August 27, 2007 by Bradley Maged.

According to a Press Release issued today:  “United States Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Michael Chertoff, asking for further clarification regarding a policy announced by United States Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) that will require 750,000 legal permanent residents to replace their green cards.  The cards, issued between 1977 and 1989, do not have expiration dates.  USCIS has announced that they will not contact the card holders, will only allow 120 days to replace their cards, and will need to pay nearly $400.”

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August 27, 2007 by Bradley Maged.

As everyone has probably heard by now, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales publicly announced his resignation today.  There are rumors that President Bush may appoint Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff as Gonzales’ successor.  That would leave a vacancy for Chertoff’s position.  USCIS and ICE both fall under the Department of Homeland Security.

Still no EB Receipting Update from the USCIS and the 2009 Visa Lottery information and instructions have not yet been released.  I will post as soon as I hear anything on either front.

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August 27, 2007 by Bradley Maged.

From an interesting article on Newsday.com:  “Is it mere coincidence that Bush won the White House in tight races, and Republicans lost Congress last year? With much of the nation’s population growth tied to immigration, anti-immigration politics is just plain dumb.”

While GOP candidates may say anything to get the party’s nomination, playing anti-immigration politics could prove to be a dangerous game in November 2008.

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August 26, 2007 by Bradley Maged.

According to the State Department: “The DV-2009 Lottery online entry begins at Noon EDT on October 3, 2007, and ends at Noon EST on December 2, 2007″  Information and instructions will be posted soon.

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August 25, 2007 by Bradley Maged.

According to an article in New York Times:  “A day after New Jersey’s attorney general, Anne Milgram, ordered local law enforcement agencies to start inquiring about the immigration status of the people they arrest, local officials and advocates for immigrants across the state began grappling with how the edict would change the already complicated relationship between the authorities and immigrants on the streets they patrol.”

There is a concept known as “community policing” that has proven effective around the world.  A directive such as this one may have a chilling effect on the cooperation between the undocumented and police.  Will be interesting to see where this goes.

On another note, the USCIS Update on the July EB I-485 Receipt processing delays is not out yet.  It should have been issued yesterday.  I will post the Update as soon as it becomes available.

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August 24, 2007 by Bradley Maged.

Since last week, not a single EB I-485 Receipt Notice was received by our office nor have any filing fee checks been processed by our bank for such cases. Other lawyers are reporting similar lack of movement with a couple of sporadic exceptions.

We should be getting an official Update from the USCIS later today and I will post it as it becomes available. I predict almost no progress on receipting of EB Cases filed in Nebraska or Texas since last week.

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August 23, 2007 by Bradley Maged.

According to an article in the Miami Herald:  “Fiorella Maza, a standout student, ballet dancer and track star, had just started her freshman year at Miami Dade College when immigration agents knocked on her door.”

There are thousands of stories like Fiorella’s.  Another reason the DREAM Act should be passed by Congress.

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August 23, 2007 by Bradley Maged.

According to an article in The Rocky Mountain News:  “A plan by two Colorado lawmakers to create a guest worker program and open an employment office in Mexico must overcome a number of legal roadblocks, immigration attorneys and business leaders said Wednesday.”

When I wrote a tongue in cheek entry last week about the notion of each State having its own immigration laws, little did I know that Colorado lawmakers would attempt to implement their own “guest worker” program to avoid having crops spoil because they do not have the necessary labor.

What are some of the recent consequences of our broken immigration system?  Crops rot in the fields, Microsoft opens a facility in Canada to attract qualified workers, reverse brain-drain occurs for those who study and are trained in the US but cannot remain, US Citizen children are separated from parents who are deported, and US Citizens are separated from their family members because of outrageous delays and outdated laws.

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August 22, 2007 by Bradley Maged.

According to an article on SiliconValley.com: “The percentage of patents filed by foreigners living in the U.S. has tripled in the past decade - yet the tight cap on permanent visas may force entrepreneurs back home to create rival companies in China, India and elsewhere, according to a study.”

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August 22, 2007 by Bradley Maged.

From hereonin, No Match Letters from the Social Security Administration will include this Insert from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

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