waitnwatch
07-16 02:38 PM
Wondering whether you would take a decision just based on what we amateurs have to say. At least ask this question on the "free question to attorney thread" if you are looking for an answer you can trust.
Ultimately I guess "same and similar" is a totally gray area. I donot know whether there are some guidelines for the adjudicators but that phrase can be as broadly or narrowly interpreted as the IO wants it to be.
I am currently working as a Programmer Analyst on EB3 and Using my EAD through 485.
I plan to convert to a new postition that of Senior Applications Developer where the job duties will be atleast 50% different from my existing position
But here is the problem If i am using my EAd obtained from Eb3 program Analyst position then can I work on another position which is 50% different from my existing position as per AC21 rules
Ultimately I guess "same and similar" is a totally gray area. I donot know whether there are some guidelines for the adjudicators but that phrase can be as broadly or narrowly interpreted as the IO wants it to be.
I am currently working as a Programmer Analyst on EB3 and Using my EAD through 485.
I plan to convert to a new postition that of Senior Applications Developer where the job duties will be atleast 50% different from my existing position
But here is the problem If i am using my EAd obtained from Eb3 program Analyst position then can I work on another position which is 50% different from my existing position as per AC21 rules
srarao
08-18 12:01 PM
Hi
http://www.immigration-law.com
--must be of great help
-Rao.
http://www.immigration-law.com
--must be of great help
-Rao.
reedandbamboo
09-15 12:00 PM
Singhsa,
Good idea! See you there.
Good idea! See you there.
shana04
02-16 12:38 PM
Hi,
Can someone please clarify with AC21 can I take up a job Position as "IT PROJECT MANAGER 11-3021.00" whereas my EB3 Labor is filed as "Computer Programmers - 15-1021.00" ?
My I-485 is still pending past 180 days and I-140 is approved.
Thanks so much in advance for replying.
I would advice you to consult your attorney before you make this decision. Good luck
Can someone please clarify with AC21 can I take up a job Position as "IT PROJECT MANAGER 11-3021.00" whereas my EB3 Labor is filed as "Computer Programmers - 15-1021.00" ?
My I-485 is still pending past 180 days and I-140 is approved.
Thanks so much in advance for replying.
I would advice you to consult your attorney before you make this decision. Good luck
more...
HRPRO
04-26 11:03 AM
You definitely need an attorney's representation. Dont waste time mulling over it as more time you waste, bigger the problem.
chi_shark
10-06 05:23 PM
i am going to do almost exactly what you are thinking in a matter of few days. i spoke to two lawyers. essentially, ac21 allows this and there is nothing that you have to really do. Of course, i am assuming that you are moving into a job that has the similar job duties as specified in your labor application. what you need to do is make 100% sure that you have documentation to prove this job duties similarity. if you are going to get an SOW from your client, make sure that the SOW is similar to your labor. if you can, do get a letter from your client (where you will do your actual work) stating your job responsibilities, work content etc. you will also need to document/prove actual existence of your business by showing your tax transactions, invoices/receipts etc. also, make sure that you are spending 40 hours (or whatever is the equivalent of a full time job) doing your labor certified job... all this will be required only if USCIS sends you an RFE or calls you for an interview.
wish you luck
I am working for a Fortune 500 company on H1 visa. I am switching to a startup and will now be using my EAD( GC status: I-485 with more than 180 days). I have the following questions.
1. Can I join as an individual contractor by myself directly with the company without going thru a 3rd party vendor?
2. I am offered a temporary contract position at an hourly rate every 15 days without deducting any taxes. I will have to pay my taxes at the end of the year by myself using the form sent by the employer. Does anyone have any such experience?
3. What formalities do I need to complete with the USCIS regarding this change in my status? Will it affect my green card process in any way?
I will really appreciate your help.
Thanks for the support.
wish you luck
I am working for a Fortune 500 company on H1 visa. I am switching to a startup and will now be using my EAD( GC status: I-485 with more than 180 days). I have the following questions.
1. Can I join as an individual contractor by myself directly with the company without going thru a 3rd party vendor?
2. I am offered a temporary contract position at an hourly rate every 15 days without deducting any taxes. I will have to pay my taxes at the end of the year by myself using the form sent by the employer. Does anyone have any such experience?
3. What formalities do I need to complete with the USCIS regarding this change in my status? Will it affect my green card process in any way?
