How do we change this system?

[Nate & Dina 1]

I have to admit, i've never been one to vote. But this process is so mind numbingly bad, i'm now asking myself how can i get involved, and how i can contribute to some sort of change. Whether that's through voting, sending mass emails, i don't know, whatever! I will literally do anything in my power as a citizen, to bring about change to this ridiculously poor process. I know that my one little vote won't mean much, but if there is ever a guy running for office who could possibly bring about some change, i will personally organize my own little group of supporters and hope that he lands in office. This is not just because i haven't received my NOA2 yet. This is because i feel for everybody who goes through this. There's no excuse for keeping loved ones apart for this long. Yes i know they have to do background checks, and yes i know there's a LOT of petitions they have to deal with, but if it's more workers they need, then by all means tax me, and i'll be happy to help land an additional worker or two in there. I'm not quite sure how they are funded, so that point may be moot however.

Moral to the story, if there is anything, ANYTHING at all, that us citizens could do to bring about change to this process, what exactly would that be? Btw....does anyone know how one becomes an adjudicator?

Thanks for all your replies.

Edited January 22, 2011 by Nate & Dina

[LIFE'SJOURNEY 970]

I have to admit, i've never been one to vote. But this process is so mind numbingly bad, i'm now asking myself how can i get involved, and how i can contribute to some sort of change. Whether that's through voting, sending mass emails, i don't know, whatever! I will literally do anything in my power as a citizen, to bring about change to this ridiculously poor process. I know that my one little vote won't mean much, but if there is ever a guy running for office who could possibly bring about some change, i will personally organize my own little group of supporters and hope that he lands in office. This is not just because i haven't received my NOA2 yet. This is because i feel for everybody who goes through this. There's no excuse for keeping loved ones apart for this long. Yes i know they have to do background checks, and yes i know there's a LOT of petitions they have to deal with, but if it's more workers they need, then by all means tax me, and i'll be happy to help land an additional worker or two in there. I'm not quite sure how they are funded, so that point may be moot however.

Moral to the story, if there is anything, ANYTHING at all, that us citizens could do to bring about change to this process, what exactly would that be? Btw....becomes an adjudicatordoes anyone know how one ?

Thanks for all your replies.

GO to http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/ and apply if there are any job openings available. If you think you can do better, then please apply for a position in the government, they are always looking for new ideas.

The immaturity I have seen lately from those going through process just amazed me.

[jpidgley 9]

its just a case of waiting, like everyone else is , and has done before you. its not "mind numbingly bad" its to protect their country against all threats foreign & national. Yes its heart breaking to be apart for 7 months, but that's just a small price to pay to then be able to live in a country doing its best to protect you from people getting in just to cause mass heartbreak.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

The process is what it is. Our country has long stopped having open borders because we couldn't handle all the people that would show up with open hands. The government put a process in place to issue entry passes to those that it "wants" to come and developed procedures to keep those that are undesirable out. Companies need workers, and students want to study to improve themselves. Some people want to visit for a while. And then there are those of us that want to marry someone from outside the US. We get lumped at the bottom of the pile because that visa only improves the life of our immediate family. As to raising taxes to get better processing, for every person that has filed for a family based visa there are 40000 that don't and would say no to higher taxes. If we want the process to be faster , we should lobby to close the processing for all the loopholes, Overstayers and adjusting without the correct entry visa. Close those paths and the ones doing it the right way would go twice as fast with no impact to the ones doing it the right way.

[Al422 221]

its just a case of waiting, like everyone else is , and has done before you. its not "mind numbingly bad" its to protect their country against all threats foreign & national. Yes its heart breaking to be apart for 7 months, but that's just a small price to pay to then be able to live in a country doing its best to protect you from people getting in just to cause mass heartbreak.

Protect the country? From who? The underwear bomber, the shoe bomber, the Times Square bomber, the Oregon Christmas tree bomber, and the September 11 terrorists? You mean those guys, all of whom came here on legal visas? But a law abiding hard working Russian lady who met the love of her life in New York? Let's check her out and keep her and her fiance separated for months and months on end while we welcome all of these terrorists with arms open and eyes closed.

