Immigration Discrimination

[MrsAmera 41]

Hi everyone. I am writing my final undergrad. paper about US Immigration Policy after 9/11. Sooo I am looking for personal stories, experiences etc. that might help me out. (It's one thing to include a bunch of stats and jumble but real experiences help too!) So this is the question:

1) If you dealt with immigration pre 9/11 (even better if you did pre and post - 9/11) what was the experience -was it different? the same?

2) The crux of my argument is that immigration policy is now more discriminatory towards non-Western nations. I'm specifically focusing on the Middle East and Africa but if you have experience from another non-western, non ME or African maybe it will change my focus?

I would really appreciate as much input as possible - I know that there are a ton of stories out there so try to just give me your experience regarding discrimination (or non-discrimination) obtaining the visa and then entry into the country.

Thanks a bunch!!

[Fischkoepfin 1]

Don't really have the time to help you out with a story about the changes, but I have some practical advise.

Focus on those areas of immigration policy that have been hit the hardest, namely non-immigrant students (F1 AND J1). Because the 9/11-highjackers all had student visas, reorganizing the the student visa system was a top priority after 9/11. The introduction of SEVIS changed the way international students can be tracked in the US. Also changes in application procedures.

For question 1: Our student newspaper had stories about the changes in immigration policy after 9/11 by regularly reporting on students who were subject to new regulations. There are tons of stories out there. Particularly students of engineering, computer science, and nature sciences will have had changed experiences. Consider doing a survey on campus among the international students at your school or if there aren't any, get in touch with the international student office at the next major university in your area.

For question 2: Check into immigrants from China. Of all the stories I've heard it seems that after 9/11 Chinese immigrants are also subject to tougher scrutiny. No idea why that is, but that's what I've read about most. However, there have been policy changes also affecting so-called Western countries.

Good luck!

[kc456 0]

Int'l students is a good topic. For example, Russian int'l students are required to reapply for a student visa every year of study, and travel to the home country to apply. This is obviously adding a lot of cost and inconvenience to the study.

[MrsAmera 41]

Thanks for the ideas thus far - anyone else??

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I immigrated pre 9/11, Nani immigrated post 9/11. I can't say that her immigration was any harder / more difficult or different in any way. Well, other than her coming on a K3 which back when I immigrated wasn't even thought up yet.

Not sure that this is representative but I can't say that 9/11 changed a thing in terms of immigrating as a USC spouse.

[joej 0]

Wow what a great idea for a paper. I'm sure there are myriads of different circumstances and stories. Ours began after 911, so sorry I can't help you there. Our story was so sad because of the fact that our baby was born, before my husband could get his visa. Still I have seen so many people on VJ who have been in similar circumstances. It is heart wrenching.

As far as discrimination goes....my husbands country aprox. 40 percent Muslim according to the last stats I saw. With all the 911 stuff going on here in the US I have often wondered if that contributed to the extreemely slow process. Since I don't know much about immigrating from other countries I don't know enough to say what is standard and what is not.

[Satisfaction 1]

I recommend this site > http://www.immigrationforum.org/

Unlike VJ, it is not a chat room but rather an information web site on current U.S. immigration present and past policies. It also gives daily and weekly updates from lawyers and the media on the immigration debate, legal analysis of the latest developments, statistics and so forth. It is a very good source of information for any immigrant, immigrants' advocates or civil rights' activists, and also lawyers. I believe you will find more than what you need there. Best of luck!

[Girona40 0]

I would love to help you with your paper. My daughter is at University here and in the same situation as you, researching, researching, researching.

Our case is not like any other I have come across on this board. We have been here over three years and still no adjudication on my son's application to adjust status. Immigration laws here are not the same as they are in the UK and benefits offered US citizens immigrating to the UK are far better than those that UK citizens face when imigrating here.

My brother is a Director of Immigration in London and often gives me examples of cases in the UK and cannot understand why the US Government do not afford the same courtesies to other countries as they expect.

Our family is facing the choice of having to return to the UK - not through any fault of our own, but through the most ridiculously handled case. My husband, a USC, is being forced to leave his own country in order to keep his family together - not because we have done anything wrong, but because the USCIS don't understand their own statutes (the INA and CFR's) and how to apply them.

This country is no better off, security-wise, since 9/11 and I can give you examples of people that have been here and their cases left "pending" for years because the USCIS don't know what to do with them. Can't see how that makes the country more secure - far from it.

There are cases, and I can give you examples again, where people are adjudicated differently in different parts of the country, yet have exactly the same criteria. Some are declined and others are approved - based on laws that are supposed to be applied in the same manner across the country - they are not.

If you want to know details - and we recently met with the District Director of Immigration in Washington DC to discuss certain issues on a one-to-one basis - I would be happy to discuss what their solutions are to President Bush's request in his Union Address, consistency throughout Government Departments - because it isn't happening, especially within Homeland Security.

PM me if you wish.

[silly_chick 0]

Int'l students is a good topic. For example, Russian int'l students are required to reapply for a student visa every year of study, and travel to the home country to apply. This is obviously adding a lot of cost and inconvenience to the study.

That's true... I can't afford any travelling whatsoever, so I'm stuck here

Int'l students do not get SSN's any more after 9/11, which makes everything very inconvenient.