I will really appreciate your help.
Thanks for the support.
more...
jonty_11
06-12 05:14 PM
I actually sent evl instead of paystubs. I cant produce paystubs because I am not currently working with them
2 options..
use EAD and join new empolyer .
If u dont have EAD yet...do another h1 Transfer
2 options..
use EAD and join new empolyer .
If u dont have EAD yet...do another h1 Transfer
abc1125
06-13 03:31 AM
for the case mentioned in this thread, will the priority date be the date of filing of Labor cert or the 140 approval date after the candidate moves to a new employer after 140 approval? could someone please clarify this for me. will greatly appreciate it.
more...
smudunuri
08-07 03:16 PM
The Story Thus far:
Though I am not an immi guru ( I never knew what was LUD till I started checking this site), but check this site for regular updates, so wanted to share news with others who eagerly waiting for approvals in Aug.
I -485 RD: 08/11/07 LUD: 08/03/09 AD: 08/03/09 - Self
I-485 RD: 08/11/07 LUD: 08/03/09 AD: 08/03/09 - spouse
Aug 3: Card Production Ordered email received
Aug 6: Approval Notice Sent email received
Aug 7: Approval Notice Sent received in mail
AP RD: 08/09/07 LUD: 01/02/08 AD: 01/02/08 - Self
AP RD: 08/09/07 LUD: 01/03/08 AD: 01/04/08 - spouse
PD: 03/13/03
I-140 2 (EB2) AD: 05/06/09
EB2 - India / MI / NSC
Though I am not an immi guru ( I never knew what was LUD till I started checking this site), but check this site for regular updates, so wanted to share news with others who eagerly waiting for approvals in Aug.
I -485 RD: 08/11/07 LUD: 08/03/09 AD: 08/03/09 - Self
I-485 RD: 08/11/07 LUD: 08/03/09 AD: 08/03/09 - spouse
Aug 3: Card Production Ordered email received
Aug 6: Approval Notice Sent email received
Aug 7: Approval Notice Sent received in mail
AP RD: 08/09/07 LUD: 01/02/08 AD: 01/02/08 - Self
AP RD: 08/09/07 LUD: 01/03/08 AD: 01/04/08 - spouse
PD: 03/13/03
I-140 2 (EB2) AD: 05/06/09
EB2 - India / MI / NSC
shantak
04-09 07:21 AM
Hi,
I am E-filing my EAD thru online. There is a dropDown where it asks for "Current Immigration Status"...
My Situation:
1. Entered into USA using H1B Visa
2. Changed the job and now working using EAD
3. In othyer words, my status would be AOS Pending...
Now question is there is no "AOS Pending" status in that dropdown. SO, I am confused about chosing the correct status...
The nearest ones that I am thinking are "parolee" or "UNKNOWN"
Has anyone faced the situation? Could you please help me?
This is an interesting question, gurus please help, I think I will be facing the same question in a couple of months. I have seen that many people have successfully received their EAD using the e-file. Hopefully they will answer this question
I am E-filing my EAD thru online. There is a dropDown where it asks for "Current Immigration Status"...
My Situation:
1. Entered into USA using H1B Visa
2. Changed the job and now working using EAD
3. In othyer words, my status would be AOS Pending...
Now question is there is no "AOS Pending" status in that dropdown. SO, I am confused about chosing the correct status...
The nearest ones that I am thinking are "parolee" or "UNKNOWN"
Has anyone faced the situation? Could you please help me?
This is an interesting question, gurus please help, I think I will be facing the same question in a couple of months. I have seen that many people have successfully received their EAD using the e-file. Hopefully they will answer this question
more...
gk_2000
05-20 05:26 PM
One who must not be Paid attention to
martinvisalaw
06-12 04:40 PM
You can apply for an EAD with a pending 485. However, I would be conservative in saying that you are really eligible for this only if you can avail of 485 portability. If the I-140 has been approved and the 485 has been pending for 180 days, then you are portable. If the I-140 has not been approved, the employer could revoke the I-140 and cause the 485 to be denied. This would cause an immediate end to your work authorization and Advance Parole also.
In your situation, I would probably apply for the EAD but ask a new employer to also file for H-1B status for you (assuming you have H-1B time left). This way you could get a H-1B visa at a consulate and return in that status if necessary.
