gnrajagopal
08-18 11:57 PM
So you are saying the mail welcoming you as a permanent resident may not be confirmation of GC?
Come on. Dont be dumb.
Alright man, point taken.....
:) it was hard to believe, but looks like there is hope for NSC Filers.
Come on. Dont be dumb.
Alright man, point taken.....
:) it was hard to believe, but looks like there is hope for NSC Filers.
northstar1
07-26 11:36 AM
Thanks Ashkam. So does that mean it's not really subject to the I-140 processing backlog..any idea?
bestin
06-19 01:46 PM
I think I know what might have happened here. Check your I-140 petition. Check if on part 2, box "d" was checked. If yes then the officer went looking for an advanced degree (post baccalaureate) and could not find any documents and issued an RFE. It is usually customary for EB-2 to have Masters or show the job requires equivalent education / experience combo otherwise you will have to downgrade 140 to EB-3 (by checking the "e" box and amending I-140 by working with the officer, consult with your lawyer)
Hi add78,Yes,d was checked.I thought thats what needs to be checked for EB2.I do have a bachelors degree+ 5 years experience.
Hi add78,Yes,d was checked.I thought thats what needs to be checked for EB2.I do have a bachelors degree+ 5 years experience.
bijualex29
07-31 08:57 PM
>>>>
more...
mallu
01-24 01:35 PM
Yes. As long as your PD was current in some point of time you can file WOM. Be sure to include Department of State as a defendant so it could be ordered to release a visa number for you..
sam_hoosier
11-12 03:44 PM
Gurus,
I am on H1B in USA and now I am planning to set up a company in India. Will I be violating any laws by doing this.
Can I operate the company from USA and still get payed in India. My clients will be paying my company in India.
Will I have to pay taxes in USA.
Thank you for your time.
You can set up a company in India, while you are on an H1B. Are your clients in the US or India ? India & US have a double taxation treaty. If you get paid in India and keep the funds in India, you dont have to pay US taxes on that income. But you will have to pay taxes in India and report in the US.
I am on H1B in USA and now I am planning to set up a company in India. Will I be violating any laws by doing this.
Can I operate the company from USA and still get payed in India. My clients will be paying my company in India.
Will I have to pay taxes in USA.
Thank you for your time.
You can set up a company in India, while you are on an H1B. Are your clients in the US or India ? India & US have a double taxation treaty. If you get paid in India and keep the funds in India, you dont have to pay US taxes on that income. But you will have to pay taxes in India and report in the US.
more...
swati2309
06-20 03:53 PM
Our fellow marchers,
The two of us, here in LA, are trying to hear as many stories as possible and get all the information to write our script. The more compelling the stories, the more powerful this documentary can be.
This is a collective voice and we are all in this together. Think of this as our chance to make this voice heard. All of us who are part of this struggle are giving our best in creating world-class software, products & services. But most of all, we are providing some of the best years of our life to this adopted homeland of ours. In return, we are living our life in a holding pattern instead of realizing our potential to the fullest.
Please do come forward and share your stories with us. People who are not in LA can still be a part of this, email us your stories. We will figure out a way to weave you in If you wish to stay anonymous, let us know and we will not mention your names, we just want to understand your life stories.
The broader our understanding of the issues that all of us are facing, the stronger the script would come out to be.
Bring your unique gift to this voice and help us make a change for all of us.
You can email Jwalant at jay@immigrationvoice.org or us at weTheVoice@gmail.com
Thanks
Aradhana & Swati
The two of us, here in LA, are trying to hear as many stories as possible and get all the information to write our script. The more compelling the stories, the more powerful this documentary can be.
This is a collective voice and we are all in this together. Think of this as our chance to make this voice heard. All of us who are part of this struggle are giving our best in creating world-class software, products & services. But most of all, we are providing some of the best years of our life to this adopted homeland of ours. In return, we are living our life in a holding pattern instead of realizing our potential to the fullest.
Please do come forward and share your stories with us. People who are not in LA can still be a part of this, email us your stories. We will figure out a way to weave you in If you wish to stay anonymous, let us know and we will not mention your names, we just want to understand your life stories.
The broader our understanding of the issues that all of us are facing, the stronger the script would come out to be.
