Action Item: Funding Drive for FOIA $10,000

[ItIsNotFunny]

Guys,

Please DO NOT vote "Yes" if you are not intending to contribute $25 for this cause. Whoever enters yes, I will pursue and make sure we get contribution before 31st March. Please make sure you send me PM with your contact information if not paying withing a week.

Please please please, do not put junk on this forum. Keep bumping up anyways.

Core, no offense meant, but please don't shy voting on this. I usually don't see core voting, understandable but keep this as an exception.

P.S.

How to donate:

1. Look at top of the thread. There is a donation bar with green progress bar.
2. Click on a link "Donate Now"
3. This will redirect you to donation selection page. Please select type of your contribution. You may choose recurring subscription for multiple months or if you want to make one time contribution, please select subscription for 1 month.
4. Click Donate. This will redirect you to pay pal secured page. You may choose your pay pal account or pay by credit card over here. You may see your name as user on pay pal page.
5. Submit payment.
6. Page will show you reference number. Please copy and paste of this thread - Optional but recommended.
7. You will receive an email from IV about payment confirmation. Your status will be changed to "Donor" from Junior / Senior member. You will not status as donor if you are IV Admin - kidding .


Update from Pappu:

As everyone is aware of the FOIA letters we have received from USCIS. We requested everyone to fax/email us the USCIS letter.

Here is an update on IV plans and what we know till now:

On Friday, during the discussions with USCIS, we came to know that that there is a backlog of FOIA requests and currently they are clearing FOIA requests they received in 2007. We also know from the letter that the report wll not have 'country of chargeability' info. This is a critical info that we ought to have. Even after paying 5K to USCIS, over one year wait time to get the FOIA request completed will be unacceptable to the community.

In light of these developments we have explored other options to get this data and use the copies of replies we get as an example how badly we need this data to get accurate picture of the size and breakdown of the current backlog, so that we can all know how long we need to wait in the current system, if nothing changes. We would also ideally like such data to be always available and updated for public periodically.

Our first option is that we put in effort to get this data without having to pay $5K to USCIS. We will also try to get the data much sooner rather than all of us wait for more than a year.This could be possible via advocacy effort and our initial discussions on this subject have been promising. We will pursue this and if we do not make much progress until the deadline then we may pay 5K and still pursue the advocacy option to get the data faster. Thus we need more than 5K to proceed with these parallel options. The advocacy effort will also be an ongoing task beyond the first month. Thus we request members to sign up for recurring payment option to support this initiative and any other initiative we undertake for the community.

We have added a paypal module on the top of each page with a target amount. Members can use this fresh tool added to IV website to contribute. We prefer if members contributing to the effort on recurring monthly basis for a long term support of IV efforts. All members who contribute through this system will also have access to special 'Contributor's Forum' on the IV website.

Thank You for your effort and contribution for building a stronger community.

[bestofall]

I will do my part before 31 st March

[The7zen]

ItsNotFunny....PM sent.

[sledge_hammer]

I've made contributions before, but how do I make payment so that it goes specifically for this effort?

[ItIsNotFunny]

Originally Posted by sledge_hammer

How do I make payment specifically for this?

I am working on it, will discuss with Pappu and get back to you.

[bkarnik]

Originally Posted by ItIsNotFunny

I am working on it, will discuss with Pappu and get back to you.

Let me know how and where to address the payment once you have the logistics figured out.

[aadimanav]

Voted "yes".

Thanks for this drive.

[ItIsNotFunny]

Based on multiple PM to me on this issue:

I am trying to set up something with IV so that the contribution specifically will go for this cause. Any access money will be transferred to IV regular account. I will publish the account summary at the end of effort for transparency reasons.

[amits]

I pledge $50 for this effort.

This data will be very useful in making a solid case for fixing EB GC issues.
With this data, our claim will be supplemented and supported by the figures. Which is going to be really helpful for our cause.

Come on folks, this is very important..
Everyone is going through a hard time, but this expense of $25 is simply too important to ignore.

We can do it...

[ItIsNotFunny]

Originally Posted by amits

I pledge $50 for this effort.

This data will be very useful in making a solid case for fixing EB GC issues.
With this data, our claim will be supplemented and supported by the figures. Which is going to be really helpful for our cause.

Come on folks, this is very important..
Everyone is going through a hard time, but this expense of $25 is simply too important to ignore.

We can do it...

Amit, You are really a great asset to community. Thanks for all your support. This will be a good motivation for others.


Guys, we are going really well. We need to make this happen. Yes, we can!

[vine93]

I'll wait for CORE initiatives on it.

[ItIsNotFunny]

Originally Posted by vine93

I'll wait for CORE initiatives on it.

Sorry, but I am confused! Are you going to contribute and waiting for core's initiative on this or you are waiting core's initiative for this to decide whether you will contribute or not?

[ajay]

Originally Posted by ItIsNotFunny

Guys,

Please DO NOT vote "Yes" if you are not intending to contribute $25 for this cause. Whoever enters yes, I will pursue and make sure we get contribution before 31st March. Please make sure you send me PM with your contact information if not paying withing a week.

Please please please, do not put junk on this forum. Keep bumping up anyways.

Core, no offense meant, but please don't shy voting on this. I usually don't see core voting, understandable but keep this as an exception.

P.S.

Based on multiple IM to me on this issue:

I am trying to set up something with IV so that the contribution specifically will go for this cause. Any access money will be transferred to IV regular account. I will publish the account summary at the end of effort for transparency reasons.

Please be specific how to remit this amount ?

[ItIsNotFunny]

Originally Posted by ajay

Please be specific how to remit this amount ?

Ajay, I am working on this. Will get back to everyone as soon as I hear something from core. This must be an IV account but specific to this cause. Please bear with me for a while.

[nc14]

Thanks for taking the initiative. I think we should get this going so that we have some more information on where things stand.