In your situation, I would probably apply for the EAD but ask a new employer to also file for H-1B status for you (assuming you have H-1B time left). This way you could get a H-1B visa at a consulate and return in that status if necessary.
more...
Libra
09-15 10:43 PM
Are you coming?
silk2fire
07-18 09:59 AM
;) Thanks you for efforts and long live IV
more...
Berkeleybee
04-26 07:20 PM
Glad to have been of assistance and happy that the IV core played the greatest part in getting the story out. Lets keep our eyes and ears open as we look out for more opportunities. There is a potential opportunity from this article shared by gonecrazyonh4 : http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showpost.php?p=9627&postcount=321
I looked around the site and found out that the misleading article was an op-ed and that the paper actually has someone dedicated to immigration issues. I found the following info, it might be worth following up as part of telling the other side of the story and correcting misperceptions that may have been created :
Brenda Gazzar : brenda.gazzar at dailybulletin.com, Immigration and Ethnic Issues (909) 483-9355
More contacts here : http://www.dailybulletin.com/contactus
Note that this was written by a "guest" columnist. Go ahead and write to the reporter. Happily this is a small local paper, in a pretty Republican district, any article that throws in allegations about Asians and then terrorists cant be taken seriously.
I looked around the site and found out that the misleading article was an op-ed and that the paper actually has someone dedicated to immigration issues. I found the following info, it might be worth following up as part of telling the other side of the story and correcting misperceptions that may have been created :
Brenda Gazzar : brenda.gazzar at dailybulletin.com, Immigration and Ethnic Issues (909) 483-9355
More contacts here : http://www.dailybulletin.com/contactus
Note that this was written by a "guest" columnist. Go ahead and write to the reporter. Happily this is a small local paper, in a pretty Republican district, any article that throws in allegations about Asians and then terrorists cant be taken seriously.
iad2ead
07-19 07:12 AM
Me too in same situation.. thx for sharing the exp.. Do you think the list of mandatory documents are sufficient ? I'm carrying last yrs tax returns, 5 months pay stubs, last 3yrs W-2 in addition to the mandatory documents. Anything else?
thanks
Iad
:mad:
Just wanted to share our 7th year H-1B extension stamping in Chennai on July 15th. Since my I-140 was approved, the I-797 petition was approved for 3 years. My family (wife and daughter) attended the interview along with me. The procedure for H-1B extension/renewal is much easier in Chennai compared to first time stampers. There is a separate counter for renewals and the interview procedure is quite simple. After the initial screening of documents, we went to a separate renewal counter which did not have any queue.
The VO just asked some questions about my nature of the job and how long I have been with my company. FYI, my company is a major reputed IT Foreign MNC. My family was not asked any questions. We did not have any PIMS delays and I got the passport couriered the very next day itself. The petition was approved a month before the stamping. Overall it is a much streamlined process for H-1B visa extensions/renewals.
Thanks MP70
thanks
Iad
:mad:
Just wanted to share our 7th year H-1B extension stamping in Chennai on July 15th. Since my I-140 was approved, the I-797 petition was approved for 3 years. My family (wife and daughter) attended the interview along with me. The procedure for H-1B extension/renewal is much easier in Chennai compared to first time stampers. There is a separate counter for renewals and the interview procedure is quite simple. After the initial screening of documents, we went to a separate renewal counter which did not have any queue.
The VO just asked some questions about my nature of the job and how long I have been with my company. FYI, my company is a major reputed IT Foreign MNC. My family was not asked any questions. We did not have any PIMS delays and I got the passport couriered the very next day itself. The petition was approved a month before the stamping. Overall it is a much streamlined process for H-1B visa extensions/renewals.
Thanks MP70
more...
bluesandrams
12-16 10:52 AM
http://www.indianexpress.com/sunday/story/250682.html
THE BRAIN RAIN
PALLAVI SINGH
Posted online: Sunday, December 16, 2007 at 0000 hrs Print Email
Shouri Chatterjee comes across as a regular guy from Kolkata, fond of reading and meaningful cinema.
Related Stories
MOON VILLAGEGREEN BUCKSBARGAIN BRIDESNIGHT WITHOUT ENDBang for the buck
Shouri Chatterjee comes across as a regular guy from Kolkata, fond of reading and meaningful cinema. Every morning while cycling his way to his tiny office at the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi (IIT-D), he mingles with his students. In fact, he�s often mistaken for one. But he dispels the impression with a firm, �I�m here to teach.�
And if you ask his seniors at the institute, this simple statement from the US-returned electrical engineer means a lot to IIT-D these days.