This is how the government "protects" us? Funny, I don't feel protected. Instead, I feel trampled upon, put out and violated. If this is "protection", no thanks, I don't need any.

To the OP: Check out this thread: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/291889-shout-out-loud-or-it-will-get-much-worse/

We are preparing a letter to send to the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives so when the Director of USCIS appears before them in about two months or so, looking for his annual appropriation, he can be held accountable for his abject failure to run USCIS in a competent manner. The more of us who send the letter to our Congress Members, the more attention it will get.

[jpidgley 9]

Protect the country? From who? The underwear bomber, the shoe bomber, the Times Square bomber, the Oregon Christmas tree bomber, and the September 11 terrorists? You mean those guys, all of whom came here on legal visas? But a law abiding hard working Russian lady who met the love of her life in New York? Let's check her out and keep her and her fiance separated for months and months on end while we welcome all of these terrorists with arms open and eyes closed.

This is how the government "protects" us? Funny, I don't feel protected. Instead, I feel trampled upon, put out and violated. If this is "protection", no thanks, I don't need any.

To the OP: Check out this thread: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/291889-shout-out-loud-or-it-will-get-much-worse/

We are preparing a letter to send to the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives so when the Director of USCIS appears before them in about two months or so, looking for his annual appropriation, he can be held accountable for his abject failure to run USCIS in a competent manner. The more of us who send the letter to our Congress Members, the more attention it will get.

are you so naive that you honestly believe those were the only attacks anyone has ever planned against the US? do you honestly think that the government hasnt prevented any? of course they have, and screening processes are just one of the many ways they get the information they need to protect you from having two policemen showing up at your door to tell you that after all the trouble you went through to get her there, your wife has just been killed in an attack.

yes its one of the many ways you are lucky enough to live in a country where your government actually tries to protect you. the fact that you are so ungrateful for this is astonishing. i have been separated from my fiance for months as well, but i can see past the hurt i feel now, knowing that there is a reason for it, and that it might just save my life without me knowing someday.

im sorry if this upsets you but sincerely from me, and i think i can safely say on behalf of anyone ever effected by terrorism, we dont give a damn if you personally feel trampled on, put out and violated. if you dont want the protection, save your fiance the hassle, and join her in Russia.

[Blob18 111]

its just a case of waiting, like everyone else is , and has done before you. its not "mind numbingly bad" its to protect their country against all threats foreign & national. Yes its heart breaking to be apart for 7 months, but that's just a small price to pay to then be able to live in a country doing its best to protect you from people getting in just to cause mass heartbreak.

Protection from what? Terrorists aren't going to 'apply' for visas....criminals do not FOLLOW the law. Terrorists could easily come in through Mexico like all the other criminals (drug dealers, cartels) are doing right now. So, yea, this process is NOT about protecting at all UNTIL they enforce the borders.

[Blob18 111]

im sorry if this upsets you but sincerely from me, and i think i can safely say on behalf of anyone ever effected by terrorism, we dont give a damn if you personally feel trampled on, put out and violated. if you dont want the protection, save your fiance the hassle, and join her in Russia.

Don't speak for me. You aren't my spokesman. I've definitly been affected by terrorism. Lost a cousin to it and almost an aunt on 9/11. Know what? I've seen more terror attack attempts in the last 2 years than all the years after 9/11 combine, so don't tell me this governemnt is "protecting" us. If that bomb on the airplane last christmas went off, more dead. If the time square bomber had made the bomb right, more dead. On domestic terrorism, the bomb just this monday in Washington state, the guy driving around shooting at the Pentagon and other military buildings in Virginia (Havent caught anyone for both cases either).

The "protection" you claim they are giving us is a joke. The terrorists are not afraid of us, and it's easy to understand why.

