USA Green Card Immigration Blog

Undocumented immigrants offer U.S. a shot of optimism – CNN.com.

In a recent national survey of undocumented Latino immigrants, RedBrownandBlue found that the day laborer population has been among the hardest hit by the recession. Fourteen percent of male respondents said they work zero to 10 hours a week; and 39 percent said their annual household income is under $15,000 — well below the poverty threshold of $22,128.

Given a national poverty rate of 13 percent, undocumented Latino immigrants are three times as likely as Americans to live in what we define as “poverty.”

Despite these difficult circumstances, an overwhelming 74 percent said that if they had to choose again, they would still come to the United States. Eighty-seven percent said they believe America is special compared with other countries. And 71 percent said America is special because it gives people the opportunity to do better. Sounds pretty optimistic, right?

‘Virtual’ Immigration Continued Rising During Recession – Real Time Economics – WSJ.

The global economic downturn spurred declines in physical immigration — the movement of people across borders — in 2008 and 2009. But a new Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas report says “virtual” immigration — moving the work rather than the workers — continued to grow.

“Most likely, the difference stems from the jobs the two types of immigrants typically do,” authors Michael Cox, Richard Alm and Justyna Dymerska write in the Dallas Fed’s Economic Letter. “Physical immigrants work in construction and other highly cyclical industries. Virtual immigrants are more likely to work in the services economy. It has traditionally been less sensitive than goods to cyclical fluctuations, largely because services aren’t subject to the kind of inventory bulges that make goods production unstable.”

Still, virtual immigration increased at a slower pace during the downturn. “Hard times might pressure companies to cut costs, quickening offshoring’s pace,” they write. “At the same time, companies might pull back on offshoring because of cuts in IT budgets and plentiful labor close to home.”   For instance, India’s exports in software and IT services are forecast to continue expanding. But the projected growth rate of 17% for 2009 is less than half the pace of the prior four years.

More Employers Face Immigration Audits – WSJ.com.

About 1,000 U.S. employers will be audited for immigration violations as the federal government escalates pressure on business owners to resist hiring illegal immigrants.

Authorities said Thursday it was the largest employer crackdown ever; the government in July announced audits of 654 businesses.

Targeted firms will get a notice that federal agents intend to audit compliance with immigration laws and check the eligibility of workers. Violations could lead to fines, as well as civil or criminal charges.

None of the 1,000 companies was named. But each firm is “associated with critical infrastructure,” officials said. That’s the label the government applies to companies involving, for example, utilities, transportation or communications. Critical infrastructure entities are also seen as national security assets or potential targets for terrorists.

The Obama administration wants to use tough enforcement to win support in a broader campaign for a congressional overhaul of the U.S. immigration system next year. The White House would like to create a way for millions of illegal immigrants in the U.S. to win legal residency and citizenship.

The Associated Press: AP Interview: Leader has back-up immigration plan.

The head of the nation’s leading Latino legal advocacy group said if comprehensive immigration legislation seems unlikely in 2010, Congress should make down payments by passing smaller-scale reforms.

In an interview with The Associated Press Friday, Thomas Saenz, president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, said he fully expects work on rewriting immigration law to begin in Congress next year.

But if Democratic leaders delay, because of elections and a hostile political climate for immigrants, Congress should take up the issue gradually and in smaller ways, Saenz said. Lawmakers could address the need for foreign agricultural workers, provide legal status to high school graduates brought to the country illegally as children, and create equity for same sex partners who want to come to the U.S. or get green cards.

“As of right now, I have not been convinced that comprehensive immigration reform cannot move in 2010, so it needs to move. It needs to include all of these elements and many more,” Saenz said. “If that is not possible, then I’m interested in discussing this idea of down payments with a commitment to fulfill the obligation through comprehensive immigration reform that is not postponed indefinitely.”

Previously, immigration advocates have been reluctant to address immigration reform piecemeal to keep the various interest groups united on difficult issues, such as legalizing millions of people who are in the country illegally.

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.

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!

via Finally in the land of the free, but where are the jobs? – CNN.com.

…thousands of refugees across America who fled war and persecution just can’t seem to find full-time jobs in a weak economy.

Are there any jobs in the US for immigrants in this bad economy?  Many recent immigrants are finding out the hard way that just because they’ve been granted visas to the US, this does not mean that Uncle Sam will provide food and shelter for an indefinite period of time.  They must learn to take care of themselves very quickly, but this is becoming harder to do.