant status and the immediate issuance of a visa under subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this section, be entitled to the same status, and the same order of consideration provided in the respective subsection, if accompanying or following to join, the spouse or parent.
This means that if primary beneficiary is using visa number from EB(2) classification then dependent(s) will also be using same classification as primary beneficiary (i.e. EB(2) in this example).
______________________
Not a legal advice
US citizen of Indian origin
more...
LostInGCProcess
11-10 05:05 PM
Hi,
Thanks for the reply and sorry for creating multiple threads.
- First H1B Employer "A"
-----------------------------
Approved: Oct 2006
Stamped: December 2006
Visa stamp valid till : Oct' 2009
H1B transferred to Employer "B" : June 2007
Traveling to India: November ' 2008
On Dec12, 2007, i saw an update on I-797 from Employer "A" even though
I have moved to Employer "B" by that time.
The Status of I-797 for Employer "A" on USCIS website got changed
to "Cable sent to American Consulate or port of entry notifying them of approval.".
My concern is that whether the above status means that first Employer "A" has revoked the H1B visa?
If yes, doesn't that means that I will NOT be able to use that H1B
visa stamping and *new* I-797 from Employer "B" at port of entry?
Thanks again..look forward to your response
You need not worry about your old H1 and also you can use the current visa to enter US as long as it has more then 6 months validity period.
Thanks for the reply and sorry for creating multiple threads.
- First H1B Employer "A"
-----------------------------
Approved: Oct 2006
Stamped: December 2006
Visa stamp valid till : Oct' 2009
H1B transferred to Employer "B" : June 2007
Traveling to India: November ' 2008
On Dec12, 2007, i saw an update on I-797 from Employer "A" even though
I have moved to Employer "B" by that time.
The Status of I-797 for Employer "A" on USCIS website got changed
to "Cable sent to American Consulate or port of entry notifying them of approval.".
My concern is that whether the above status means that first Employer "A" has revoked the H1B visa?
If yes, doesn't that means that I will NOT be able to use that H1B
visa stamping and *new* I-797 from Employer "B" at port of entry?
Thanks again..look forward to your response
You need not worry about your old H1 and also you can use the current visa to enter US as long as it has more then 6 months validity period.
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santb1975
04-10 06:02 PM
Together we can accomplish a lot
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boreal
02-05 06:28 PM
Can you please let me know if you received my email.
Thanks
wow!! IV has been very productive for you NewDoc..Would u like to contribute to IV if you get this post? And Bonus if you can convince some of your friends to join IV and contribute too ...
Thanks
wow!! IV has been very productive for you NewDoc..Would u like to contribute to IV if you get this post? And Bonus if you can convince some of your friends to join IV and contribute too ...
hot The Charlotte Observer
Desertfox
01-03 01:19 AM
SEVIS applies to F, M and J nonimmigrant students irrespective of undergraduate or graduate studies. I don't think Robert Kumar should consider F1, because he already has AOS pending status and not considered a nonimmigrant student anymore. Its no different than a permanent resident applying for a F1 visa. BTW, I took more than 18 credits in year 2010 @ resident tuition rate with my I-485 receipt, and received federal student loan as an eligible non-citizen with my AP stamp on passport. From what I heard on this forum, some universities are reluctant in considering AOS for resident tuition rate, but one can get help from the justice department in such cases. Here in Arizona all state universities accept AOS as equivalent status of a permanent resident.
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house tom higgins the charlotte
Dhundhun
07-10 01:43 AM
.. X made appeal and you continued working with X. Why do you think this to be illegal?
.. Y applied for H-1B transfer and it got approved. So why do you think problem in joining Y?
.. I think passport validity of six months used to be OK for Visa Stamping. Check this one. Preferably it is better to get new passport - people are getting some times stuck for months in PIMS.
.. It should be OK to take job with Y (assuming that you have I-797 from Y with I-94) and then getting Visa stamped when new passport arrives.
.. Y applied for H-1B transfer and it got approved. So why do you think problem in joining Y?
.. I think passport validity of six months used to be OK for Visa Stamping. Check this one. Preferably it is better to get new passport - people are getting some times stuck for months in PIMS.
.. It should be OK to take job with Y (assuming that you have I-797 from Y with I-94) and then getting Visa stamped when new passport arrives.
tattoo The Charlotte Observer#39;s
bmoni
08-19 07:37 PM
I'm planning to travel to India next month. My passport expires in December 09 and my H1b stamp on the passport expires in July of 2010. Will there be any problem at the POE because of the short valid months left in the passport and H1B visa.
Thanks,
Thanks,
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WeShallOvercome
12-13 01:59 AM
It depends on the terms of the contract.
