Grim future awaits legal immigrants - Pull up your socks

[saratggo-win]

• Eliminate per country quotas
• Increase over-all annual visa numbers to 450,000
• Allow the recapture of 215,000 unused Employment Based (EB) visas numbers from previous years lost due to bureaucratic delays
• Exempt Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) graduates of accredited U.S. colleges and universities from the visa cap
• Exempt family members of EB immigrants from the visa cap
• Exempt (current and future) homeowners from visa cap which also remedies the root cause of current economic woes by addressing the foreclosures and excess supply of homes on the market.

I like the post and agree that it's "now-or-never" for us all EB-GC sloggers- so hope we all raise to the occasion now!

The only things I did in past in response to IV calls were following discussions, sending flowers to INS staff but now I did another tangible thing..DONATED a subscription of $50 each month for next 6 months, started an inquiry with my north CA state chapter to join their Yahoo group and most likely would talk to them and see how I can help further! So guys believe me if I can do all that..anybody could do that as well..so do it!

I also wonder we are good at posting in blogs, online forums etc., may be by virtue of our IT background of many, but a movement of this scale needs more than that...grouping, organized efforts, calling+meeting lawmakers as groups representing class, sign group petitions in addition to lobbying at capital for drafting bills etc. I offer my time and would like to contribute more..so guys lets reorganize and channel our efforts with a focussed agenda.

I'm on EB3 but don't consider my opinion biased in anyway:
1) Please make the bullets in order of priority

2) Put top 3 as 1, 2, 3 and our immediate attention goes there and "to seek public support"(A must).
*When you discuss with outsiders always talk in these lines nothing specific in your case yet! I have been working on H1B (currently 485 pending) and even my manager doesn't know intricates of GC process!!! So when we bring in public support we also have some example cases, few personalized storylines 'cus that's how people gain attention in US..believe me or not. When you make personalize statements be aware to not step on others's interests/ offend local interest groups etc so IV should counsel here and members should seek some guidance in finalizing this!

3) Don't put too much emphasis on short-term agenda 'cus if you seek broad top focussed three items, obviously the givers will decide which to be met first..if they can't they will seek our ideas at some short term fixes to easy the issues. So have a separate short-term agenda which will be detailed and specific to each case 'cus these are understood by you, me etc (the affected group) and USCIS personnel but none others. Put this secondary short-term agenda (change very dynamically) in back burner and have it ready at all times for "implementation specifics"

4)Also don't divulge focus with terms such as EB-2/3 etc as they make me cranky..hate to see them in posts. We should brag for broader outcome not narrow gains. Also don't distract with individualized demands into this. Let me be specific here...personalized stories just to augment the case and how it affects our personal lives, social impact with this limbo not to defocus!
*Beware, US graduates...if you want to discuss merits/pains you take/spl treatment you deserve..sorry you take a different platform to discuss at length and here it wouldn't sell. You got EB-2 category for that, a special cap in H1B etc already and Enuf of the deviations...if you have an uncle as Senator/Congressman go have a bill custom written for you! WE NEED TO BE UNITED! So home-take is the bullet "Exempt Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) graduates of accredited U.S. colleges and universities from the visa cap" should be dropped or moved to short-term agenda!
*I also see that people spend too much emphasis on their application sending date, filing date, received date, file touched date, "USCIS-employee-scratching-back-date", how immigration officer greeted (winked!) etc...cut the crep and think broad. None of those yield solutions for broader community. Those are perfect threads of chat rooms and separate discussion platforms.
*I seek admins to make focus items such as "Donate, Contribute, Participate" sticky threads to show up on top/bold and ALLOW ONLY role-assumed members of IV to post there. Intention not to divert attention with personalized preferences but pointed discussions with things to do, people to meet, where to group per schedule/periodic, chapters at city/county/zonal/state level.

5) Do some crowd pulling exercises, a small interest groups lining up near local indian(Sorry no offence, I assume Indians are mainly in focus here...I don't represent or speak for others) grocery stores and give pamphlets and if possible share buzz with affected group. Also small campains/drives to let all Americans know how we live and how if affects our lives, local communities, for sympathy. It helps if they at least feel us as not threats to this recession-stricken US economy but share same boat with them.
*We know if numbers show that close to a million applications received by USCIS for GCs in July-07 fiasco doesn't it tell there are that many people standing in queue. Why all people are not equally concerned/bothered...we should sell the idea and pull them out of trenches and sidelines. If they can't participate actively in campaign at least seek their support in donations, some working time with back office desk jobs helping IV active members.

As someone puts out aptly "freedom doesn't come free"...I welcome anybody from IV body, chapter, core team contact me and I'm willing to participate not just blog.

[anyluck?]

Hi,

Good Post Pappu.Every one has good points.I live in LA.Like in 2007 we can rally up on agreeing and make official by IV.I can gather about 100 people.I will following IV and please let us know."GC_ON_DEMAND" told good point.When illegals asking for GC why dont we.People are here for 10 years paying all the SSN taxes and get nothing.

Thanks

[srikondoji]

Great post Pappu. Let us fight for a low hanging fruit which can be decided by a consensus on this forum rather than a forbidden fruit which congress cannot/doesn't give us either by lack of consensus or by virtue of prevailing negative sentiment.

My low hanging fruits are
1) Put a maximum wait time for a GC aspirant.
2) Remove all restrictions on EAD status and treat it like a GC pending final decision.

My 2 paise
--sri

[sanjuatl]

Pappu -- your post was very well written...Thanks Dude!!
Folks,

As been said in earlier posts and as all know ..its either NOW or NEVER
We need a big/huge rally or some other way of protest but it should be something which HAS to capture everybodys attention.......See the Illegal folks they just rocked coming out in huge numbers and see inspite of them being Illegal,they are speaking of giving them GC without even thinking about the legal aliens who have come here legally and followed the law and what not .......Isnt that something ??? And we all being silent and just taking things as granted is i guess making them think that we are ready for any **** ..right ?