Contrary to what most IITians with a BTech degree in hand and a foreign stamp on their post-graduate degrees did in the 1980s and �90s, Chatterjee abandoned his dollar dreams at the Silicon Laboratories in the United States to join the institute in November last year. A PhD from Columbia University in New York, Chatterjee says he knew all along that teaching and research were his �true calling�.
He is not alone. The 38 other men and women who have filled up faculty positions at IIT-D in the last 18 months, would agree. The new recruits, many of them under 35, reflect a trend that is slowly picking up across all the IITs. Most of those who have joined are either first-time teachers or have taken to teaching after a few years of experience in the industry.
For 32-year-old Anirban Mahanti, for example, teaching at IIT-D is a job change for the better. The shift from a three-year-stint as an assistant professor at the University of Calgary in Canada to teaching at IIT-D may have meant a �big downer� financially but in terms of freedom in research work, the gain, he says, cannot be translated into monetary terms. �In industry-based research, you just do what the company wants you to do. Here at IIT, we set our own pace and do what we want to do,� he adds.
While Prof Bijendra N Jain, Deputy Director (Faculty) at IIT-D, insists that the emphasis on recruiting young faculty is not new, he admits much is being done to �incentivise� the lot.
This month, IIT-D introduced the Outstanding Young Faculty Fellowships. The fellowships, currently numbering 26, offer Rs 1 lakh per annum to the select faculty for a period of five years. Jain says IIT-D hopes to launch about 500 such fellowships in the next five years.
�Creating fellowships are most important to us now than anything else. Return on money invested in a young faculty usually exceeds everything else. They are young, enthusiastic and several of them have left lucrative jobs abroad to join us,� says Prof Jain.
The institute has also asked the Department of Science of Technology under the Ministry of Science and Technology to launch at least a thousand fellowships for young science teachers across the country.
Similar efforts were made at IIT-Bombay when the institute announced a signing bonus of Rs 3 lakh for its new faculty with help from its alumni. It even significantly increased seed research grants to Rs 10 lakh to new faculty members from Rs 3 lakh in previous years.
Educationists say compensation packages are the need of the hour to build a pool of young teachers as a large number of faculties across IITs, hired at a time they were being set up in the 1950s and 1960s in anticipation of excellence in science and engineering education, are nearing retirement.
�The faculty was recruited some 30 years ago. Only a few years ago, we realised the fact that many of them would be retiring,� explains MS Ananth, director, IIT-Madras.
While IIT-Bombay has a faculty strength of 420 with about 100 vacant positions, it is not alone. Figures at the seven IITs reveals an estimated, cumulative shortage of at least 900 faculty members.
At IIT-D, about 20 percent of faculty positions are vacant. Further, according to a report prepared by its alumni association in 2004, more than 20 per cent of its most experienced faculty would retire in the next seven years.
The shortage is most acute in IIT Roorkee, which has a sanctioned strength of 575 but only 345 on the rolls.
So, IIT-D, along with IIT-Kanpur, IIT-Roorkee and IIT-Madras, has standing advertisements for faculty positions in all departments. And, the progress has been �good� as against a �dull response�� until a couple of years ago. �About 50 per cent of the applications we receive now are from teachers settled abroad. They all want to teach at IITs,� says Prof Jain of IIT-D.
The recent recruitments have pushed the number of teachers aged under 35 from 15 to over 30 at IIT-D and �Brand India� is one of the reasons behind the rising numbers.
In the 1990s, Prof K Achuta Rao, now 43, would come looking for research jobs in the field of climate change in vain. �Two things have happened since. First, the Government is encouraging quality research and second, a great research pool is being created here with the advent of big research labs setting up shop here. This is the time to be in India and be part of the changes it is undergoing,�� says Rao who joined IIT-D this June after working in the US for over two decades.
While Rao�s decision to come back to India took two decades, young IITians have decided pretty early. Statistics show that only three of IIT-Kanpur�s 273 BTech students and two from the integrated MSc course went abroad last year. All others�267 MTech students, two-year MSc grads and MBA�-stayed back in the country. In Delhi, of the 1,000-odd job seekers, only one student went abroad to join a financial consulting firm. At IIT Mumbai, 95 per cent of the students were placed in India while in Madras, only two BTech students went abroad.