I think Washington is an "At Will" employment state, so no matter what a contract says, its pretty much !#*$. I'd do some research if I were you -google, get some state specific employment law advice, check your employee handbook etc.
At Will means that either side (employer or employee) can end a contract at any point, AFAIK
Employee handbook should spell it out. I guess they "could" force you to use your PTO - don't know of the legality in that.
Just my opinion, not legal advice:o
Quick search online got this:-
At Will
In Washington, employees are presumed to be "at will." At-will employees may be terminated for any reason, so long as it is not illegal. Generally, employees that work under an employment contract can only be terminated for reasons specified in the contract. In Washington, in order to overcome the at-will presumption, an employee must show that the employer made clear and unequivocal statements of job security to the employee.
The most common exception to employment-at will is for public policy. This holds that an employee is wrongfully discharged if the termination is counter to an explicit policy of the government. One example is the discharge of an employee for filing a workers' compensation claim.
Employee Handbooks
While an employer is not required by law to have an employee handbook, in most cases, it is recommended. An employee handbook provides a centralized, complete and certain record of the employer's policies and procedures. It also provides more convenient access by employees and managers. At a minimum, an employee handbook should include:
* A statement regarding the at-will employment relationship
* An equal employment opportunity statement
* A policy regarding sexual and other types of harassment in the workplace
* Internet access, e-mail, and voice mail policies
* The Family Medical Leave Act
In Washington, in limited circumstances, the at-will presumption can be overcome and a just-cause employment relationship can be created by an employee's legitimate expectations that are grounded in an employer's policy statements. The employee has to show that the employer, through the employee manual or otherwise, made representations or promises that termination would be only for just cause.
The laws regarding an employer's duties and responsibilities arising under an employee handbook are complex, and a licensed attorney should be contacted to review individual circumstances.
Thanks franklin,
My concern here is that IF I want to leave my employer without having to pay the 'damages' , Can I do that in case they are not able to find me a project in my state of residence (I have a house here in WA). I don't think they can force me to stay unpaid just so I don't break their agreement.
Also from the USCIS point of view, how safe or risky is it to be in this situation where the employer is not able to find any work for you just 1.5 months after GC approval? I can easily find work here, but if I can use this to get out of the agreement, I don't mind being unpaid for a few days...
I've heard some cases where the employee forced the employer to release him from all contractual obligations because employer wasn't able to pay him when he was willing to work..
btw, it's nice to be able to attach some face to a handle... I remember you from the DC rally day.
I think Washington is an "At Will" employment state, so no matter what a contract says, its pretty much !#*$. I'd do some research if I were you -google, get some state specific employment law advice, check your employee handbook etc.
At Will means that either side (employer or employee) can end a contract at any point, AFAIK
Employee handbook should spell it out. I guess they "could" force you to use your PTO - don't know of the legality in that.
Just my opinion, not legal advice:o
Quick search online got this:-
At Will
In Washington, employees are presumed to be "at will." At-will employees may be terminated for any reason, so long as it is not illegal. Generally, employees that work under an employment contract can only be terminated for reasons specified in the contract. In Washington, in order to overcome the at-will presumption, an employee must show that the employer made clear and unequivocal statements of job security to the employee.
The most common exception to employment-at will is for public policy. This holds that an employee is wrongfully discharged if the termination is counter to an explicit policy of the government. One example is the discharge of an employee for filing a workers' compensation claim.
Employee Handbooks
While an employer is not required by law to have an employee handbook, in most cases, it is recommended. An employee handbook provides a centralized, complete and certain record of the employer's policies and procedures. It also provides more convenient access by employees and managers. At a minimum, an employee handbook should include:
* A statement regarding the at-will employment relationship
* An equal employment opportunity statement
* A policy regarding sexual and other types of harassment in the workplace
* Internet access, e-mail, and voice mail policies
* The Family Medical Leave Act
In Washington, in limited circumstances, the at-will presumption can be overcome and a just-cause employment relationship can be created by an employee's legitimate expectations that are grounded in an employer's policy statements. The employee has to show that the employer, through the employee manual or otherwise, made representations or promises that termination would be only for just cause.
The laws regarding an employer's duties and responsibilities arising under an employee handbook are complex, and a licensed attorney should be contacted to review individual circumstances.
Thanks franklin,
My concern here is that IF I want to leave my employer without having to pay the 'damages' , Can I do that in case they are not able to find me a project in my state of residence (I have a house here in WA). I don't think they can force me to stay unpaid just so I don't break their agreement.
