Service centers slow downs

[rebeccajo 14]

I made a simple observation, and passed it along to the community here. YES, I have an opinion but I will keep it to myself. I was suggesting that it takes considerable man hours to process some 15,000+ visas, which in turn could be a reason for the current slow downs in processing. At no point did I complain or whine. I merely stated a fact and quote from USCIS's website. You can twist and contort this to whatever end you like, as I really don't care. :mellow:

I have to agree with Jon n michelle on this one. I didn't see anything wrong in the statement.

I guess it depends on your interpretation. Personally, I see a lot wrong with it. John's conclusion at the end of the stated facts implies that USC's should take precedence over refugees.

If USCIS chooses to devote some extra resources to humanitarian aid, then I applaud that. Getting a few thousand people out of harms way should take precedence over other petition types.

I'm sucker enough to still believe in the New Colossus. We still can take the huddled masses yearning to breathe free and the wretched refuse of teeming shores. And we should take them without b*tching about some non-existent right being trampled on.

[daboyz 36]

Here we go again. I don't know if they are using the same resources for these Iraqi refugees, that are usually used for processing K-1/K-3 at Vermont. I have no insight into that. Granted we went in there and pretty much blew up their country for no good reason. So we kinda owe the folks that helped us out there. That said, they don't seem to have a problem spending 100s of billions of dollars for the war, might as well spend the money for extra USCIS staff to process these asylum petitions. Also, just to make sure this isn't taken the wrong way by people that already have their petitions approved and are together with their loved ones..... see disclaimer below

This is my opinion. I am not stating it as fact.

[Izoom 0]

I'm thinking there are two different issues going on here. It is unlikely anyone can definitely prove/disprove the USCIS using "our" adjudicators at VSC & CSC to process these visas as well. Perhaps they hired temporary help or maybe those are just part of the regular flow of paperwork coming across their desk. No one can say for sure unless they have a way to find that out. That being said, the opinions regarding priority can be freely stated by those who feel to express them, however, others shouldn't take them as anything more but a person's opinion. We are all able to do so and I think people's criticism and feelings towards the USCIS is being misconstrued into facts, when they aren't and weren't intended to be either.

[desert_fox 32]

I guess it depends on your interpretation. Personally, I see a lot wrong with it. John's conclusion at the end of the stated facts implies that USC's should take precedence over refugees.

If USCIS chooses to devote some extra resources to humanitarian aid, then I applaud that. Getting a few thousand people out of harms way should take precedence over other petition types.

I'm sucker enough to still believe in the New Colossus. We still can take the huddled masses yearning to breathe free and the wretched refuse of teeming shores. And we should take them without b*tching about some non-existent right being trampled on.

We all know what the original implication was in the initial post...that US Citizens come after refugees......the rest can say what they want...Im with you RJ.

[rebeccajo 14]

I guess it depends on your interpretation. Personally, I see a lot wrong with it. John's conclusion at the end of the stated facts implies that USC's should take precedence over refugees.

If USCIS chooses to devote some extra resources to humanitarian aid, then I applaud that. Getting a few thousand people out of harms way should take precedence over other petition types.

I'm sucker enough to still believe in the New Colossus. We still can take the huddled masses yearning to breathe free and the wretched refuse of teeming shores. And we should take them without b*tching about some non-existent right being trampled on.

We all know what the original implication was in the initial post...that US Citizens come after refugees......the rest can say what they want...Im with you RJ.

Thanks Mike.

Long time no see.

[daboyz 36]

I'm thinking there are two different issues going on here. It is unlikely anyone can definitely prove/disprove the USCIS using "our" adjudicators at VSC & CSC to process these visas as well. Perhaps they hired temporary help or maybe those are just part of the regular flow of paperwork coming across their desk. No one can say for sure unless they have a way to find that out. That being said, the opinions regarding priority can be freely stated by those who feel to express them, however, others shouldn't take them as anything more but a person's opinion. We are all able to do so and I think people's criticism and feelings towards the USCIS is being misconstrued into facts, when they aren't and weren't intended to be either.

Right on!

[cieloazul 0]

Many of these 'refugees' are interpreters who earned $30-40k as Iraqi citizens. After they come here as 'refugees', they can be rehired again as interpreters but at $140k/yr. The US goverment also funds resettlement costs (housing, food, etc.). The USCIS is supposed to be self-funding, but my guess is that Bush and his cronies don't reimburse the USCIS for any of the refugee processing. If the USCIS isn't being reimbursed for almost 30,000 applicants, they aren't likely to hire additonal staff to deal with the additional workload.

