Visa Lawyer Blog

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.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced its new, online NEXUS application system on August 16, 2007. The use of the NEXUS card is an alternative to a passport for travel between the US and Canada. According to the CBP, “[t]he system helps [its] officers accomplish their dual mission of securing the borders while facilitating trade and travel.”
NEXUS is designed to expedite the border clearance process for low-risk, pre-approved travellers into Canada and the United States.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are cooperating in this joint venture to simplify border crossings for members, while enhancing security.

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An illegal immigrant who took refuge in a Chicago church for a year to avoid being separated from her U.S.-born son has been deported to Mexico. Elvira Arellano became an activist and a national symbol for illegal immigrant parents as she defied her deportation order and spoke out from her religious sanctuary. She held a news conference last week to announce that she would finally leave the church to try to lobby U.S. lawmakers for change.

She had just spoken at a Los Angeles rally when she was arrested Sunday outside Our Lady Queen of Angels church and deported.

From the AP:

As I previously discussed in this Blog, On August 10, 2007, DHS released an advance copy of the final ICE “No-Match” regulation, “Safe Harbor Procedures for Employers Who Receive a No-Match Letter.” Publication of the final rule in the Federal Register is expected the week of August 13, 2007. The final rule will become effective 30 days after publication.

The final rule expands the definition of “constructive knowledge” to include the failure to take reasonable steps to address three situations: (1) an employee’s request for the employer’s sponsorship of the employee for a labor certification or visa petition; (2) receipt of a no-match letter from the Social Security Administration (“SSA”); and (3) receipt of a notice from DHS (usually after an I-9 audit) that the employee’s employment authorization documents presented in connection with completion of the I-9 form do not match DHS records.

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There may be no immigration reform coming up but, new—and potentially costly—demands on employers to ensure that their workforces are legal are coming up.

The New rules describe the obligations of employers when they receive no-match letters from the Social Security Administration or receive a letter regarding employment verification forms from the Department of Homeland Security. The rule also provides “safe harbors” employers can follow to avoid a finding the employer had constructive knowledge that the employee referred to in the letter was an alien not authorized to work in the US. Employers with knowledge that an immigrant worker is unauthorized to accept employment are liable for both civil and criminal penalties.

The clock would start ticking when companies receive a letter from the Social Security Administration indicating that employees’ names or Social Security numbers on tax forms don’t match federal records.

A crackdown on illegal immigration will have to go forward without help from Congress, the Bush administration said Friday.

At a joint news conference, Secretary Chertoff and Gutierrez put the onus on Congress for any consequences that may be suffered by employers as result of the stepped-up enforcement effort.

“Our hope is that key elements of the Senate bill will see the light of day someday, but until Congress chooses to act, we are going to be taking some energetic steps of our own,” Chertoff said. The steps will “significantly strengthen our hand with respect to immigration enforcement.”

I have been following the latest BBS world reports about the fact that Pop star Lily Allen has had her US work visa cancelled after arriving at Los Angeles International Airport. Well now we know it, even big stars can not have their way with our USCIS agency (unless your are Russel Crowe of course:))

Lily was held at the airport in LA for five hours in connection with an arrest for an alleged assault in London in June.

Read the BBC story

The Dream Act is a bill that has been introduced several times in the United States Congress that would provide a path to citizenship for illegal immigrant students.

ILW.com the leading immigration online news source reported the following, and you can see why we need this act to pass ASAP.

The “Save Juan” campaign, http://actonadream.net/