Until and Unless we voice our concerns ,i bet nothing will ever happen and it will just stay the same as it is right now..Its tough to digest that but its a simple truth which we better believe...I know whenever a new topic/issue comes up,we will chase it real hard for say a week or 2 or 3 and then thats ittt...it will become something of past and we move forward doing nothing and thinking someone will take charge ...someone will attend rally...someone will meet thier senators ....someone will do this and someone will do that and our personal effort will be absolutely NIL.....

Time has now come folks to really address this real real damn thing which is like never ending and keeps coming back with new rules and what not....I am in for any steps which will be taken to addresss thisss....lets plan out and go out strong and make a difference ...

my 2 Cents

[simple1]

Hi IV Core,

I talked to few of my friends after pappu’s post.

Admin Fixes:
========
All seem to think at least in short-term "admin fixes" must take priority (that provide immediate relief in these troubled economy) over "legislative change". I am assuming the following are admin fixes.

- Removal of all conditions on EAD/AP/AOS permanently (including future renewals) after 24 months of I485 pending.

And possibly the following
- Visa recapture.
- 5 year EAD/AP at 2nd or 3rd renewal.
- allowing I140 approved to apply for EAD/AP/AOS. allowing non I485 filers to get some benefit.

Honestly many seem to think "legislative change" like the following may be a long shot in these troubled economy. one of those "do the ground work expect nothing in short term" thing.,
- increase eb quota to 450k
- quota exempt: US-STEM, Dependents, Homeowners.

I personally think just removal of EAD/AP/AOS conditions would have a greater impact on the community.

Just my 2 cents.

[vbkris77]

If you ask me more simpler thing is to count the citizenship clock after I140 is approved. This will solve all the issues.

[awenger]

Originally Posted by pappu

Grim future awaits EB immigrants. Will the community wake up before it's too late?
...

• Exempt (current and future) homeowners from visa cap which also remedies the root cause of current economic woes by addressing the foreclosures and excess supply of homes on the market.
...

You should sweeten the offer by saying that if an immigrant were to buy a house AND an automobile manufactured by the Detroit-3, he/she would get a green card!! Now, maybe if immigrants could find a way to reduce global warming too -- well, we could claim outright citizenship

BTW -- your other points are valid ...

[freedom_fighter]

I remember, that during July 2007 fiasco, any posts with possibility of 485 filing ran into 100s of pages within couple of days.

This one is not even going past 3 pages. sad but true :-(

[simple1]

I second vbkris77. We need to have simpler and achievable goals. Like the example below.

Admin fix (short term): remove all EAD/AP/AOS conditions after 1-2 years of I485 pending.
Legislative change (medium, long term): the citizenship clock after I140 is approved.

And a funding drive for those simpler goals.

Originally Posted by vbkris77

If you ask me more simpler thing is to count the citizenship clock after I140 is approved. This will solve all the issues.

[Keeme]

Originally Posted by awenger

You should sweeten the offer by saying that if an immigrant were to buy a house AND an automobile manufactured by the Detroit-3, he/she would get a green card!! Now, maybe if immigrants could find a way to reduce global warming too -- well, we could claim outright citizenship

BTW -- your other points are valid ...

Guys,

Let's aware them about our problems, and not try to give them remedies.

For example, More than 200K EB based GC applicants are waiting to buy houses but can't/won't do it as they are stuck in USCIS mess. Let USCIS advise Congressmen/Senators. NOT " Give us GC and we will buy houses."

[desi3933]

Originally Posted by simple1

Admin fix (short term): remove all EAD/AP/AOS conditions after 1-2 years of I485 pending.

>> remove all EAD/AP/AOS conditions after 1-2 years of I485 pending.
Who told you that this is an admin fix? (BTW - This is not)


.

[mpadapa]

Great post Pappu. Yes it is time to pull up the socks and start getting into action.

Come on folks. Why are you beating the proposal to death even before it is out of the gate. We got to dream bigger, infact we need to add few more points to the proposal which pappu has posted. These proposals can most likely be folded into any big immigration bill like CIR, it is supposed to be a game changer and we need to step up our proposal accordingly. Because these laws once enacted is going to be there for decades. Dream big.

[awenger]

Originally Posted by Keeme

Guys,

Let's aware them about our problems, and not try to give them remedies.

For example, More than 200K EB based GC applicants are waiting to buy houses but can't/won't do it as they are stuck in USCIS mess. Let USCIS advise Congressmen/Senators. NOT " Give us GC and we will buy houses."

I agree. The best solution so far could be allowing those who have filed I-140 to file for I-485 / EAD and exempting family members from the EB cap. An admin fix may not be possible, but a legislative fix to this end tied to a larger bill. Such an action would immediately free many applicants who are stuck in the line, and enable them and their spouses to seek employment, purchase houses, start their own companies, etc. - in other words, enable immigrants to contribute in greater measure.

[simple1]

Thanks desi3933 for clarification.

Originally Posted by desi3933

>> remove all EAD/AP/AOS conditions after 1-2 years of I485 pending.
Who told you that this is an admin fix? (BTW - This is not)


.

[cbpds]

[quote=pappu;420956]Grim future awaits EB immigrants. Will the community wake up before it's too late?

I will support whole heartedly if the below provision is part of the main agenda
1. Allowing I140 approved holders to apply for EAD/AP immediately.
2. H1B-holders who have completed 6 years should be given EAD or GC.

Thanks