Also from the USCIS point of view, how safe or risky is it to be in this situation where the employer is not able to find any work for you just 1.5 months after GC approval? I can easily find work here, but if I can use this to get out of the agreement, I don't mind being unpaid for a few days...
I've heard some cases where the employee forced the employer to release him from all contractual obligations because employer wasn't able to pay him when he was willing to work..
btw, it's nice to be able to attach some face to a handle... I remember you from the DC rally day.
dresses The Charlotte Burger Blog
fromnaija
07-21 05:24 AM
Not necessarily. Since GC is for future job, it's not impossible for the employer and the employee to be in different cities.
You better check to see if you are invalidating your entire petition.
You may get denied if they determine that the job you are taking is not where you originally stated. I say this because, if you haven't even filed for AoS then you clearly can't be using AC21 portability at this stage.
You better check to see if you are invalidating your entire petition.
You may get denied if they determine that the job you are taking is not where you originally stated. I say this because, if you haven't even filed for AoS then you clearly can't be using AC21 portability at this stage.
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ravi2patel
07-24 02:38 PM
ashkam - Thanks alot for the info....my case is "If your job (description, location and salary) remains same or similar under the new company"...still i don't understand why my attorney says to start all over again.
I feel like packing up and go back home ...this country's immi system is all messed up...not sure i can mentally handle it anymore :(
I feel like packing up and go back home ...this country's immi system is all messed up...not sure i can mentally handle it anymore :(
girlfriend charlotte observer newspaper.
help43
09-23 02:16 PM
I applied for H1-B amendemnt with premium processing.
But i am unable to see any updates with my reciept number, i mean my current status still the same as before.
do you think, do they have my h1-b amendment petition with them? or not?
But i am unable to see any updates with my reciept number, i mean my current status still the same as before.
do you think, do they have my h1-b amendment petition with them? or not?
hairstyles The Charlotte Observer.
regacct
11-23 01:27 PM
Why the Anti-immigrant Dog Did Not Bark in Illinois (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-creamer/why-the-anti-immigrant-do_b_787368.html)
In the Sherlock Holmes short story "Silver Blaze" the famous detective focuses his analytic prowess on the "curious incident" of the dog that did not bark in the nighttime.
In the recent mid-term elections there was a similar "curious incident" in Illinois that is important nationally. No major candidate in Illinois from either the Republican or Democratic Party demagogued the immigration issue. Neither the ultra-conservative Republican candidate for Governor, Bill Brady, nor the supposedly "moderate" candidate for Senate, Mark Kirk, ran ads, did mailers, or used talking points about the supposed scourge of illegal immigrants taking jobs or sponging up our tax money. Nor did any major candidate for Congress.
It is definitely true that a number of the Republican candidates that were elected to Congressional seats hold anti-immigrant positions. But they did not choose to use those positions as wedge issues in the recent election. Why not?
A possible explanation is that Republicans in Illinois are a kinder, more reasonable group than Republicans elsewhere. That, I'm afraid, does not pass the laugh test.
You could argue that it's because Illinois has a large immigrant population in general and a large Latino population in particular. But so do Colorado, Nevada, Arizona and California where Republican Party candidates tried to use "illegal immigration" and "amnesty" as wedge issues to galvanize their base.
It is true that Illinois has a more immigrant-friendly tradition than some of the states in the Southwest. Much of the Caucasian population in Illinois comes from recent immigrant stock themselves - from Ireland, Poland, Lithuania, Italy, Germany, Croatia and Serbia.
But there is also a more old-fashioned reason. Demagogues and bullies tend to prey upon those whom they consider too weak to strike back. It turned out that in Nevada, California, and Colorado they made the wrong call, since their demagoguery galvanized turnout among Latino voters that defeated right-wing candidates for the Senate.
In fact, the Latino vote saved the Senate for the Democrats.
But in Illinois the right didn't even try their demagogic tactics. That's largely because the immigrant communities in Illinois have worked hard over five election cycles to build a muscular political organizing vehicle that gets out the immigrant vote -- and can bite back fiercely at anti-immigrant demagogues.
In 2008, Jim Oberweis ran for Congress against Democrat Bill Foster on a heavily anti-immigrant platform and was flattened by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. That experience sent a lesson through Illinois' right-wing political class. Nothing like watching one of their own get scalded to teach others not to touch the stove.
The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) no leads The New Americans' Democracy Project . This year, 13 electoral organizers worked for months in both the City of Chicago and the Suburbs. They targeted 133,128 infrequent immigrant voters for a multi-contact phone and door operation, and before the election was done the volunteers they recruited did a total of 549,000 live phone calls to their universe of Latino, Asian and Muslim voters.