Bring your unique gift to this voice and help us make a change for all of us.
You can email Jwalant at jay@immigrationvoice.org or us at weTheVoice@gmail.com
Thanks
Aradhana & Swati
![quotes on drama. quotes about drama queens. patseguin. Sep 4, 11:15 AM. [QUOTEpatseguin;10992695]I#39;ve been having fun customizing lately. Here#39;s what I have at the moment:](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vh-l4e359hDqtEcfpkWvTV09QBwDVmmgDCkYRmTapFY44AXVLHOXnq_Un1imcoZpmBITbOlOfyhjAn3Wr9zFszENs28xRjwYOkh9L2QG7ZftR8XSD6sLzZ1B0GFX7IfiUT0nJeNLGNu8ydAbMRaQ=s0-d "quotes about drama queens. patseguin. Sep 4, 11:15 AM. [QUOTEpatseguin;10992695]I#39;ve been having fun customizing lately. Here#39;s what I have at the moment:")
raysaikat
07-25 10:34 AM
Hi,
I'm looking for some answers for my wife's visa issues. I'm on H1B (valid until 2010) and she is on OPT (Valid until Dec 20 2008. F-1 visa expired May 2008). My PERM labor is in process and we hope to file for I 140 and I 485 and EAD concurrently by September/ October 2008. My lawyer says that we can file concurrently because my wife's country of birth is in Europe.
Now the questions:
1. Is it okay for my wife to apply for EAD based in I 485 while on OPT with expired F-1 visa? Is there a requirement that wife has to be on H-4 to apply for EAD based on husband's GC application?
Each individual will have his/her I-485, and EAD is a derived benefit of I-485. Your wife can file for I-485 while on OPT and get EAD. However, technically her F-1 status, hence the OPT, terminates after applying for I-485 (since she expresses intent to immigrate).
2. Also read on some forums that Wife's F-1 OPT will be invalidated as soon as her I 485 application is recieved. Is this true?
Conservative view is that as soon as her I-485 is officially submitted (i.e., received by USCIS), she has expressed intent to immigrate, which invalidates her F-1 (note that OPT is not a status, she is still in F1).
3. EAD approval takes 3-4 months on average. So if she doesn't recieve her EAD approval by December 2008 (Dec 20 2008 her OPT expires) she will be out of status. Should we apply for H-4 so that she doesn't become out-of-status?
That may be a better route. Once her H-4 is approved (with new I-94 form), her OPT will terminate and she will not be able to work.
4. We expect that her EAD approval will come by Jan/ Feb 2009. There is a 2 month gap provision that foreign nationals sometimes use to change their status. Is it a safe bet to avoid getting her on H-4 and use the 2 month gap period?
She cannot work while she is in H-4. There is no such thing as "2-month gap"!
4. How much does applying for H-4 cost? I'm simply expecting a range of sorts.
Thanks,
A. Singh
No idea. The application fee is probably a few 100 dollars. Not sure how much your lawyer would charge for preparing the application.
I'm looking for some answers for my wife's visa issues. I'm on H1B (valid until 2010) and she is on OPT (Valid until Dec 20 2008. F-1 visa expired May 2008). My PERM labor is in process and we hope to file for I 140 and I 485 and EAD concurrently by September/ October 2008. My lawyer says that we can file concurrently because my wife's country of birth is in Europe.
Now the questions:
1. Is it okay for my wife to apply for EAD based in I 485 while on OPT with expired F-1 visa? Is there a requirement that wife has to be on H-4 to apply for EAD based on husband's GC application?
Each individual will have his/her I-485, and EAD is a derived benefit of I-485. Your wife can file for I-485 while on OPT and get EAD. However, technically her F-1 status, hence the OPT, terminates after applying for I-485 (since she expresses intent to immigrate).
2. Also read on some forums that Wife's F-1 OPT will be invalidated as soon as her I 485 application is recieved. Is this true?
Conservative view is that as soon as her I-485 is officially submitted (i.e., received by USCIS), she has expressed intent to immigrate, which invalidates her F-1 (note that OPT is not a status, she is still in F1).
