New Year Resolution

[willigetgc?]

As 2011 begins, our problems have remained the same. Can every IV member visiting the site pledge to meet with at least 1 senator from their state this January? Do this for your own GC.

Call to take an appointment, send the appointment info to the ivcoordinator and get the help to prepare for the meeting.

Let the pledges begin............
(starting with me)

[StarSun]

This is a good initiative that members need to be involved in. Please take the appointments and contact me. Thank you.

[tonyHK12]

Me too...

[willigetgc?]

It is sad to know that there is a heated debate on whether to give $2 or not, but not even a warm response to an action item that will actually benefit us!

The dream activists have been campaigning for over 10 years - constantly. Their belief rests in the fact, until their problems related to immigration are not solved, they will fight for it and support any organization that is championing their cause!

That is the difference between us and them.
We talk and they act.
We fight pettily and they stand strongly united.
We have nothing to fear but are afraid and they have everything to fear from the law (being illegal) yet they are fearless.
We never try and they never give up
We are about end results without working out the means, while they are all about means and are close to getting the result - and if they don't, they will try again!

[smuggymba]

I'll meet the staff or the senator soon.

[willigetgc?]

Take the pledge!
Take the challenge!

[India_USA]

I have taken an appointment with one of my Senator in Jan. Have called the other office too, the appointment date are not confirmed yet.

[India_USA]

In light of what happened with Dream Act (and the amount of work the undocumented community put in), our community has to wake up and be active. We need to inform our lawmakers of our problems, and get their support. It is not easy in the current economy. But if we do nothing, our only hope for gc is to wait - and for people like me in eb3 - its going to be a long wait!

[sioux]

If meeting with lawmakers helps us, then we should all take this pledge.

[willigetgc?]

With the current congress, unless we actively push for legislation on high skilled immigration, it will be unlikely to be taken up. We MUST meet with lawmakers.

[desigirl]

Last night on Jon Stewart, Sen. Gillibrand (NY) was on discussing about the 9/11 bill and its passage. She talked about how the affected group were in DC knocking doors of every legislator for the past nine years........she also talks about advocacy and its role in the democracy.
Kirsten Gillibrand - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - 01/04/11 - Video Clip | Comedy Central (http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-january-4-2011/kirsten-gillibrand)

Something that we have to understand.

[keerthisagar]

I have twice emailed my Rep office locally, however have not had any response. How should I proceed?

[amitjoey]

you should call that local office and get an appointment for 20 minutes to present your case.

[eastindia]

I have twice emailed my Rep office locally, however have not had any response. How should I proceed?

Are you a really important VIP that he will respond to you? There are hundreds of people writing, emailing and calling Senators daily. Do you think the staff has all the time to read through all emails carefully , respond and implement our ideas pronto? Why will they? We do not vote. We are not citizens. And most of us do not even lobby for our own issues. We want everything for free without spending $25 per month and simply by sending a couple of emails! The least you can do is to personally go to his office and talk to the Senator himself. It will cost you only a couple of hours and few miles of fuel. If we can take our family to Disney and spend thousands on eating out and vacations, why cant we spend some time and money on something that is so important to our lives. It beats me. It is more irritating when highly educated folks simply say that they have sent emails to Senators or signed an online petition and nothing has happened. It proves each one of us is to be blamed for our inefficiency in dealing with the greencard problem.

[keerthisagar]

Are you a really important VIP that he will respond to you? There are hundreds of people writing, emailing and calling Senators daily. Do you think the staff has all the time to read through all emails carefully , respond and implement our ideas pronto? Why will they? We do not vote. We are not citizens. And most of us do not even lobby for our own issues. We want everything for free without spending $25 per month and simply by sending a couple of emails! The least you can do is to personally go to his office and talk to the Senator himself. It will cost you only a couple of hours and few miles of fuel. If we can take our family to Disney and spend thousands on eating out and vacations, why cant we spend some time and money on something that is so important to our lives. It beats me. It is more irritating when highly educated folks simply say that they have sent emails to Senators or signed an online petition and nothing has happened. It proves each one of us is to be blamed for our inefficiency in dealing with the greencard problem.

EastIndia, if you read my post, I was not complaining nor was I saying that I was a VIP! I am not aware of a lot of issues, but after having heard that it is important to meet with lawmakers, I tried to contact them to get the appointment (BTW, it was to meet with them - and yes spending a couple of hours and fuel!) However, after not receiving any response I wanted to know how to proceed........I was not giving up!!!!!!! I even called the office, unfortunately they said the person handling this issue is not available........... Are you suggesting that I land in front of their office and demand an appointment??