But the lot willing to take up teaching and research is �still a faraway dream,� says Mahanti. �You can�t say that the US hangover is over. But there has been some sort of reverse drain. That doesn�t mean we should no longer be worrying about brain drain,� he cautions.
THE BRAIN RAIN
PALLAVI SINGH
Posted online: Sunday, December 16, 2007 at 0000 hrs Print Email
Shouri Chatterjee comes across as a regular guy from Kolkata, fond of reading and meaningful cinema.
Related Stories
MOON VILLAGEGREEN BUCKSBARGAIN BRIDESNIGHT WITHOUT ENDBang for the buck
Shouri Chatterjee comes across as a regular guy from Kolkata, fond of reading and meaningful cinema. Every morning while cycling his way to his tiny office at the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi (IIT-D), he mingles with his students. In fact, he�s often mistaken for one. But he dispels the impression with a firm, �I�m here to teach.�
And if you ask his seniors at the institute, this simple statement from the US-returned electrical engineer means a lot to IIT-D these days.
Contrary to what most IITians with a BTech degree in hand and a foreign stamp on their post-graduate degrees did in the 1980s and �90s, Chatterjee abandoned his dollar dreams at the Silicon Laboratories in the United States to join the institute in November last year. A PhD from Columbia University in New York, Chatterjee says he knew all along that teaching and research were his �true calling�.
He is not alone. The 38 other men and women who have filled up faculty positions at IIT-D in the last 18 months, would agree. The new recruits, many of them under 35, reflect a trend that is slowly picking up across all the IITs. Most of those who have joined are either first-time teachers or have taken to teaching after a few years of experience in the industry.
For 32-year-old Anirban Mahanti, for example, teaching at IIT-D is a job change for the better. The shift from a three-year-stint as an assistant professor at the University of Calgary in Canada to teaching at IIT-D may have meant a �big downer� financially but in terms of freedom in research work, the gain, he says, cannot be translated into monetary terms. �In industry-based research, you just do what the company wants you to do. Here at IIT, we set our own pace and do what we want to do,� he adds.
While Prof Bijendra N Jain, Deputy Director (Faculty) at IIT-D, insists that the emphasis on recruiting young faculty is not new, he admits much is being done to �incentivise� the lot.
This month, IIT-D introduced the Outstanding Young Faculty Fellowships. The fellowships, currently numbering 26, offer Rs 1 lakh per annum to the select faculty for a period of five years. Jain says IIT-D hopes to launch about 500 such fellowships in the next five years.
�Creating fellowships are most important to us now than anything else. Return on money invested in a young faculty usually exceeds everything else. They are young, enthusiastic and several of them have left lucrative jobs abroad to join us,� says Prof Jain.
The institute has also asked the Department of Science of Technology under the Ministry of Science and Technology to launch at least a thousand fellowships for young science teachers across the country.
Similar efforts were made at IIT-Bombay when the institute announced a signing bonus of Rs 3 lakh for its new faculty with help from its alumni. It even significantly increased seed research grants to Rs 10 lakh to new faculty members from Rs 3 lakh in previous years.
Educationists say compensation packages are the need of the hour to build a pool of young teachers as a large number of faculties across IITs, hired at a time they were being set up in the 1950s and 1960s in anticipation of excellence in science and engineering education, are nearing retirement.
�The faculty was recruited some 30 years ago. Only a few years ago, we realised the fact that many of them would be retiring,� explains MS Ananth, director, IIT-Madras.
While IIT-Bombay has a faculty strength of 420 with about 100 vacant positions, it is not alone. Figures at the seven IITs reveals an estimated, cumulative shortage of at least 900 faculty members.
At IIT-D, about 20 percent of faculty positions are vacant. Further, according to a report prepared by its alumni association in 2004, more than 20 per cent of its most experienced faculty would retire in the next seven years.
The shortage is most acute in IIT Roorkee, which has a sanctioned strength of 575 but only 345 on the rolls.
So, IIT-D, along with IIT-Kanpur, IIT-Roorkee and IIT-Madras, has standing advertisements for faculty positions in all departments. And, the progress has been �good� as against a �dull response�� until a couple of years ago. �About 50 per cent of the applications we receive now are from teachers settled abroad. They all want to teach at IITs,� says Prof Jain of IIT-D.