3. EAD approval takes 3-4 months on average. So if she doesn't recieve her EAD approval by December 2008 (Dec 20 2008 her OPT expires) she will be out of status. Should we apply for H-4 so that she doesn't become out-of-status?
That may be a better route. Once her H-4 is approved (with new I-94 form), her OPT will terminate and she will not be able to work.
4. We expect that her EAD approval will come by Jan/ Feb 2009. There is a 2 month gap provision that foreign nationals sometimes use to change their status. Is it a safe bet to avoid getting her on H-4 and use the 2 month gap period?
She cannot work while she is in H-4. There is no such thing as "2-month gap"!
4. How much does applying for H-4 cost? I'm simply expecting a range of sorts.
Thanks,
A. Singh
No idea. The application fee is probably a few 100 dollars. Not sure how much your lawyer would charge for preparing the application.
more...
asdqwe2k
07-04 04:40 PM
Another possible example here: I heard a case where one labor led to TWO green cards. My understanding this is not possible and might have happened because of the rush USCIS was approving cases.
A friend of mine got 485 approval on June 29th. He was not expecting it to be approved for a specific reason: his company applied his GC using a pre-approved labor. The original labor was with a differnet person who left the company after his 485 was pending for six months (during retrogession time). That person later joined a company and eventually got his 485 approved. Meanwhile the company applied for the I140 withdrawal and simultaneously went ahead applying for I140 and 485 for my friend (he played along since nothing worse going to happen to anyone; and he had a complicated visa situation). They were not hopeful of approval but suddenly they saw the approval on June 29th.
Who knows how many more irregularities happened there during last two weeks.
There is nothing wrong in people getting approvals on july 2nd or for that matter entire this week or this month.. That is because, eventhough people get approval notice e-mails as july 2nd or any date after that, the actual approval happened 2-3 weeks before..
For example, for most of NSC approval in june 18th week, people have indicated that there Green card physical copy showed approval as June 4th. They got approval notice, and actual green cards starting only in June 3rd week. There has been flood of approvals, at least in NSC region.. Just ask any last month GC approved person, to tell what is the date for "Resident Since" on the green card..
A friend of mine got 485 approval on June 29th. He was not expecting it to be approved for a specific reason: his company applied his GC using a pre-approved labor. The original labor was with a differnet person who left the company after his 485 was pending for six months (during retrogession time). That person later joined a company and eventually got his 485 approved. Meanwhile the company applied for the I140 withdrawal and simultaneously went ahead applying for I140 and 485 for my friend (he played along since nothing worse going to happen to anyone; and he had a complicated visa situation). They were not hopeful of approval but suddenly they saw the approval on June 29th.
Who knows how many more irregularities happened there during last two weeks.
There is nothing wrong in people getting approvals on july 2nd or for that matter entire this week or this month.. That is because, eventhough people get approval notice e-mails as july 2nd or any date after that, the actual approval happened 2-3 weeks before..
For example, for most of NSC approval in june 18th week, people have indicated that there Green card physical copy showed approval as June 4th. They got approval notice, and actual green cards starting only in June 3rd week. There has been flood of approvals, at least in NSC region.. Just ask any last month GC approved person, to tell what is the date for "Resident Since" on the green card..
ajaykk
01-06 09:56 PM
Hi,
I and my wife got AP's issued on Feb 4th 2008 with Validity till Feb 03 2008. We went to India and I returned on March 23rd and my Wife on April 20th, so at the port of entry we entered thru AP. On I-94 and AP officer stamped "Paroled till March 22 2009" for me and "Paroled till April 19th 2009" to my wife.
Now my question is: my wife wants to visit India soon in Feb 1st week and return before April 1st week, does she need to apply for a new AP or can she use the existing AP at the POE? Would there be any issues? Please suggest.
Also, In case if she stays for long, can I apply for a new AP for her when she is in India?
Thanks in Advance.
AJ
I and my wife got AP's issued on Feb 4th 2008 with Validity till Feb 03 2008. We went to India and I returned on March 23rd and my Wife on April 20th, so at the port of entry we entered thru AP. On I-94 and AP officer stamped "Paroled till March 22 2009" for me and "Paroled till April 19th 2009" to my wife.
