Grim future awaits legal immigrants - Pull up your socks

[pappu]

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

While the employment based (EB) legal immigrant community has been waiting for a repeat of July 2007 Visa bulletin and some forward movement seen in certain categories last year, recent changes in USCIS procedures at pre-adjudication (to avoid a repeat of the July 2007 debacle) and other factors have made the outlook gloomy for the EB community, especially for the members from oversubscribed countries such as India and China.

Recent insights shared by Charles Oppenheim of the Department of State (DOS) makes it clear that without any legislative relief, most immigrants have a decade long (and even further) wait ahead of them. While, in general, as a group we have been more or less aware of the impending gloom, the reaction has ranged from complacency to bickering within sections of the community that has actually been counter-productive. We understand and share the frustrations, but we must all collectively realize that nothing positive will come out of an extremely complacent attitude or a cannibalizing approach.

The tide of anti-immigration or anti-legal immigration measures is upon us - protectionist TARP H-1B regulation, bill to ban H-1Bs from working as consultants, increased rejection of H-1B petitions/visas on flimsy grounds, inordinate delays in PERM Labor Certifications, increase in RFEs/rejection of AC21 cases when employer withdraws I-140 as a punitive action and so on and so forth. Now we are the victims of these circumstances, as the oasis of 'overflow visas' has dried up. We cannot simply stay back and bask in the false mirage of EADs – EAD is not a green card, EAD does not mean you are safe or can stay forever if USCIS issues an RFE on your pending I-485. We need to organize if we are to float above this unfair and unjust tide.

Whether we accept these stark realities or not, our choices are clear. We can choose to wait for decades to get green cards and some more for our citizenship; keep dog-fighting with each other till our hair turn grey, or we can unite together under one umbrella to pursue solutions to our common problems. Most of us already know that if we retire waiting for the approval of green card petition in 20-30 years, the green card petition will be considered null and void because of our retirement. It may sound funny and even ironic, but given the size of current backlogs, that’s how it could play out for a lot many of us. So the time for your action is now because only your active participation can change your destiny.

Immigration Voice needs your support -scratch that- OUR support - contributions for the advocacy efforts, increased activity in the State Chapters, more visits by members like you to your Senators and Congressmen/Congresswomen, more active participation in IVs action items, letters/emails to media to feature IV (and in turn our community) in their immigration news coverage, letters to lawmakers/media to highlight our issues with references to IV.... There are a thousand ways you can help us achieve our goals. We hope that you rise and live up to this challenge and stand tall, together with each other, doing our fair share towards total eradication of the systematic destruction of our talent, our professional careers and the future of our families.

Last week, President Obama announced the start of comprehensive immigration bill discussion. This has presented each one of us with an opportunity to participate in fixing our issues. As a solution to the current backlogs, Immigration Voice advocates a solution which will provide much needed relief for over one million highly skilled legal immigrants and their families.

• 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.

These fixes will enable us to become the true shareholders in this economy to live our American dream by buying houses, starting companies and creating more jobs right here in America. These solutions will end the long and excruciating wait that these law abiding, taxpaying and highly productive members of our society face. It will unleash the talent, innovation and entrepreneurship on a scale that will bring us out of this current economic recession.


In days ahead, we make a promise to send you material and resources that will enable you to reach out to the local media in your area. Because it’s ultimately your voice that counts, we will also send you material and resources to also reach out to your Senators and Congressmen / Congresswomen. You will also be able to send your direct personalized communication to President Obama. Please be ready to call and write to the decision makers sharing your personal story and how we continue to contribute in the America. We are the future Americans and our collective voice is what we need to relay to the decision makers. We must all understand that stakes are too high for us to ignore this debate or be complacent about otherwise grim reality that we will face.



Attorney Advice:
Immigration Voice has a panel of lawyers, who give free advice to the members.
http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/ask-attorney/


State Chapters:
Immigration Voice is a grass roots organization. Every member and every State plays an important role in Immigration Voice. Each State has its member database and it is organized through various online groups.
http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/341505-post5.html


We are on FaceBook:
Stay up to date on IV news and action items. Join IV’s FaceBook group here:
Login | Facebook


Tweeting on twitter:
ImmigrationVoice.org (immivoice) on Twitter

Immigration Wiki
http://immigrationvoice.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
Join this Wiki community effort to create useful content for current and future immigrants


Thanks
Team IV

[mqualique]

Adjustment to Permanent Residence Page 4 of 7

http://www.uscis.gov/files/nativedoc...ance_apr09.pdf

The large spike in receipts reflects the volume of employment-based adjustment applications filed as a result of the July 2007 Visa Bulletin. We are making steady progress in reducing pending applications and processing times. Also, while overall limits on yearly immigration meter our ability to actually approve applications, we are working through cases for which a visa number is not yet available in order to pre-screen and pre-adjudicate these cases.
However, even though our goal is to pre-adjudicate the majority of the remaining employment-based cases filed in the summer of 2007 by the end of this year, since these applications were accepted without respect to the actual limits on legal immigration, we will not be able to actually grant most of them this year. With demand to immigrate consistently exceeding the limits in many categories, many customers who filed an employment-based adjustment application in the summer of 2007 may have to wait many years before we can actually grant them permanent residence.