The recent recruitments have pushed the number of teachers aged under 35 from 15 to over 30 at IIT-D and �Brand India� is one of the reasons behind the rising numbers.
In the 1990s, Prof K Achuta Rao, now 43, would come looking for research jobs in the field of climate change in vain. �Two things have happened since. First, the Government is encouraging quality research and second, a great research pool is being created here with the advent of big research labs setting up shop here. This is the time to be in India and be part of the changes it is undergoing,�� says Rao who joined IIT-D this June after working in the US for over two decades.
While Rao�s decision to come back to India took two decades, young IITians have decided pretty early. Statistics show that only three of IIT-Kanpur�s 273 BTech students and two from the integrated MSc course went abroad last year. All others�267 MTech students, two-year MSc grads and MBA�-stayed back in the country. In Delhi, of the 1,000-odd job seekers, only one student went abroad to join a financial consulting firm. At IIT Mumbai, 95 per cent of the students were placed in India while in Madras, only two BTech students went abroad.
But the lot willing to take up teaching and research is �still a faraway dream,� says Mahanti. �You can�t say that the US hangover is over. But there has been some sort of reverse drain. That doesn�t mean we should no longer be worrying about brain drain,� he cautions.
gcformeornot
02-24 07:14 AM
__
fadingblack
09-19 06:29 AM
Well, you have been helpfull. I was afraid this answer would come up. I cannot find a manual even in the shops. Anyway if you were so kind to look for one for me i'd apreciate that so much, because mos of the books about software are written in english, and here, for programs such painter, wich are not really that popular as photoshop is really hard to find something. Maybe if you gave me a title i could buy through internet.
Oh, and i wish i had buy it! A friend of mine told me about it and made a copy for me for testing. (not pretty legal, i know, but if i like the soft i finally buy it. I only need to check it in advance, because my salary is not that big to buy just for checking. Sure you know what i mean :P )
Anyway, do you think is that good to buy it or do you think you can do the same stuff with photoshop?? I'm afraid painter is much powerfurl in some aspects. What do you think, as owner of painter 6 and a manual???
Oh, and i wish i had buy it! A friend of mine told me about it and made a copy for me for testing. (not pretty legal, i know, but if i like the soft i finally buy it. I only need to check it in advance, because my salary is not that big to buy just for checking. Sure you know what i mean :P )
Anyway, do you think is that good to buy it or do you think you can do the same stuff with photoshop?? I'm afraid painter is much powerfurl in some aspects. What do you think, as owner of painter 6 and a manual???
rajarao
08-19 09:32 PM
Thanks everyone for replies.
RFE LUD came as email on Friday. A week before, I spoke with customer service and they said my case will be forwarded to IO.
The RFE letter came to my company lawyer today. He sent me the copy. He is also basically suggesting the same. Gather whatever available and write some explanation. He will refine and send it.
Will keep posted on this forum.
--------------------
EB-2/ India/
PD 06/2004
RFE LUD came as email on Friday. A week before, I spoke with customer service and they said my case will be forwarded to IO.
The RFE letter came to my company lawyer today. He sent me the copy. He is also basically suggesting the same. Gather whatever available and write some explanation. He will refine and send it.
Will keep posted on this forum.
--------------------
EB-2/ India/
PD 06/2004
waitingonlc
02-13 03:50 PM
Immigration plan looms in Congress
By Michelle Mittelstadt
The Dallas Morning News, February 12, 2006
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/nation/stories/DN-immigdog_12nat.ART0.State.Edition1.3eb24c4.html
Washington -- As mid-term congressional elections draw closer, the window for action in Congress on a complex � and controversial � immigration package grows ever smaller.
Mindful of that, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has told Senate leaders that they must deliver a bill to the floor by March 27, an ambitious deadline for legislation that has yet to be written in committee.
A bigger hurdle looms: Reconciling sure-to-be competing visions from the House and Senate.
'Immigration is one of the most controversial issues in American society,' said Stephen Yale-Loehr, who teaches immigration law at Cornell University. 'We all like individual immigrants who live near us and work with us, but we don't like illegal immigration as a whole. And trying to put together a package that will accommodate everyone's interest is very tough, indeed.'
The topic is fraught with economic, national security, social, diplomatic and political implications.