Now my question is: my wife wants to visit India soon in Feb 1st week and return before April 1st week, does she need to apply for a new AP or can she use the existing AP at the POE? Would there be any issues? Please suggest.
Also, In case if she stays for long, can I apply for a new AP for her when she is in India?
Thanks in Advance.
AJ
more...
crzyBanker
09-24 08:21 PM
I received my EAD but my spouse EAD did not arrive and it has been more than 2 weeks. The status says Card production Ordered.
I have the same question should I have to wait untill the 30 days have passed to reapply for replacement ead or can I apply before?. Is there any way the process can be expedited as my spouse has to work on this EAD. Any info is really appreciated.
I have the same question should I have to wait untill the 30 days have passed to reapply for replacement ead or can I apply before?. Is there any way the process can be expedited as my spouse has to work on this EAD. Any info is really appreciated.
lbk
08-02 07:47 PM
I got I-140 Notice returned as undeliverable.
I got email notification on June 26 as approved and we will mail it to you.
After 2 days lated my attorny told me that he got that letter, he send to me by email as pdf file.
I have a question the letter attorny got is pdf file or original by mail(post).
Who will get the I -140 aaproval original letter?
I got email notification on June 26 as approved and we will mail it to you.
After 2 days lated my attorny told me that he got that letter, he send to me by email as pdf file.
I have a question the letter attorny got is pdf file or original by mail(post).
Who will get the I -140 aaproval original letter?
more...
naushit
07-23 05:45 PM
Q17: How will USCIS interpret the language of AC21 Sec 104(c) (for three-year H-1B extensions) during a period in which AOS applications could be filed?
A17. USCIS interprets AC21 �104(c) as only applicable when an alien, who is the beneficiary of an approved I-140 petition, is eligible to be granted lawful permanent resident status but for application of the per country limitations. Any petitioner seeking an H-1B extension on behalf of a beneficiary pursuant to AC21 �104(c) must thus establish that at the time of filing for such extension, the alien is not eligible to be granted lawful permanent resident status on account of the per country immigrant visa limitations
A17. USCIS interprets AC21 �104(c) as only applicable when an alien, who is the beneficiary of an approved I-140 petition, is eligible to be granted lawful permanent resident status but for application of the per country limitations. Any petitioner seeking an H-1B extension on behalf of a beneficiary pursuant to AC21 �104(c) must thus establish that at the time of filing for such extension, the alien is not eligible to be granted lawful permanent resident status on account of the per country immigrant visa limitations
vxb2004
07-27 10:20 AM
I am in the same position too. A couple of days back I talked to my lawyer and she told me its ok and that she has never heard of anyone's case being rejected or getting a RFE jus because they dint write their name in the native language.
One of friend's lawyer also said its not a big deal and if u r from India the USCIS wont bother abt it(dunno how true this is!)
All,
I sent out my application to USCIS last week and while talking to a friend I realized that I had not filled the Item
"If your native alphabet is in other than Roman letters, write your name in your native alphabet below:"
I neither filled it with my native alphabet nor filled it with a "N/A" Even my lawyer has not detected this.
Is this going to be an issue? What will the USCIS do about it? Since I still have time does it make sense to send a revised form? Is some one out there who have done this?
Please let me know
Thanks
-Sri
One of friend's lawyer also said its not a big deal and if u r from India the USCIS wont bother abt it(dunno how true this is!)
All,
I sent out my application to USCIS last week and while talking to a friend I realized that I had not filled the Item
"If your native alphabet is in other than Roman letters, write your name in your native alphabet below:"
I neither filled it with my native alphabet nor filled it with a "N/A" Even my lawyer has not detected this.
Is this going to be an issue? What will the USCIS do about it? Since I still have time does it make sense to send a revised form? Is some one out there who have done this?
Please let me know
Thanks
-Sri
more...
priya9178
01-10 11:04 AM
Thanks Y'all for the inputs !