This work has been growing in scale and bite since 2002 when it began with no funding and in only nine precincts. At this point the immigrant vote can no longer be ignored by either party. Here are several key lessons from the Illinois immigrant organizing experience:
1) Consistency Counts: ICIRR has had between 10 and 20 full-time immigrant election campaign organizers every election since 2004. They begin their work in July and work through November, building a "recent immigrant" field operation. In every single cycle they add new skills to their electoral organizing.
2) Numbers Count: The immigrant voter program has registered over 90,000 new immigrant voters. They door-knock between 35,000 and 60,000 doors every election cycle.
3) Diversity is Strength: The Democracy Project works with leaders and organizations in Latino community, but also the Asian, Arab, and Polish immigrant communities.
4) Mine the "Base" and work the "Swings": The electoral work is done in the immigrant "base" Chicago port of entry neighborhoods to generate numbers, but also in swing suburban political districts where multi-ethnic immigrant organizing multiplies the voting power of Latinos. The activation of new immigrant voters in suburban "swing" communities forces Republican attention to immigrant issues.
5) Reward Friends, Punish Enemies: ICIRR keeps track of who engages in immigrant bashing -- and stikes back. When Republican anti-immigrant candidate Jim Oberweis polarized voters against "illegal immigrants", ICIRR released to the media a film of undocumented immigrants cleaning his business while being paid only $3.23 an hour. When old-school Democratic Mayor of Waukegan, IL attacked "illegals" with local law enforcement of immigration laws, he went down to defeat in the next election because Latinos in Waukegan mobilized to support his opponent.
6) Naturalize, Naturalize, Naturalize: ICIRR has one of the most aggressive citizenship programs in the nation. All told, an additional 170,000 immigrants were naturalized in Illinois over the last five years. The coalition itself directly assisted over 48,000 of those legal immigrants to become citizens, and thus voters.
ICIRR is not a partisan organization. In fact, their most recent fundraiser was headlined by the popular former Republican Governor Jim Edgar. But because of the track record of Republicans across the country, its organizing definitely benefits Democrats. In fact, Democratic Governor Pat Quinn - who won by fewer than 20,000 votes -- would not likely have been re-elected had it not been for their work.
On the policy side, ICIRR works for immigrant-friendly policies, and by any definition they have succeeded in winning some of the most immigrant-friendly policies in the nation at the state level in Illinois.
The state of Illinois leans Blue, but it has wide swatches of Red. In the recent elections the Democrats barely lost the Senate race and took some terrible losses in the Congressional delegation. But in addition to electing a Democratic Governor, both the State House and Senate remained in Democratic hands. The immigrant vote was critical to these Democratic victories, but it is also a force that Republicans ignore or abuse at their peril. In this election, at least, Illinois Republicans generally had the good sense not to bait the immigrant community.
In the current environment of racialized fear and polarization against immigrants across the U.S., the hard work of immigrant advocates in Illinois provides two key lessons:
* Demagogues go after the weak, not the strong. You don't stop anti-immigrant demagoguery through accommodation, you stop it with strength.
* Nuts and Bolts Organizing works.
In the Sherlock Holmes short story "Silver Blaze" the famous detective focuses his analytic prowess on the "curious incident" of the dog that did not bark in the nighttime.
In the recent mid-term elections there was a similar "curious incident" in Illinois that is important nationally. No major candidate in Illinois from either the Republican or Democratic Party demagogued the immigration issue. Neither the ultra-conservative Republican candidate for Governor, Bill Brady, nor the supposedly "moderate" candidate for Senate, Mark Kirk, ran ads, did mailers, or used talking points about the supposed scourge of illegal immigrants taking jobs or sponging up our tax money. Nor did any major candidate for Congress.
It is definitely true that a number of the Republican candidates that were elected to Congressional seats hold anti-immigrant positions. But they did not choose to use those positions as wedge issues in the recent election. Why not?
A possible explanation is that Republicans in Illinois are a kinder, more reasonable group than Republicans elsewhere. That, I'm afraid, does not pass the laugh test.
You could argue that it's because Illinois has a large immigrant population in general and a large Latino population in particular. But so do Colorado, Nevada, Arizona and California where Republican Party candidates tried to use "illegal immigration" and "amnesty" as wedge issues to galvanize their base.
It is true that Illinois has a more immigrant-friendly tradition than some of the states in the Southwest. Much of the Caucasian population in Illinois comes from recent immigrant stock themselves - from Ireland, Poland, Lithuania, Italy, Germany, Croatia and Serbia.
But there is also a more old-fashioned reason. Demagogues and bullies tend to prey upon those whom they consider too weak to strike back. It turned out that in Nevada, California, and Colorado they made the wrong call, since their demagoguery galvanized turnout among Latino voters that defeated right-wing candidates for the Senate.