Each year, hundreds of thousands of immigrants enter the U.S. illegally, swelling a population now estimated to exceed 11 million. The Southwest border is in crisis in places, overrun by illegal immigration and drug traffickers. There is also the threat that the porous border could serve as a gateway for terrorists. And the legal immigration system is beset by backlogs, problems and rules that vex employers and keep millions of people awaiting approval for green cards to join relatives already here.
The test for Congress is what to emphasize: enforcement, immigration liberalization or some combination of the two?
Choosing a direction
The House took the first crack at the question, passing a stringent enforcement-only bill that would fence more than a third of the 1,952-mile Southwest border, increase fines for employers who hire illegal immigrants, and make it a crime (instead of a civil penalty) to be in the country illegally. The legislation was silent on President Bush's call for a guest worker program that would grant visas for up to six years to millions of undocumented workers.
The debate now shifts to the Senate, which appears inclined to marry enhanced border security with a temporary worker program.
But the Senate's solution, particularly if it includes a pathway to legal permanent residence, is sure to set up a collision with the House, where national security hawks have dominated the debate.
'The big question becomes: Is it even possible for the two houses to reconcile their bills,' said Steven Camarota, research director for the Center for Immigration Studies, which favors reduced immigration. 'If it's not done by May, I can't see it getting done.'
The divisions may be too pronounced for Congress to act this year, Mr. Yale-Loehr said.
As the elections near, politicians will become increasingly skittish of taking up an issue that could anger Hispanic and conservative voters alike while also inflaming constituencies as diverse as big business and labor.
In some ways, it's no surprise that politicians are lurching in radically different directions, with one faction pushing get-tough prescriptions such as ending automatic citizenship to those born here of illegal immigrant parents, while another camp presses to legalize illegal immigrants and permit a stream of newcomers.
Public divided
The public is deeply conflicted.
Polls consistently show that Americans are troubled by illegal immigration and the federal government's failure to enforce the law. But those same polls also detect sympathy for illegal immigrants who work and pay taxes as they scrabble for a piece of the American dream.
A new Time/SRBI poll offered one snapshot of the public's ambivalence. Though 63 percent of respondents described illegal immigration as a very serious or extremely serious problem and 57 percent endorsed taking 'whatever steps are necessary' to halt migrant crossings, 73 percent favored granting temporary work visas to illegal immigrants already here.
So, how do policymakers thread the needle?
'That's the $64 million question,' said Migration Policy Institute senior fellow Doris Meissner, who headed the Immigration and Naturalization Service during the Clinton administration.
'We definitely have to do something, and sooner than later,' she said. 'But I think that it's really important that this issue and this debate develops and evolves, because if we were to go ahead and enact what's now been passed by the House, it would be a terrible disservice.'
She, like others critical of the House's enforcement-only approach, contends that any immigration law rewrite must resolve the status of illegal immigrants and provide an outlet for future migrants drawn by jobs or the desire to be reunited with family.
'Enforcement-only is not going to work,' said Angelo Amador, head of immigration policy for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
The chamber is loosely allied with immigrant-rights groups, religious organizations, labor unions and others who have rallied around a plan by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., that tandems some tougher enforcement with a guest worker plan that would provide a path to legal permanent residence.
But supporters of the House approach say enforcement must be dealt with first, both at the border and within the country, and by implementing a mandatory employer verification system to check the legal status of would-be hires.
'A guest worker program would be an absolute disaster with our current enforcement because, of course, it wouldn't be a guest worker program if we can't make them go home,' said Rosemary Jenks, director of government relations for Numbers USA, a group seeking reduced immigration.
Pollster Sergio Bendixen said that the policy debate has been skewed by the 'echo chamber' of radio talk shows and cable TV programs that fixate on immigration's negatives rather than looking at the whole picture.
'It has become an emotional issue with emotional buzzwords, and there's very little rationality in the debate,' Mr. Bendixen said. 'Unfortunately, we are close to making it impossible on people who have to get elected' to deal with the issue.
By Michelle Mittelstadt
The Dallas Morning News, February 12, 2006
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/nation/stories/DN-immigdog_12nat.ART0.State.Edition1.3eb24c4.html
Washington -- As mid-term congressional elections draw closer, the window for action in Congress on a complex � and controversial � immigration package grows ever smaller.
Mindful of that, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has told Senate leaders that they must deliver a bill to the floor by March 27, an ambitious deadline for legislation that has yet to be written in committee.
A bigger hurdle looms: Reconciling sure-to-be competing visions from the House and Senate.