Iam going to Houston tomorow for getting my fresh passport, hope I get it in couple of hours so that I can go to French embassy and get my transit visa too. :(
Iam going to Houston tomorow for getting my fresh passport, hope I get it in couple of hours so that I can go to French embassy and get my transit visa too. :(
lostinbeta
09-10 12:01 PM
Sounds pretty "nifty":nerd:
more...
uma001
11-04 04:35 PM
From 1998 - till date, How many times EB3 priority dates were made current
quizzer
09-28 12:33 AM
EB2 or EB3?
sayantan76
05-31 09:04 PM
A friend of mine just came from India. Works for a bodyshopper. He is transferring to L-1A so that he can file in EB-1 multinational manager. Is this possible? What are the minimum requirements for EB-1?
If it is possible this guy will be laughing a year from now, gc in hand, while we all fume and fret over retrogression, labor, i-140 etc..
My company has filed for EB-1 multinational manager for me.....I was on L1A earlier. I dont think the process is as fast as some folks think......specially since for EB1 manager category I140 premium processing is not allowed......
I guess the requirement for L1A is that one should be managing a business, people and processes...... and should have been employed in managerial capacity for the same company outside US......once L1A is done (it takes 5-6 days under premium procesing).....my understanding is that it establishes a strong basis for EB1 filing
If it is possible this guy will be laughing a year from now, gc in hand, while we all fume and fret over retrogression, labor, i-140 etc..
My company has filed for EB-1 multinational manager for me.....I was on L1A earlier. I dont think the process is as fast as some folks think......specially since for EB1 manager category I140 premium processing is not allowed......
I guess the requirement for L1A is that one should be managing a business, people and processes...... and should have been employed in managerial capacity for the same company outside US......once L1A is done (it takes 5-6 days under premium procesing).....my understanding is that it establishes a strong basis for EB1 filing
GCAmigo
07-09 09:46 AM
title translated..
beppenyc
03-20 08:15 PM
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/03-20-2006/0004323801&EDATE=
Q Okay. My question is, since 9/11, one of the key things that we need
is immigration reform, including comprehensive immigration reform that is
right now in front of Senator Specter's committee in the Judiciary. There are
two principles I'm hoping that you would support: One, the good people, the
engineers, the PhDs, the doctors, the nurses, the people in the system who
have followed the rules, will go to the head of the line in any form of
immigration reform. That's Title IVz of the bill.
Secondly, the illegals who have not followed the rules -- I understand the
debate, I appreciate your statements about immigration reform, but isn't it
better that we know who they are, have them finger-printed and photographed,
and allow some form of 245I to come back so --
THE PRESIDENT: Tell people what that is. Tell people what 245I is.
Q Okay -- 245I is a partial amnesty program that expired back in 2001,
in fact, was going to be voted on on 9/11, unfortunately. But those -- it was
a small segment of the illegal population where they would pay the $1,000 fine
and, for example, coming in illegally, then marrying an American citizen,
could somehow legalize their status.
THE PRESIDENT: Okay. Let me give you some broad principles on
immigration reform as I see them. First of all, we do need to know who's
coming into our country and whether they're coming in illegally, or not
legally -- legally or not legally -- and whether they're coming in or going
out. And part of reforms after September the 11th was a better system of
finding out who's coming here.
Secondly, we have a big border between Texas and Mexico that's really hard
to enforce. We got to do everything we can to enforce the border,
particularly in the south. I mean, it's the place where people are pouring
across in order to find work. We have a situation in our own neighborhood
where there are way -- disparities are huge, and there are jobs in America
that people won't do. That's just a fact. I met an onion grower today at the
airport when I arrived, and he said, you got to help me find people that will
grow onions -- pluck them, or whatever you do with them, you know.
(Laughter.) There are jobs that just simply aren't getting done because
Americans won't do them. And yet, if you're making 50 cents an hour in
Mexico, and you can make a lot more in America, and you got mouths to feed,
you're going to come and try to find the work. It's a big border, of which --
across which people are coming to provide a living for their families.
Step one of any immigration policy is to enforce our border in practical
ways. We are spending additional resources to be able to use different
detection devices, unmanned UAVs, to help -- and expand Border Patrol, by the
way, expand the number of agents on the border, to make sure we're getting
them the tools necessary to stop people from coming across in the first place.
Secondly, part of the issue we've had in the past is we've had -- for lack
of a better word -- catch and release; the Border Patrol would find people
sneaking in; they would then hold them for a period of time; they'd say, come
back and check in with us 45 days later, and then they wouldn't check in 45
days later. And they would disappear in society to do the work that some
Americans will not do.
