USA Green Card Immigration Blog

Immigrants fighting hard to stay in U.S. – The Elkhart Project- msnbc.com.

Hispanic immigrants, chiefly those here illegally, are particularly vulnerable as the recession lingers. Without proper documentation, those out of work can’t access unemployment and other government benefits, increasing the pressure to pull up stakes and look for opportunity elsewhere. Still, many who came to the United States looking to improve their life — make money, open up opportunities for their children, help support family still in Mexico —  are hardly eager to return.

Commentary: Immigration reform takes courage – CNN.com.

No one knows whether the bill could be approved this year. If the debate carries over until 2010, midterm elections could put the issue off until 2011 — which could still work out well for the White House because achieving immigration reform would play well with Hispanics in Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign.

This time around, congressional leaders would be wise to avoid those pitfalls and focus on solving the three big problems: porous borders; the difficulty in immigrating legally; and the fact that 12 million illegal immigrants are in a state of suspended animation where they work hard, pay taxes, buy homes, and join the PTA, but never achieve full civic participation and the responsibilities that come with it.

News Analysis: Obama Launches Immigration Reform Effort, But Lines Are Already Being Drawn « Feet In 2 Worlds, Immigration News.

So what was the result of President Obama’s meeting with lawmakers on Thursday, June 25?  On the table was the topic of immigration reform.  Obama’s goal was to get both sides talking about the issues.  On what did they agree and on what did they disagree?  And is immigration reform truly a possibility during the current administration, when so many other issues (finance, healthcare, Iraq/Afghanistan, Iran/N. Korea) are still unresolved?

The renewed commitment from the Oval Office might allay advocates’ fears that the current economic crisis, as well as Obama’s high-profile efforts to enact health care reform would prevent the President and Congress from dealing with immigration this year.

Obama continued to push for a “large-scale legalization program” that would basically provide amnesty and forgiveness to about 11 million undocumented immigrants.  What is more uncertain is what to do about future immigrants.  The thorniest issue here involves expansion of the current low-skill guest worker program, which US businesses say is too small, but organized labor unions say is already too large.  The same line of reasoning goes for the current H1-B program for highly-skilled workers.

Politically speaking,  the 800-pound gorilla in the room is the economy.  Despite arguments from immigration reform advocates that large-scale reform will actually bring economic benefits, members of Congress have so far proven skittish about taking on such a heated issue in the midst of the recession.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive – Obama set to hold twice-delayed immigration meeting « – Blogs from CNN.com.

President Obama is scheduled to host a variety of Democratic and Republican party leaders at the White House today.  The goal is to start the conversation of how a possible immigration reform bill might look.  Obama has reiterated that he wants “comprehensive immigration reform that paves the way for citizenship for millions of undocumented workers.”

This is just a beginning, but the with nation still under seige by the continuing economic crisis, it sounds like any immigration bill will be a tough sell in the current political climate.

What do you think?

The Different Impacts of Immigrant Homebuyers – BusinessWeek.

“More immigrants are purchasing homes, making them an important factor in thehousing recovery. As a group, they increased their homeownership rate from 46.5% in 1995 to 53% in 2008…”