Somebody gave me Red dot asking "How is your post related to the previous post in the thread?"
My Answer: This post gives a grim outlook based on data and claims provided by USCIS and hence it statistically supports the points made by pappu in the 1st post. I thought this information was very much related to this post but if most of you disagree then I'm sorry

[freedom_fighter]

Great post. I'm a new member, but will contribute in whatever way I can. I'm from Mass and planing to meet local congress/senator. I've already written them, but have not heard any response.

Its do or die for situation for us. Freedoms is not free!

[nc14]

Pappu,

You are absolutely right. It is time to regroup and reignite the fire. It is now or never. I dont think anyone over here wants to wait for a decade to get GC.

Originally Posted by freedom_fighter

Great post. I'm a new member, but will contribute in whatever way I can. I'm from Mass and planing to meet local congress/senator. I've already written them, but have not heard any response.

Its do or die for situation for us. Freedoms is not free!

[kate123]

Pappu,
Can you make this is as a sticky on home page so that it will not get burried?

Thanks,

[pd_recapturing]

What a wonderful piece of writing!! A true eye opener. I will start working for our goal in any way I can.

[WhatWentWrong]

Pappu - Thank you for a very well written post.

It feels like we are on a treadmill... It is so difficult to take any decision either this way or that way, nothing seems to work.

I'm a new member, too. I would be glad to be part of anything that could make a positive impact on the situation.

-Thank you.

[swamy]

good reminder of thegory facts- one correction though. we are not awaiting a grim future - its already here in terms of suspended lifestyle etc..

[Keeme]

Originally Posted by mqualique

Adjustment to Permanent Residence Page 4 of 7

http://www.uscis.gov/files/nativedoc...ance_apr09.pdf

The large spike in receipts reflects the volume of employment-based adjustment applications filed as a result of the July 2007 Visa Bulletin. We are making steady progress in reducing pending applications and processing times. Also, while overall limits on yearly immigration meter our ability to actually approve applications, we are working through cases for which a visa number is not yet available in order to pre-screen and pre-adjudicate these cases.
However, even though our goal is to pre-adjudicate the majority of the remaining employment-based cases filed in the summer of 2007 by the end of this year, since these applications were accepted without respect to the actual limits on legal immigration, we will not be able to actually grant most of them this year. With demand to immigrate consistently exceeding the limits in many categories, many customers who filed an employment-based adjustment application in the summer of 2007 may have to wait many years before we can actually grant them permanent residence.

After many years of waiting for my EB visa application and spending hours in reading all these immigration forums and USCIS reports and its Visas and policies, I wonder if many of us can claim themselves as an 'Expert' Of US immi policies(Specialization : EB based Visas). May be, few GURUS can start working as Immigration Lawyer and attorney, if need be !

We have already started filing EADs & AP and I-485 on our own, and days are not far when applicants will start responding RFEs themselves !

Wondering why we came here and what we have become ?

Let's fight for us and others and come out from this mess !

[aroranuj]

I am ready to be a foot soldier in this fight....EB Category's don't matter, what state anyone is from doesnt matter, wether you are in IT or a Doctor or a Manager doesnt matter....I am ready to fight this fight for all of us....Lets UNITE

Pappu we all are here & ready to fight...bring it on...

[addsf345]

I have co-workers who do not want to talk about this (they think they have EAD, so they are safe), do not want to join state chapter or support IV (or any other such organization) for unknown fear. All my attempts to work for our commnity was met with a cold and unwelcome responses so far. They live in fool's world. I hope they read this post.

[abcabcla]

Dear Pappu/Administrator,

Thanks a lot for posting the above well written message!! Your help is highly appreciated!! I love the following quotes very much!! I am sure if all the following items are put in the immigration reform 2009, it will help EB communities, family immigrants and people who like to buy houses for immigration (such as me because my
H-1B visa was processed on the same date when the academic master quota was closed and then I back home without choice until now and I find difficulty to find employers to sponsor the H-1B visa since I am not in US). If buying houses for immigration is real true, then I can finish my internship in US and finish taking the exam for my career.

The quotes from administrator's messages is as below:
• 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.


Again, thanks a lot for all of your help!!

[manugee]

I'm in..whatever it takes..

[hiralal]

good post Pappu and very timely ..the time to wake up is now (it was yesterday) ..but since a bit late ..we need to have a sense of urgency.
everyone's life is hectic and they have their own issues ..but there are many things that you can do even when life is hectic.
1) tell your spouses (if they are at home), to spread word about IV. IV wiki is good place for getting lot of information with regards to immigrants
2) tell your friends to join IV ..just mention IV and tell them that they will get some sort of answers in the forum
3) I am guessing that there will be some action items ..and hence getting more members should be #1 priority now .

[simple1]

Hi Pappu,

Great post and Goals.

However, we need to have short term goals that will help us in these bad economic times.

Short term Goals
===========
1. Removing all EAD conditions (including future renewals) for example: after 12 months of I485 pending.

I personally know people waiting with bright product ideas and worried about going fulltime on their ideas due to same or similar condition. Some are holding on to H1 without using EAD. This short term goal will help all.

and possibly
2. Allowing I140 approved holders to apply for EAD/AP immediately.
3. 5 year EAD/AP at the 2nd renewal.

Funding for IV
===========
In addition to general donation account. I think we need to have separate/special/specific donation accounts and "donate buttons" for specific cause. Some people may be willing to donate more for a specific cause/goal. This will also help IV to identify the goal that is mostly in need.