[NIFL-ESL:5913] Re: FW: Immigration Policy Update

From: Aliza Becker (azbecker@mindspring.com)
Date: Fri May 04 2001 - 00:58:34 EDT


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From: Aliza Becker <azbecker@mindspring.com>
To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov>
Subject: [NIFL-ESL:5913] Re: FW: Immigration Policy Update
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I asked an immigration attornty/advocate this question. He said that usually
matters like this are handled by the state agency that regulates
attorneys--in Illinois it's the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary
Commission.  Clients who feel that they have been inadequately represented
can file a complaint with the commission in their state.


on 5/3/01 1:12 PM, M. King_Johns at mjohns@accessatc.net wrote:

> Thanks for the information. I hope the pass the extension. Some
> inexperience lawyers became immigration lawyers lately and are
> overcharging people to complete the I-130. The charge over $3,500 per
> application and many times the application is wrong and the people who
> does not speak English lose their money. Does anybody knows how to get
> those lawyers to stop abusing people and getting people in trouble with
> wrong information in the INS forms.
> Thanks.
> 
> Aliza Becker wrote:
>> 
>> ------ Forwarded Message
>> From: "Maurice Belanger" <Mbelanger@immigrationforum.org>
>> Reply-To: <Mbelanger@immigrationforum.org>
>> Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 17:11:32 -0400
>> To: <mauriceb@erols.com>
>> Subject: Immigration Policy Update
>> 
>>             National Immigration Forum
>> 
>> Date:     May 2, 2001
>> 
>> To:     Forum Associate E-mail List
>> 
>> From:    Maurice Belanger
>> 
>> Re:    Immigration Policy Update
>> 
>> ----------------------------------------------------
>> 
>> CONTENTS
>>     1.    Bush Supports 245(i) Extension
>>     2.    Federal Register Notices from ORR, INS
>>     3.    Listen to Capitol Hill Hearings on the Internet
>> 
>> ===============================================
>> 
>> 1.    PRESIDENT BUSH SUPPORTS 245(i) EXTENSION
>> 
>> On May 1st, President Bush sent a letter to the leadership of the House and
>> Senate, stating that he would support legislation to "temporarily" extend
>> the deadline for filing for Section 245(i).  Mr. Bush said that he believes
>> our immigration policies should reflect a philosophy that government
>> policies should help strengthen families.  The full text of the White House
>> letter is copied below.
>> 
>> Meanwhile, bills have been introduced in the House and the Senate to extend
>> the Section 245(i) deadline.  In the Senate, Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) has
>> introduced a bill that would extend the deadline for one year.  Thus far,
>> that bill has been co-sponsored by Sen. Chafee (R-RI), Sen. Clinton (D-NY),
>> Sen. Dodd (D-CT), Sen. Durbin (D-IL), Sen. Kennedy (D-MA), Sen. Kerry
>> (D-MA), Sen. Reid (D-NV), and Sen. Schumer (D-NY).  In the House, bills have
>> been introduced by Rep. Peter King (R-NY) (H.R. 1242, to extend 245(i) for
>> six months), and Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) (H.R. 1195, to extend 245(i) for
>> one year).
>> 
>> With the President coming out in favor of a Section 245(i) extension, our
>> chances of reopening Section 245(i) at some point this year (perhaps in the
>> very near future) are much improved.  Washington-based advocates are
>> currently assessing the impact of the President's announcement and exploring
>> options for quickly moving legislation.  The Forum will be sending
>> suggestions for action in the next few days.
>> 
>> TEXT OF THE WHITE HOUSE LETTER:
>> 
>> THE WHITE HOUSE
>> 
>>                                  Office of the Press Secretary
>> 
>> For Immediate Release                                 May 1, 2001
>> 
>>                                  TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
>>                                  TO THE SPEAKER AND DEMOCRATIC LEADER
>>                                  OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND
>>                                  THE MAJORITY AND DEMOCRATIC LEADERS OF THE
>> SENATE
>> 
>>                                  May 1, 2001
>> 
>> Dear Mr. Speaker:   (Dear Mr. Leader:)
>> 
>> I am a strong proponent of government policies that recognize the importance
>> of families and that help to strengthen them.  To the extent possible, I
>> believe that our immigration policies should reflect that philosophy.  That
>> is why I support legislation to extend the window created under section
>> 245(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act during which qualified
>> immigrants may obtain legal residence in the United States without being
>> forced to first leave the country and their families for several years.
>> 
>> According to agency estimates, there are more than 500,000 undocumented
>> immigrants in the country who are eligible to become legal permanent
>> residents, primarily because of their family relationship with a citizen or
>> legal permanent resident.  However, the law generally requires them to go
>> back to their home  country to obtain a visa, and once they do so, they are
>> barred from returning to the United States for up to 10 years.  Many choose
>> to risk remaining here illegally rather than to be separated from their
>> families for those many years.  This issue has been the subject of
>> discussion in the Working Group that Attorney General Ashcroft and Secretary
>> of State Powell co-chair with officials of the Mexican government, and
>> should be addressed to ensure a more orderly, legal, and humane migration
>> flow between our countries.
>> 
>> I encourage the Congress to consider whether there was adequate time for
>> persons eligible under section 245(i) to apply for adjustment of status