And so we're changing catch and release. We're particularly focusing on
those from Central America who are coming across Mexico's southern border,
ending up in our own -- it's a long answer, but it's an important question:
How do we protect our borders, and at the same time, be a humane society?
Anyway, step one, focus on enforcing border; when we find people, send
them home, so that the work of our Border Patrol is productive work.
Secondly, it seems like to me that part of having a border security
program is to say to people who are hiring people here illegally, we're going
to hold you to account. The problem is our employers don't know whether
they're hiring people illegally because there's a whole forgery industry
around people being smuggled into the United States. There's a smuggling
industry and a forgery industry. And it's hard to ask our employers, the
onion guy out there, whether or not he's got -- whether or not the documents
that he's being shown that look real are real.
And so here's a better proposal than what we're doing today, which is to
say, if you're going to come to do a job an American won't do, you ought to be
given a foolproof card that says you can come for a limited period of time and
do work in a job an American won't do. That's border security because it
means that people will be willing to come in legally with a card to do work on
a limited basis, and then go home. And so the agents won't be chasing people
being smuggled in 18-wheelers or across the Arizona desert. They'll be able
to focus on drugs and terrorists and guns.
The fundamental question that he is referring to is, what do we do about -
- there's two questions -- one, should we have amnesty? And the answer, in my
judgment, is, no, we shouldn't have amnesty. In my judgment, granting
amnesty, automatic citizenship -- that's what amnesty means -- would cause
another 11 million people, or however many are here, to come in the hopes of
becoming a United States citizen. We shouldn't have amnesty. We ought to
have a program that says, you get in line like everybody else gets in line;
and that if the Congress feels like there needs to be higher quotas on certain
nationalities, raise the quotas. But don't let people get in front of the
line for somebody who has been playing by the rules. (Applause.)
And so, anyway, that's my ideas on good immigration policy. Obviously,
there's going to be some questions we have to answer: What about the person
who's been here since 1987 -- '86 was the last attempt at coming up with
immigration reform -- been here for a long period of time. They've raised a
family here. And my only advice for the Congress and for people in the debate
is understand what made America. We're a land of immigrants. This guy is
from Hungary, you know. (Applause.) And we got to treat people fairly.
We've got to have a system of law that is respectful for people.
I mean, the idea of having a program that causes people to get stuck in
the back of 18-wheelers, to risk their lives to sneak into America to do work
that some people won't do is just not American, in my judgment. And so I
would hope the debate would be civil and uphold the honor of this country.
And remember, we've been through these periods before, where the immigration
debate can get harsh. And it should not be harsh. And I hope -- my call for
people is to be rational about the debate and thoughtful about what words can
mean during this debate.
Final question, sir. You're paying me a lot of money and I got to go back
to work. (Laughter.)
PS I did not know about the story of I-245 on 9/11....
Q Okay. My question is, since 9/11, one of the key things that we need
is immigration reform, including comprehensive immigration reform that is
right now in front of Senator Specter's committee in the Judiciary. There are
two principles I'm hoping that you would support: One, the good people, the
engineers, the PhDs, the doctors, the nurses, the people in the system who
have followed the rules, will go to the head of the line in any form of
immigration reform. That's Title IVz of the bill.
Secondly, the illegals who have not followed the rules -- I understand the
debate, I appreciate your statements about immigration reform, but isn't it
better that we know who they are, have them finger-printed and photographed,
and allow some form of 245I to come back so --
THE PRESIDENT: Tell people what that is. Tell people what 245I is.
Q Okay -- 245I is a partial amnesty program that expired back in 2001,
in fact, was going to be voted on on 9/11, unfortunately. But those -- it was
a small segment of the illegal population where they would pay the $1,000 fine
and, for example, coming in illegally, then marrying an American citizen,
could somehow legalize their status.
THE PRESIDENT: Okay. Let me give you some broad principles on
immigration reform as I see them. First of all, we do need to know who's
coming into our country and whether they're coming in illegally, or not
legally -- legally or not legally -- and whether they're coming in or going
out. And part of reforms after September the 11th was a better system of
finding out who's coming here.
