Month: December 2007

According to a Statement released by the DHS:  “Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Justice filed an appeal on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on the injunction against the No-Match Rule in San Francisco, Calif.”

According to an article on Boston.com:  “Union leaders and advocates for immigrants criticized Mitt Romney yesterday for railing against illegal immigrants while employing a lawn company that used them at his home. But some business owners were sympathetic to the former governor, saying the immigration system is broken and hiring legal help for low-skill tasks can be nearly impossible.”

If not for Romney’s very punitive intolerant “position” on the undocumented, this would not be such a big issue for him.  Despite the recent wave of anti-immigrant hysteria I cannot think of a single serious candidate seeking the presidential nomination from either party who has benefited from his or her position on the issue.  Have any been hurt?  Arguably the campaigns of McCain, Clinton, Obama and now Romney have at least been sidetracked by the issue.

Despite his tough talk on immigration, apparently Mitt Romney only yesterday fired the landscaping company that continued to hire undocumented workers.  According to an article on Boston.com:  “Even after a Globe story in December 2006 highlighted Mitt Romney’s use of a landscaping company that employs illegal immigrants to tend to his grounds, Romney continued to employ Community Lawn Service With a Heart — until yesterday. The company continued to employ illegal immigrants.”

My two cents:  Making immigration the centerpiece of a campaign is a mistake that will come at a high cost for candidates who choose to do so.

According to an article on AlterNet.com:  “On the issue of immigration, politicians and much of the mainstream media are playing with our minds. By repeating the phrase “illegal immigrants,” they’re creating a misleading stereotype. It’s inaccurate. And, it’s distracting us from the real issue — economic exploitation of all low-wage workers in the United States.”

According to an article on politico.com: “Immigration is emerging as an issue that is resonating with independent voters — the very ones who carried Democrats to landslide victories in 2006, winning control of the House and Senate. And it’s presenting Democratic candidates with the challenge of how to discuss an issue they’re not used to being defensive about. ”

Immigration is a losing political issue regardless of one’s position. The candidates should remain neutral or avoid the subject in this current climate. Great solutions come about when parties remain level-headed and currently this subject is as emotionally charged as they come.

According to an article on www.ocregister.com: “Up to now, immigration was an issue that candidates didn’t believe would sway an election. But this year, at least on the Republican side – despite the Iraq war, a seesawing stock market and health care costs going out of sight – immigration will likely figure into the mix.”

I tend to agree that the odds of CIR becoming a reality after the elections will probably have more to do with how the congressional races play out than who is elected President. Should be interesting.

According to an interesting opinion piece on philly.com:  “Presidential candidates in both major parties are pandering to the worst elements on illegal immigration, instead of offering real, workable solutions.”

The USCIS released its latest Application and Receipting Update.

According to an article on usatoday.com there are “…hundreds of thousands of legal foreign workers, including software engineers, hotel employees, seafood processors, landscapers and vegetable pickers, who are in the U.S. temporarily but are caught in the polarizing debate over illegal immigration that casts uncertainty over their livelihood and future.”

Given this messy situation, for those who may be eligible for H-1B status or employers wishing to hire foreign born professionals it is best to get the process organized sooner rather than later. Maged Rost is now accepting clients who would like to apply for cap-subject H-1B status for FY 2009. This year’s 65,000 cap was exhausted on the first day cases were accepted for filing. In fact thousands of petitions were rejected even though they were received on April 2, 2007 (April 1, 2007 was a Sunday).

For those who wish to commence H-1B employment on October 1, 2008, the petition may be filed as of April 1, 2008 (and preferably no later as all available cap-subject petitions may again be exhausted in a single day). Please call or e-mail us for additional information. www.magedrost.com.