One question invariably haunts the minds of foreign nationals who are aspiring to settle down in the United States of America: is America anti-immigrant? America’s anti-immigration policy is a thing of the past. An entry into the land of opportunity is not all that restricted these days, despite what the media portray and rampant rumors suggest. Since the twentieth century, America’s anti-immigration policy has weakened. In many aspects, the current U.S. immigration policy can be characterized as being quite immigrant-friendly. Current-day U.S. immigration policy welcomes immigrants through many visa opportunities including the Green Card Lottery program. The large numbers of foreign nationals who have gained entry into America and have become U.S. citizens is proof of America’s continuing acceptance of immigrants from all faiths, races, cultures, nationalities, and walks of life. Many of these immigrants are skilled foreigners who make major contributors to America’s economy. But, the policy is still unbendable for those who hold a criminal background. If a foreign national has a criminal background or if he/she is involved in illegal activities, then immigration will be denied to that person. So, is America anti-immigrant? The answer is no, especially for skilled, law-abiding foreigners. According to U.S. immigration policy, Lawful Permanent Residence or obtaining the USA green card is one of the channels through which any foreign national can become a legal resident of the United States of America. The U.S. Department of State conducts a Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) program or the Green Card Lottery every year. Through this Green Card Lottery program, the country provides 55,000 green cards to eligible foreign nationals. Applying for the Diversity Immigrant Visa program (DV) is not simple, but the benefits of the Green Card Lottery are many. Winners of the Green Card Lottery can bring their families with them to the U.S. and are entitled to work and live in the United States of America. Green Card Lottery advantages include permanent residence permission, equal opportunity to be lawfully employed by any employer, and the ability to pursue education and health benefits. In short, Green Card Lottery benefits include almost all the same rights enjoyed by a full-fledged U.S. citizen. If your ultimate goal is to become a U.S. citizen, winners of the Green Card Lottery can eventually file a petition to do so. If you obtain a U.S.A. green card, you can live and work anywhere throughout the 50 states and also enjoy the benefits of unbiased employment in the country. The winners of the Green Card Lottery can also apply for American citizenship after 5 years of their immigration into the country. The Green Card Lottery benefits also include the right to become the legal owner of any property such as housing, vehicles, etc. Finally, one of the most important Green Card Lottery benefits is that the green card holder can travel abroad as a permanent resident of the United States of America. A word of caution for applicants: many Green Card Lottery applications are rejected every year because of errors on the form or incomplete information. This is where you will need an expert’s help. USA Green Card provides professional assistance with the Green Card Lottery application procedure. USA Green Card assures that your registration in the program complies 100% with the requirements of the U.S. Government in preparing and submitting your application. Are you ready to start enjoying all the benefits that come with the possession of an American green card? Complete the registration form today!

VOA News – Obama Calls for US Immigration Reform .

Today, US President Barack Obama reiterated his desire to see US immigration policy reformed to allow for continued legal immigration and stop future illegal immigration.  His remarks were made at the Esperanza National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast and Conference.  He further went on to remark that those illegal immigrants who are currently in the US should get a chance to become legal citizens if they fulfill certain requirements, such as learning English, paying taxes, and fines.  The President did not speculate on a timeline for the envisioned reform.

U.S. Temporarily Suspends Policy of Deporting Widows of Citizens – WSJ.com.

The Department of Homeland Security has stopped deporting widows and widowers of US citizens, “a sign of the Obama administration’s interest in new approaches to immigration.”

This will temporarily halt the policy of deporting some immigrants whose American spouses had died and left their legal status in limbo.

Organized crime is preying on illegal immigrants’ American dreams.  “Gangs own the people-smuggling trade” and are kidnapping illegals and then holding them hostage for ransom of as much as $5000.  The phenomenon is particularly acute in the Phoenix, Arizona area.  How is this happening?  A variety of factors are at play, including:  the spike in abandoned property (where the hostages can be kept), tighter border security (which makes border crossings more difficult and encourages gangs to handle them), and the decline in immigration resulting from job losses in the US (which decreases gangs’ revenue made from border crossings, and invites them to hold hostages for ransom money).  Read the article for more information on this disturbing trend.

Click on the article link above to read about this ridiculous case involving a Buddhist monk who’s “employment” at a California temple has triggered the wrath of the US government, which “wants to deport the 47-year-old monk, after denying him permanent U.S. residency, or a green card, on the grounds that he was employed without authorization after his temporary religious visa lapsed.”

The monk is fighting in immigration court to remain in the United States.  He is accused of having been “employed” by a Buddhist temple in California, even though his services were uncompensated.  He has taken an oath of poverty, and his “work” consists of spreading a message of peace and compassion!

“The monk’s saga illustrates how an increasingly backlogged and cautious immigration system can trip up some applicants striving to obey the law. In a post-9/11 world, immigration agencies, which have discovered rampant fraud with religious visas, try to strike a balance between screening out security threats and permitting legitimate religious workers.”

“The State Department issued 13,002 R-1 visas in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 2008. However, the U.S. government has tightened oversight of the program in recent years. After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, concern grew that the visas could be misused by terrorists or radical groups. Then in late 2005, a fraud-detection unit of the Department of Homeland Security found that a third of all immigrant religious visas had been granted on the basis of fraudulent information.”