Secondly, we have a big border between Texas and Mexico that's really hard
to enforce. We got to do everything we can to enforce the border,
particularly in the south. I mean, it's the place where people are pouring
across in order to find work. We have a situation in our own neighborhood
where there are way -- disparities are huge, and there are jobs in America
that people won't do. That's just a fact. I met an onion grower today at the
airport when I arrived, and he said, you got to help me find people that will
grow onions -- pluck them, or whatever you do with them, you know.
(Laughter.) There are jobs that just simply aren't getting done because
Americans won't do them. And yet, if you're making 50 cents an hour in
Mexico, and you can make a lot more in America, and you got mouths to feed,
you're going to come and try to find the work. It's a big border, of which --
across which people are coming to provide a living for their families.
Step one of any immigration policy is to enforce our border in practical
ways. We are spending additional resources to be able to use different
detection devices, unmanned UAVs, to help -- and expand Border Patrol, by the
way, expand the number of agents on the border, to make sure we're getting
them the tools necessary to stop people from coming across in the first place.
Secondly, part of the issue we've had in the past is we've had -- for lack
of a better word -- catch and release; the Border Patrol would find people
sneaking in; they would then hold them for a period of time; they'd say, come
back and check in with us 45 days later, and then they wouldn't check in 45
days later. And they would disappear in society to do the work that some
Americans will not do.
And so we're changing catch and release. We're particularly focusing on
those from Central America who are coming across Mexico's southern border,
ending up in our own -- it's a long answer, but it's an important question:
How do we protect our borders, and at the same time, be a humane society?
Anyway, step one, focus on enforcing border; when we find people, send
them home, so that the work of our Border Patrol is productive work.
Secondly, it seems like to me that part of having a border security
program is to say to people who are hiring people here illegally, we're going
to hold you to account. The problem is our employers don't know whether
they're hiring people illegally because there's a whole forgery industry
around people being smuggled into the United States. There's a smuggling
industry and a forgery industry. And it's hard to ask our employers, the
onion guy out there, whether or not he's got -- whether or not the documents
that he's being shown that look real are real.
And so here's a better proposal than what we're doing today, which is to
say, if you're going to come to do a job an American won't do, you ought to be
given a foolproof card that says you can come for a limited period of time and
do work in a job an American won't do. That's border security because it
means that people will be willing to come in legally with a card to do work on
a limited basis, and then go home. And so the agents won't be chasing people
being smuggled in 18-wheelers or across the Arizona desert. They'll be able
to focus on drugs and terrorists and guns.
The fundamental question that he is referring to is, what do we do about -
- there's two questions -- one, should we have amnesty? And the answer, in my
judgment, is, no, we shouldn't have amnesty. In my judgment, granting
amnesty, automatic citizenship -- that's what amnesty means -- would cause
another 11 million people, or however many are here, to come in the hopes of
becoming a United States citizen. We shouldn't have amnesty. We ought to
have a program that says, you get in line like everybody else gets in line;
and that if the Congress feels like there needs to be higher quotas on certain
nationalities, raise the quotas. But don't let people get in front of the
line for somebody who has been playing by the rules. (Applause.)
And so, anyway, that's my ideas on good immigration policy. Obviously,
there's going to be some questions we have to answer: What about the person
who's been here since 1987 -- '86 was the last attempt at coming up with
immigration reform -- been here for a long period of time. They've raised a
family here. And my only advice for the Congress and for people in the debate
is understand what made America. We're a land of immigrants. This guy is
from Hungary, you know. (Applause.) And we got to treat people fairly.
We've got to have a system of law that is respectful for people.
I mean, the idea of having a program that causes people to get stuck in
the back of 18-wheelers, to risk their lives to sneak into America to do work
that some people won't do is just not American, in my judgment. And so I
would hope the debate would be civil and uphold the honor of this country.
And remember, we've been through these periods before, where the immigration
debate can get harsh. And it should not be harsh. And I hope -- my call for
people is to be rational about the debate and thoughtful about what words can
mean during this debate.
Final question, sir. You're paying me a lot of money and I got to go back
to work. (Laughter.)
PS I did not know about the story of I-245 on 9/11....
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