Obviously it isn't the refugees fault. If you want to blame someone, you don't have to look any further than to the guy who gave a whole new meaning to stupidity.

[Jon-n-Michelle 0]

I am a USC by birth, and a combat veteran by choice. Obviously, I have no rights in some peoples eyes. I'll still keep my opinion to myself. Some people have already made their own assumptions. A wise gunnery sargeant once told me, "Assumptions are the mothers of all F**k-ups"

[rebeccajo 14]

Many of these 'refugees' are interpreters who earned $30-40k as Iraqi citizens. After they come here as 'refugees', they can be rehired again as interpreters but at $140k/yr. The US goverment also funds resettlement costs (housing, food, etc.). The USCIS is supposed to be self-funding, but my guess is that Bush and his cronies don't reimburse the USCIS for any of the refugee processing. If the USCIS isn't being reimbursed for almost 30,000 applicants, they aren't likely to hire additonal staff to deal with the additional workload.

Obviously it isn't the refugees fault. If you want to blame someone, you don't have to look any further than to the guy who gave a whole new meaning to stupidity.

Here's a little info on who pays for refugee processing:

"Who’s to blame? It would be tempting to condemn the USCIS as the gang that couldn’t shoot straight, the atavistic expression of a bumbling bureaucracy that never misses a chance to miss a chance. It would also be wrong. Almost alone among major federal agencies, the USCIS lives on what it kills. In 1988, Congress established the Immigration Examination Fee Account (IFEA). Since then, the fees dumped into IFEA fund immigration benefits. Pursuant to Section 286(m) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 USC 1356, the USCIS must recover the full cost of the services and programs that it provides. Moreover, the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990 mandates that the USCIS bean counters put on their green eye shades every two years to determine if fee revisions are necessary or appropriate. The USCIS last conducted an in-depth examination of its fee structure in FY 1998, a fee structure that could not possibly take into account the whirlwind unleashed by 9/11/. The last fee increase on October 26, 2005 did nothing more than keep pace with inflation. In January 2004, a Government Accountability Report concluded that fees were “not sufficient to fully fund CIS operations” and characterized the then current fee schedule as “based on an outdated fee study…”

While it is true that Congress has provided some cash infusion in recent years, this has been almost entirely devote to backlog reduction and administrative overhead, not to application processing. Ironically, IFEA was created and sold as a giant step forward, an attempt to provide the legacy INS with a secure revenue stream in the face of Congressional inaction: “At the time, “ notes the Migration Policy Institute, “the move to fee-funding was seen by the INS as a needed reform, as Congress had not reliably provided INS with sufficient funds to cover its application processing work.” Nor can it be said that the contemplated fee schedule is wholly without redeeming features. $40 out of every fee will be reserved for refugee and asylum services while some $32 out of all payments are to be set aside to support fee-exempt case processing. "

http://www.visalaw.com/07feb3/12feb307.html

[rebeccajo 14]

I am a USC by birth, and a combat veteran by choice. Obviously, I have no rights in some peoples eyes. I'll still keep my opinion to myself. Some people have already made their own assumptions. A wise gunnery sargeant once told me, "Assumptions are the mothers of all F**k-ups"

Jon -

Why don't we just cut to the chase. Why don't you clarify what you meant when you state USC's are being put behind Iraqi citizens. Are you stating that factually? If you haven't facts to prove it, then are you merely conjecturing? Or are you attempting to promote controversy?

Because if you are using anything other than facts to support your contention, well then - you are the one making assumptions. And that's your #### up, not mine.

[rebeccajo 14]

http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/110/sci031108.htm

....."We have exercised the Secretary’s discretionary exemption authority to admit hundreds of Iraqi refugees who otherwise would have been barred from admission under the material support-related ground of inadmissibility. USCIS officers have encountered many Iraqi refugee applicants who have paid ransom in order to secure the release of kidnapped family members. This ransom was generally paid from family funds or money given by friends, extended family or neighbors. We have determined that many of these refugees are eligible for consideration for an exemption to the material support inadmissibility provisions because such material support was provided under duress. To allow as many qualified individuals as possible to travel this fiscal year, we have devoted additional resources to reviewing material support cases that may be eligible for duress exemptions......"

[Mr. Klocek 0]

I thought the original post implied a "zero-sum" rationale. If USCIS is busy clearing a backlog of Iraqis, it means that all our Pinays, Brits, and Aussies are on-hold. Naturally, I want my bloody NOA2 tomorrow! Of course, I would hate for a family of Iraqi Christians to get enslaved or blown-up while waiting some guy in Laguna Niguel to finish reading my chat-logs. I will grumble and moan too but I know where priorities need to be.