In fact, the Latino vote saved the Senate for the Democrats.
But in Illinois the right didn't even try their demagogic tactics. That's largely because the immigrant communities in Illinois have worked hard over five election cycles to build a muscular political organizing vehicle that gets out the immigrant vote -- and can bite back fiercely at anti-immigrant demagogues.
In 2008, Jim Oberweis ran for Congress against Democrat Bill Foster on a heavily anti-immigrant platform and was flattened by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. That experience sent a lesson through Illinois' right-wing political class. Nothing like watching one of their own get scalded to teach others not to touch the stove.
The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) no leads The New Americans' Democracy Project . This year, 13 electoral organizers worked for months in both the City of Chicago and the Suburbs. They targeted 133,128 infrequent immigrant voters for a multi-contact phone and door operation, and before the election was done the volunteers they recruited did a total of 549,000 live phone calls to their universe of Latino, Asian and Muslim voters.
This work has been growing in scale and bite since 2002 when it began with no funding and in only nine precincts. At this point the immigrant vote can no longer be ignored by either party. Here are several key lessons from the Illinois immigrant organizing experience:
1) Consistency Counts: ICIRR has had between 10 and 20 full-time immigrant election campaign organizers every election since 2004. They begin their work in July and work through November, building a "recent immigrant" field operation. In every single cycle they add new skills to their electoral organizing.
2) Numbers Count: The immigrant voter program has registered over 90,000 new immigrant voters. They door-knock between 35,000 and 60,000 doors every election cycle.
3) Diversity is Strength: The Democracy Project works with leaders and organizations in Latino community, but also the Asian, Arab, and Polish immigrant communities.
4) Mine the "Base" and work the "Swings": The electoral work is done in the immigrant "base" Chicago port of entry neighborhoods to generate numbers, but also in swing suburban political districts where multi-ethnic immigrant organizing multiplies the voting power of Latinos. The activation of new immigrant voters in suburban "swing" communities forces Republican attention to immigrant issues.
5) Reward Friends, Punish Enemies: ICIRR keeps track of who engages in immigrant bashing -- and stikes back. When Republican anti-immigrant candidate Jim Oberweis polarized voters against "illegal immigrants", ICIRR released to the media a film of undocumented immigrants cleaning his business while being paid only $3.23 an hour. When old-school Democratic Mayor of Waukegan, IL attacked "illegals" with local law enforcement of immigration laws, he went down to defeat in the next election because Latinos in Waukegan mobilized to support his opponent.
6) Naturalize, Naturalize, Naturalize: ICIRR has one of the most aggressive citizenship programs in the nation. All told, an additional 170,000 immigrants were naturalized in Illinois over the last five years. The coalition itself directly assisted over 48,000 of those legal immigrants to become citizens, and thus voters.
ICIRR is not a partisan organization. In fact, their most recent fundraiser was headlined by the popular former Republican Governor Jim Edgar. But because of the track record of Republicans across the country, its organizing definitely benefits Democrats. In fact, Democratic Governor Pat Quinn - who won by fewer than 20,000 votes -- would not likely have been re-elected had it not been for their work.
On the policy side, ICIRR works for immigrant-friendly policies, and by any definition they have succeeded in winning some of the most immigrant-friendly policies in the nation at the state level in Illinois.
The state of Illinois leans Blue, but it has wide swatches of Red. In the recent elections the Democrats barely lost the Senate race and took some terrible losses in the Congressional delegation. But in addition to electing a Democratic Governor, both the State House and Senate remained in Democratic hands. The immigrant vote was critical to these Democratic victories, but it is also a force that Republicans ignore or abuse at their peril. In this election, at least, Illinois Republicans generally had the good sense not to bait the immigrant community.
In the current environment of racialized fear and polarization against immigrants across the U.S., the hard work of immigrant advocates in Illinois provides two key lessons:
* Demagogues go after the weak, not the strong. You don't stop anti-immigrant demagoguery through accommodation, you stop it with strength.
* Nuts and Bolts Organizing works.
buvane
09-10 07:32 PM
extended review = "we got your money , now dont bother us"
also means nothing is happening to your case!
Thanks!!! This is exactly what they are doing...Other side of funny part do you have any clue on how to come out of this to get my case picked up??
also means nothing is happening to your case!
Thanks!!! This is exactly what they are doing...Other side of funny part do you have any clue on how to come out of this to get my case picked up??
rockstart
08-12 07:53 AM
Can some one say when they received the actual RFE from the time they received the hard LUD and e-mail from CIS?