'Immigration is one of the most controversial issues in American society,' said Stephen Yale-Loehr, who teaches immigration law at Cornell University. 'We all like individual immigrants who live near us and work with us, but we don't like illegal immigration as a whole. And trying to put together a package that will accommodate everyone's interest is very tough, indeed.'
The topic is fraught with economic, national security, social, diplomatic and political implications.
Each year, hundreds of thousands of immigrants enter the U.S. illegally, swelling a population now estimated to exceed 11 million. The Southwest border is in crisis in places, overrun by illegal immigration and drug traffickers. There is also the threat that the porous border could serve as a gateway for terrorists. And the legal immigration system is beset by backlogs, problems and rules that vex employers and keep millions of people awaiting approval for green cards to join relatives already here.
The test for Congress is what to emphasize: enforcement, immigration liberalization or some combination of the two?
Choosing a direction
The House took the first crack at the question, passing a stringent enforcement-only bill that would fence more than a third of the 1,952-mile Southwest border, increase fines for employers who hire illegal immigrants, and make it a crime (instead of a civil penalty) to be in the country illegally. The legislation was silent on President Bush's call for a guest worker program that would grant visas for up to six years to millions of undocumented workers.
The debate now shifts to the Senate, which appears inclined to marry enhanced border security with a temporary worker program.
But the Senate's solution, particularly if it includes a pathway to legal permanent residence, is sure to set up a collision with the House, where national security hawks have dominated the debate.
'The big question becomes: Is it even possible for the two houses to reconcile their bills,' said Steven Camarota, research director for the Center for Immigration Studies, which favors reduced immigration. 'If it's not done by May, I can't see it getting done.'
The divisions may be too pronounced for Congress to act this year, Mr. Yale-Loehr said.
As the elections near, politicians will become increasingly skittish of taking up an issue that could anger Hispanic and conservative voters alike while also inflaming constituencies as diverse as big business and labor.
In some ways, it's no surprise that politicians are lurching in radically different directions, with one faction pushing get-tough prescriptions such as ending automatic citizenship to those born here of illegal immigrant parents, while another camp presses to legalize illegal immigrants and permit a stream of newcomers.
Public divided
The public is deeply conflicted.
Polls consistently show that Americans are troubled by illegal immigration and the federal government's failure to enforce the law. But those same polls also detect sympathy for illegal immigrants who work and pay taxes as they scrabble for a piece of the American dream.
A new Time/SRBI poll offered one snapshot of the public's ambivalence. Though 63 percent of respondents described illegal immigration as a very serious or extremely serious problem and 57 percent endorsed taking 'whatever steps are necessary' to halt migrant crossings, 73 percent favored granting temporary work visas to illegal immigrants already here.
So, how do policymakers thread the needle?
'That's the $64 million question,' said Migration Policy Institute senior fellow Doris Meissner, who headed the Immigration and Naturalization Service during the Clinton administration.
'We definitely have to do something, and sooner than later,' she said. 'But I think that it's really important that this issue and this debate develops and evolves, because if we were to go ahead and enact what's now been passed by the House, it would be a terrible disservice.'
She, like others critical of the House's enforcement-only approach, contends that any immigration law rewrite must resolve the status of illegal immigrants and provide an outlet for future migrants drawn by jobs or the desire to be reunited with family.
'Enforcement-only is not going to work,' said Angelo Amador, head of immigration policy for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
The chamber is loosely allied with immigrant-rights groups, religious organizations, labor unions and others who have rallied around a plan by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., that tandems some tougher enforcement with a guest worker plan that would provide a path to legal permanent residence.
But supporters of the House approach say enforcement must be dealt with first, both at the border and within the country, and by implementing a mandatory employer verification system to check the legal status of would-be hires.
'A guest worker program would be an absolute disaster with our current enforcement because, of course, it wouldn't be a guest worker program if we can't make them go home,' said Rosemary Jenks, director of government relations for Numbers USA, a group seeking reduced immigration.
Pollster Sergio Bendixen said that the policy debate has been skewed by the 'echo chamber' of radio talk shows and cable TV programs that fixate on immigration's negatives rather than looking at the whole picture.
'It has become an emotional issue with emotional buzzwords, and there's very little rationality in the debate,' Mr. Bendixen said. 'Unfortunately, we are close to making it impossible on people who have to get elected' to deal with the issue.
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