ImmigrationVoice.org

Neil Patel
Former Primary Advisor for Domestic & Economic policy Vice President Dick Cheney

Neil Patel is co-founder and Publisher of The Daily Caller (www.dailycaller.com), a web based news company focusing on politics, policy and current events. Prior to founding The Daily Caller, Neil served as chief policy advisor for Vice President Dick Cheney at the White House. Before joining the Bush Administration in February 2001, Neil was Assistant General Counsel at UUNET Technologies, Inc., a Worldcom company. Earlier in his career, Neil practiced law with the Washington, D.C. office of Philadelphia based Dechert Price & Rhoads. He also served as Staff Counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on U.S. National Security and Military/Commercial Concerns with the People's Republic of China. He received his bachelor's degree from Trinity College and his JD from Georgetown University. Neil is a long time advocate of high skilled immigration.

Neil says -

"With countries such as China and India making tremendous strides, the United States traditional role as the world's greatest home for technology innovation -- and the economic benefits our country has enjoyed as a result -- are increasingly at risk. At the same time, our country has chosen to greet the world's best and brightest with an immigration system which is in dire need to repair. With the backlogs our system includes and the numerous bureaucratic hardships we have inflicted on these skilled immigrants and their families, the world's best and brightest are increasingly likely to seek options elsewhere. This is bad for America and it is contrary to the traditions of our great country."

"Over the past three years, I have seen Immigration Voice passionately advocate high skilled immigration issues with the Administration and with Congressional offices. I deeply care about this issue and think that Immigration Voice is a mature, effective and truly grassroots organization representing the issues of high skilled immigrants with lawmakers. I am glad to be on their National Advisory board."

Robert Hoffman
Vice President for Global Public Policy, Cognizant Technology Solutions

Robert has recently joined Cognizant as Vice President for Global Public Policy, representing the company on issues that include immigration, tax reform, data access, trade and education.

Prior to joining Cognizant, Robert was Co-Chair of Compete America, and Vice President of Government and Public Affairs at Oracle Corporation, the world’s largest enterprise software company. At Oracle, and as Co-Chair of Compete America, Robert helped lead the fight for a legal immigration system that will advance US competitiveness, innovation, and economic growth.

Before joining Oracle, Robert served extensively in the legislative branch of the US government, working for US Senators Mike DeWine of Ohio, Pete Wilson of California, John Seymour of California and Larry Pressler of South Dakota. He also served as a speechwriter and DC Deputy Director for California Governor Pete Wilson.

Robert held leadership positions for most of his service in the US Senate, including as Legislative Director and chief advisor on foreign affairs/national security issues for Senators Larry Pressler and Mike DeWine.

Robert received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), and a Masters in Public Policy from the University of Maryland.

Robert says -

"Creativity breeds innovation, which creates new businesses, jobs and prosperity.  No one nation holds a monopoly on innovative creativity, which is why the competition for skilled professionals is global.  Millions of highly skilled immigrants are in the US, making the American Dream possible for them and their families.  The US must continue to offer that opportunity for the world's top talent if we wish to retain our innovative leadership."

"Since 2006, I have collaborated with the members of Immigration Voice to advance legal immigration reform for highly skilled professionals.   The experiences and perspectives of real immigrants who are already here and contributing to our economic growth are essential in this debate. Representing the best of American traditions, Immigration Voice is doing excellent work representing high skilled immigrants in Washington, DC.  They bring both passion in their advocacy, and purpose in their recommendations to fix today's broken system." 

Greg Siskind
Siskind Susser Bland, P.C.

Greg Siskind founded Siskind Susser, P.C. one of the best known firms in the US. He has been ranked as one of the country's top immigration lawyers by Chambers and Partners and is the only immigration lawyer ever photographed for the cover of the American Bar Association Journal. He has played a leading role advocating for a number of immigration-related bills over the last several years and has testified as an expert in front on the House Immigration Subcommittee .

Greg also started Visalaw.com, the first immigration law firm website, the first law firm website in the southern US, and he co-founded Visalaw International, the first global alliance of immigration lawyers. He's also the author of four books including the recently published Employer's Immigration Compliance Desk Reference, co-published by SHRM and ILW.com.

Greg is the Member of American Immigration Lawyers Association, and Chair of the FMG Taskforce, the national physician immigration lawyers coalition.

Greg graduated from the University of Chicago School of Law, and received a Bachelors degree from Vanderbilt University.

Greg says -

"High skilled legal Immigration is a no-brainer. It's about keeping the highly skilled, highly educated talented and creative individuals working for our economy, instead of working for our competitors. It's clearly a broken system that takes too long, is too unpredictable and often drives away superb candidates for immigration. The US is competing to maintain its global economic leadership role and our future economic prosperity depends on an immigration system that works."

