Articles Posted in Uncategorized

The Freedom of Information ACT allows every American Citizen the right to know what the government is doing. In my Immigration practice we often file FOIA requests to receive copies of clients older immigration files, to allow us to plan future filings more carefully. In recent years this tool has become a waste of time. FOIA applications are now pending for more than 12 months in some cases even years.

Congress is closer than ever to enacting the most important legislation to ensure open government and access to public institutions in over a decade — thanks to the perseverance of two leading members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sens. Patrick Leahy and John Cornyn.

The Senate approved the Openness Promotes Effectiveness in our National Government Act, or OPEN Government Act, and the House passed its own version of FOIA reform. Advocates are encouraging Congress to send a bill to President Bush as soon as possible.

The OPEN Government Act contains a number of important provisions, but three problems addressed by the legislation are worth highlighting.

Continue reading

Non-citizens who reside in the U.S. for more than 183 days [generally] meet the definition of a ‘tax resident,’ or a ‘resident for tax purposes.’ They are subject to the tax laws as if they were citizens.

This appeared in the Wall Street Journal Today:

“… Illegal aliens probably pay very little state

It looks like the DREAM Act is on the agenda again. Each year, thousands of ambitious immigrant students who graduate from U.S. high schools are unable to pursue their dreams of going to college or serving in the U.S. military because they lack legal immigration status. This amendment would remedy this injustice by providing deserving immigrant students with a six-year path to permanent residence, provided that they complete their high school education and either pursue higher education or serve in the armed forces.

The DREAM Act will be offered by Senator Durbin (D-IL) as an amendment to the Defense Authorization bill that the Senate will consider this week! Call your Senators today and ask them to help immigrant kids achieve their dreams by supporting the DREAM Act!

If passed, the “Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act” would facilitate access to college for immigrant students in the U.S. The “DREAM Act” would also provide a path to permanent residence for ambitious immigrant youth who were brought to the U.S. as young children and who want to pursue higher education or military service, enabling them to contribute fully to our society.

According to the USCIS fact sheet, the average annual number of persons naturalizing increased from less than 120,000 during the 1950s and 1960s to 210,000 during the 1980s, 500,000 during the 1990s and to 625,000 during 2000 to 2006.

Citizenship Day itself has its roots in President Woodrow Wilson’s efforts in 1915, where as part of what he called National Americanization Day, the President himself, cabinet members, administration officials as well as prominent public figures such as Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, gave speeches at naturalization ceremonies throughout the nation.

Read More

L’Shana Tova to our Jewish readers and Ramadan greetings to our Muslim audience. Shalom …. Salaam. May this new beginning bring us all togehter and may you have a relaxing celebrations.

American hospitals are in a serious crisis, from large numbers of uninsured patients to spiraling costs, from outlandishly expensive prescription drugs to a severe and dangerous shortage of nurses, a shortage that can best be summed up by the fact that there are now over 140,000 open positions for registered nurses nationwide. The National Foundation for American Policy issued a report on this issue this week and the report is scary. Click here to read

Emergency rooms are shutting down, surgeries are delayed and, most disturbing of all, patients are sometimes not getting the critical care they desperately need. If the government will not address this issue via immigration reform and more nurcse visas we are heading for a dark age for health care. Sometimes I think that Michael Moore is not that wrong after all…….

The Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) has issued a FACT SHEET about “Worksite Enforcement” which highlights recent ICE enforcement efforts targeting businesses that employ undocumented immigrants.

Continue reading

On August 29, the AFL-CIO and a number of other plaintiffs sued to stop the implementation of the “no match” regulations, and two days later, a Federal District Court Judge issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) prohibiting the SSA from sending out 140,000 letters to employers informing them of the new regulations, and stopping the rule from going into effect on September 15th. A hearing is scheduled on October 1 regarding the plaintiffs’ request for a permanent injunction against the regulations.

I will continue to update you as this crucial issue is argued in the Federal Courts.

ILW.com reports about a new Documentary “Made in L.A.” follows the remarkable journey of three Latina immigrants working in L.A.’s garment factories and their struggle for self-empowerment as they wage a three-year battle to bring a major clothing retailer to the negotiating table. The film is scheduled to air nationally after Labor Day on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2007 at 10 p.m. on PBS.

For more details, see here

Who doesn’t know 5-year-old Youssif by now?, an Iraqi boy who had gone out to play on a January day when he was suddenly grabbed by masked men, doused in gas and set on fire. As a father to a young boy myself I became outraged and very upset after reading the international reports on the story.

The good news is that several aid organizations quickly offered their services to help this boy and the family. It seems that the family had to make a decision on whether to leave their homeland or stay inside Iraq for treatment. If they chose to leave, could they get visas to travel to the United States or leave Iraq safely? In such cases Medical B2 visas could be the fastest way to secure entry to the US. The emergency situation is clear and evidenced by the worldwide reaction. The only questions is if the family can overcome section 214(b) and show the Consul they have every intention to return to Iraq. I hope that with the aid organizations’ support that will not be an issue.

CNN reports that The Children’s Burns foundation says it will cover all medical costs — from surgeries for Youssif to housing costs to any social rehabilitation that might be needed for him. Surgeries will be performed by Dr. Peter Grossman, a plastic surgeon with the affiliated-Grossman Burn Center who is donating his services for Youssif’s cause.