GC is a big part of my life and Disney is a big part of my child's life. Unless you are suggesting that I put a clamp on my child's wishes until I get my GC, back off!!!!!!

I will continue my efforts to get the appointment!

[eastindia]

EastIndia, if you read my post, I was not complaining nor was I saying that I was a VIP! I am not aware of a lot of issues, but after having heard that it is important to meet with lawmakers, I tried to contact them to get the appointment (BTW, it was to meet with them - and yes spending a couple of hours and fuel!) However, after not receiving any response I wanted to know how to proceed........I was not giving up!!!!!!! I even called the office, unfortunately they said the person handling this issue is not available........... Are you suggesting that I land in front of their office and demand an appointment??

GC is a big part of my life and Disney is a big part of my child's life. Unless you are suggesting that I put a clamp on my child's wishes until I get my GC, back off!!!!!!

I will continue my efforts to get the appointment!

On the top navigation menu bar of IV website there is a link called 'Advocacy'. I really wonder if even 5% members have explored that link. You will see a link called Guide to meet lawmakers. After reading that guide I learn a lot . You should do that too.

[StarSun]

Over the past few days, many members have shown interest in meeting with lawmaker offices. Any member who is willing to meet with these offices, please contact me via ph or email.

[actaccord]

a planned/scheduled visit to congressmen through IV chapters.

Let all IV chapters have a single point agenda (may be gaining support for a particular bill) prepared and validated by IV core team.

Let a IV chapter member get an appointment around 2 - 4 weeks (for some it could be long wait time) from the date of scheduling to meet their lawmaker (if more than one there for a chapter lets target one potential candidate and next ...)

Different members meet their respective lawmaker at different time frame to keep the issue active in their mind/list.

I am trying to get something started through my local IV chapter and before I do reach out I want to be clear what to communicate and what not to communicate with the law makers. I did gone through the document "Guide-Meet Law makers" and got some basic idea (need to go through again to gain more details).

At this point I am not into the race of GC, so I am not sure if I go alone would get any reasonable impact with the law maker.

Lets try to do one or two chapter members meet the law maker a month from a chapter.

[tonyHK12]

a planned/scheduled visit to congressmen through IV chapters.

....
Lets try to do one or two chapter members meet the law maker a month from a chapter.

Yes that is a good idea. We are already doing this in Tri-state and would be better to have one for each state for Senators. For house reps, they mostly prefer meeting their district residents.
Some states may not have a chapter yet, if so please mention and we can create a new State rep, based on volunteers there.
ImmigrationVoice.org - Immigration Voice State Chapters (http://immigrationvoice.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=72&Itemid=52)

the material for the meeting is available with StarSun. Once you get an appointment you can contact her to get the presentation and other information. when you meet the law maker, you tell them that you are also a member in IV. So other people, besides you, can pick up where you left off and maintain a continuous relationship and dialogue over the next months, with a common agenda.

Please check the Advocay tab at the top of the page for some doccumentation and information.

[actaccord]

DC-MD-VA chapter ?


Yes that is a good idea. We are already doing this in Tri-state and would be better to have one for each state for Senators. For house reps, they mostly prefer meeting their district residents.
Some states may not have a chapter yet, if so please mention and we can create a new State rep, based on volunteers there.
ImmigrationVoice.org - Immigration Voice State Chapters (http://immigrationvoice.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=72&Itemid=52)

the material for the meeting is available with StarSun. Once you get an appointment you can contact her to get the presentation and other information. when you meet the law maker, you are going as a representative of IV, not as an individual, so other people can pick up where you leave as part of IV, and with a common agenda.

[actaccord]

2010 report to congress by DHS ( http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/cisomb_2010_annual_report_to_congress.pdf ) will be useful to share with law makers ?

Like Figure 19: Unused Family and Employment Preference Visas – FY 1992-2009 - Pg 35.

Can we have one nice document (1 page may be, if already exist we can just update) to share and discuss with lawmakers when we meet them ?

[tonyHK12]

DC-MD-VA chapter ?

This is NY-NJ-CT. Many other state chapters are active. I live in NYC.
I will defer your doc queries to StarSun. Yes the documentation of unused visas is useful.

[willigetgc?]

A consorted effort from all the state chapters is a great initiative!

[StarSun]

Members who are meeting with lawmakers, please send your feedback of the meeting - Advocacy Feedback (http://immigrationvoice.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=98&Itemid=132)

Members considering to meet with lawmaker offices, please contact me.