"Professionally and personally, I have closely followed the immigration debate in last few years. I have extensively blogged and advocated in favor of improving the system for high skilled immigration. I greatly admire the diligent and highly effective work Immigration Voice has done over the years to shine a light on the problems with processing applications for skilled immigrants. Immigration Voice has literally brought a new voice to the immigration debate - the voice of the skilled immigrant. It is exciting to see these newcomers embrace the democratic process and speak up for developing policies that not only are important to them personally, but which will result in the making of a stronger America. Immigration Voice is an effective and wonderful organization and is to be congratulated for achieving so much in the last few years. I am honored to be on its National Advisory board."

Ilya Shapiro
Senior Fellow in Constitutional Studies, CATO Institute and Editor-in-Chief, CATO Supreme Court Review

Ilya Shapiro is a senior fellow in constitutional studies at the Cato Institute and editor-in-chief of the Cato Supreme Court Review. Previously, he was Special Assistant/Advisor to the Multi-National Force-Iraq on rule of law issues and practiced international, political, commercial, and antitrust litigation at Patton Boggs LLP and Cleary Gottlieb LLP. Ilya has contributed to a variety of academic, popular, and professional publications, including the L.A. Times, Washington Times, Legal Times, Weekly Standard, Roll Call, National Review Online, and from 2004 to 2007 wrote the "Dispatches from Purple America" column for TCS Daily.com. He also regularly provides commentary on a host of legal and political issues for various TV and radio outlets, including CNN, Fox News, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, Voice of America, and American Public Media's "Marketplace."

Ilya is an adjunct professor at the George Washington University Law School, a member of the board of visitors of the Legal Studies Institute at The Fund for American Studies, and lectures regularly on behalf of the Federalist Society and other educational and professional groups. Before entering private practice, Shapiro clerked for Judge E. Grady Jolly of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, while living in Mississippi and traveling around the Deep South.

Ilya holds an A.B. from Princeton University, an M.Sc. from the London School of Economics, and a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School.

Ilya says -

"It's time to reform employment-based immigration policies and procedures. We must eliminate the byzantine obstacles for the best and the brightest already here to continue working for the companies that are creating more jobs in America.

Immigration Voice has made huge strides in highlighting the issues faced by highly skilled immigrants. I am an immigrant myself and know the hardship caused by arcane procedures and ill-conceived laws, which are driving skilled professionals to other lucrative destinations in the world. For example, the massive green card backlog is causing serious hindrance to American innovation, as are country quotas that limit immigrants from countries that produce the very workers we most need. There will be no better time to implement the solutions proposed by Immigration Voice and to restore American supremacy in science, technology, and other areas that foster new businesses and create jobs right here in America."

Prakash Khatri
Former USCIS Ombudsman

Prakash Khatri is president and CEO of KPK Global Solutions, LLC, a Washington, D.C.area consulting firm providing strategic counsel on legal and policy issues pertaining to immigration. He also recently established the Khatri Law Firm in Washington, DC which focuses on complex immigration related matters. Before founding KPK Global Solutions, LLC, Khatri served in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as the nation's first independent Ombudsman for Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) from July 2003 until February 2008. In this role, he analyzed the complex processes of, and identified systemic problems within, USCIS that were hindering the federal immigration process. As Ombudsman, he developed and delivered numerous recommendations to the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and reported his findings and policy recommendations annually to the U.S. Congress.

Prior to coming to Washington, he managed the Immigration Compliance Department for Walt Disney World Co. in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., for five years. While working for Disney, he traveled to the U.S. consular posts in more than 18 countries. At Disney, he developed and implemented an automated high-volume visa processing system and other innovations that reduced unnecessary paperwork and improved efficiencies related to handling employee visa applications. Before arriving at Disney, he practiced law for 14 years, specializing in immigration issues.

He is the former president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association's Central Florida Chapter, he has held leadership positions in several professional associations and has received numerous awards and honors for his work. He was recognized as one of the “50 Most Influential Indian-Americans” by India Abroad in 2007.He has served as a guest speaker on immigration topics, including international student and exchange visitor issues, for many television and radio shows and has participated nationally and internationally as an expert speaker at various immigration conferences, seminars and debates.

He holds an undergraduate degree in political science from Stetson University (1981) and received his law degree from Stetson University College of Law in 1983.

Prakash says - 

"I have been seeing Immigration Voice work over the past couple of years and admire their dedication , hard work and sincerity to the cause of High-skill immigration. They have done great work advocating solutions to the administration and Congress."

"We need to support this grassroots effort to not only fix the problems in our Immigration system but also to create laws that welcome the best and the brightest from around the world to come here and make America successful."