>> before the filing deadline expired yesterday.  Information indicates an
>> estimated 200,000 were eligible to file but did not meet the deadline.
>> Preliminary reports suggest that many applicants were unable to complete
>> their paperwork in time, due in part to the fact that the rules explaining
>> how the provision would be applied were not issued until late March.  It
>> remains in our national interest to legitimize those resident immigrants,
>> eligible for legal status, and to welcome them as full participants of our
>> society.  But we will only be able to do this if the path to legalization
>> encourages family reunification.  For this reason, I would support
>> legislation that temporarily extends the recently expired April 30, 2001,
>> filing deadline, while maintaining the requirement that the applicant was
>> physically present in the United States on December 21, 2000.
>> 
>> I look forward to working with you on this important legislation.
>> 
>>                               Sincerely,
>> 
>>                               GEORGE W. BUSH
>> 
>>                                  # # #
>> 
>> 2.    THREE IMMIGRATION-RELATED FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES
>> 
>> It has come to my attention that many of the Forum's Associates on the
>> e-mail list would not be terribly dissapointed if they did not receive every
>> immigration-related Federal Register notice as they are published.  I'll
>> admit the INS form notices will never make the best seller list.
>> Henceforth, the Forum will send summaries of the recent notices and
>> regulations that have been published, and tell you where you can get them.
>> Certain regulations and notices (for example, a notice of an extension of
>> TPS designation) will still be sent out on the day of publication, if
>> possible.
>> 
>> A.    Refugee Resettlement Funding
>> 
>> On April 27th, the Office of Refugee Resettlement published a "Proposed
>> Notice of Allocations to States of FY 2001 Funds for Refugee Social Services
>> and Proposed Availability of Formula Allocation Funding for FY 2001 Targeted
>> Assistance Grants for Services to Refugees in Local Areas of High Need."
>> 
>> Here is the Summary: This notice establishes the proposed allocations to
>> States of FY 2001 funds for social services under the Refugee  Resettlement
>> Program (RRP). In the final notice, allocation amounts could be adjusted
>> slightly based on final adjustments in FY 2000 arrivals in some States.
>> 
>> This notice includes $20.5 million in two set-aside funding allocations to:
>> (1) Provide outreach and referral services to ensure that eligible refugees
>> access the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)and other
>> programs for low income working populations and provide specialized
>> interpreter training and the hiring of interpreters to enable refugees to
>> have equal access to medical and legal services; and (2) provide outreach,
>> referral, and social services to ensure that persons granted asylum access
>> programs to help them attain economic self-sufficiency, as needed.
>> 
>> Comments are due May 29, 2001.
>> 
>> B.    Refugee Resettlement Funding
>> 
>> Also on April 27th, ORR published a "Notice of proposed availability of
>> formula allocation funding for FY 2001 targeted assistance grants to States
>> for services to refugees in local areas of high need."
>> 
>> Summary: This notice announces the proposed availability of funds and award
>> procedures for FY 2001 targeted assistance grants for services to refugees
>> under the Refugee Resettlement Program (RRP). These grants are for service
>> provision in localities with large refugee populations, high refugee
>> concentrations, and high use of public assistance, and where specific needs
>> exist for supplementation of currently available resources.
>> 
>>  This notice continues the eligibility of those 50 counties located in 29
>> States that previously qualified for and received targeted assistance
>> program (TAP) grants beginning in FY 1999 as a result of the three-year
>> qualification process. The FY 2001 TAP formula allocations are based on the
>> same formula as in FY 1999, updated to reflect arrivals during the five-year
>> period from FY 1996 through FY 2000.
>> 
>> Comments are Due May 29, 2001.
>> 
>> C.    Immigration Form at OMB for Approval
>> 
>> On May 1st, the INS announced it has a form pending the Office of Management
>> and Budget's approval, "Application for authorization to issue health care
>> certificates."  The data collected on this form is used by the Service to
>> determine eligibility of an organization to issue certificates to foreign
>> health care workers.  The comment period on this form has been extended for
>> 30 additional days, until May 31.
>> 
>> The above notices can be found by going to the Federal Register search page
>> at:
>> http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html
>> 
>> 3.    LISTEN TO CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS ON YOUR COMPUTER
>> 
>> If you already miss reading those Federal Register notices, here's something
>> that might provide a satisfying substititue: C-Span has recently begun to
>> broadcast Congressional hearings over the internet.  Point your browser to
>> www.CapitolHearings.org and follow the instructions.
>> 
>> The next scheduled hearing that might interest you will be in the Senate
>> Immigration Subcommittee, chaired by Sam Brownback (R-KS). The topic is
>> "Immigration: An Overview of Asylum Policy."  The hearing will take place
>> Thursday, May 4th at 2:00 PM.
>> 
>> ==============================
>> Maurice Belanger
>> Senior Policy Associate
>> National Immigration Forum
>> 
>> E-Mail:  mbelanger@immigrationforum.org
>> 
>> Web: http://www.immigrationforum.org
>> 
>> ------ End of Forwarded Message



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