Edited January 22, 2011 by Blob18

[jpidgley 9]

Protection from what? Terrorists aren't going to 'apply' for visas....criminals do not FOLLOW the law. Terrorists could easily come in through Mexico like all the other criminals (drug dealers, cartels) are doing right now. So, yea, this process is NOT about protecting at all UNTIL they enforce the borders.

the large groups of terrorists are done with wasting resources on smaller attacks that kill a couple hundred people. those kind of attacks are carried out by punks trying to prove something. The larger factions want to kill in the thousands. the only way to do this is to plan in depth. to do that they need access to the country first. that dosnt mean sneaking over the mexican boarder. that means getting men in legally so they can do whatever they want in the country without being questioned because they have the right documentation.

by providing a screening process, the government can stop anyone who remotely has any terrorist ties outside of the US.

[jwbailey 3]

This process is ALL about protection. How many more deaths due to terrorism do you think there would be if anybody could get in no problem, no screening, no waiting period. A terrorist with an agenda as bad as any terror attack to date, could quite easily gain access to the country to do serious harm, more so than the harm that has already been done. and when i say "a terrorist" i mean anyone with an axe to grind against the US, they could all move in, and start causing unbelievable, unprecedented chaos. This system is a first defense to prevent those people who would seek to move in and cause death and destruction.

Yes there is still terrorism, and yes people will tragically still lose their lives, but terrorism dates back to biblical times, it's evolved, to think that any one system or any one act prevents terrorism completely would be stupid. But this system, you so naively would belittle, is one of many limiters in place to keep the deaths due to terrorism down, had this system not been in place, downtown New York would look a lot more like down town Baghdad. This system works. And the way to change it is to get yourself a round room with a desk, two chairs two sofas and elected president.

[Al422 221]

by providing a screening process, the government can stop anyone who remotely has any terrorist ties outside of the US.

Like the screening process that kept the September 11 terrorists out? That one worked really well. And Baghdad looked like a resort compared to Manhattan on that day.

Like the underwear bomber? That terrorist was on the no fly listl, but the geniuses at USCIS didn't bother to read it and also blew off the phone call from his father that he was planning something. If they were doing their jobs, they could have revoked his visa in time to stop him.

When USCIS has a screening process that actually works, tell me about it. The one they have now is a joke.

Edited January 22, 2011 by Al422

[jpidgley 9]

Like the screening process that kept the September 11 terrorists out? That one worked really well. And Baghdad looked like a resort compared to Manhattan on that day.

Like the underwear bomber? That terrorist was on the no fly listl, but the geniuses at USCIS didn't bother to read it and also blew off the phone call from his father that he was planning something. If they were doing their jobs, they could have revoked his visa in time to stop him.

When USCIS has a screening process that actually works, tell me about it. The one they have now is a joke.

ok your wrong about the baghdad thing.

september 11th 2001, the government learnt about holes in their security the hard way, the way none of us ever want to see again. thats why there are tonnes more policies and procedures being implemented every month. the terrorists change to get around the system, so they change the system again, this is going to continue.

your probably right about the system they have now, but at least they have one. one that none of us know how well is working. you only hear about the attacks the press get hold of. the only real way to probably improve it, is to triple the staff, and EXTEND the screening period to ensure they dont get in.

[jwbailey 3]

Like the screening process that kept the September 11 terrorists out? That one worked really well.

Like the underwear bomber? That terrorist was on the no fly listl, but the geniuses at USCIS didn't bother to read it and also blew off the phone call from his father that he was planning something. If they were doing their jobs, they could have revoked his visa in time to stop him.

When USCIS has a screening process that actually works, tell me about it. The one they have now is a joke.

9/11 was a tragedy, God rest all the souls who died that day. But you're missing the fact that 1000's, perhaps Hundreds of Thousands, even Millions, have been saved because those with terror agendas have been unable to take root in the US, because this system prevented them. It wouldn't just be 9/11, it would be 9/12, 9/13 and that would've gone on. Maybe this system needs to be tougher than it is. But at this moment in time, it is preventing thousands of terrorists who wish to do harm from taking root in the US and creating definitive bases. It was never designed to prevent foreign terrorism swiping at the US, it was designed to stop foreign terrorism migrating to the US and taking root and thats what it does.

[joevegas 67]

Uhhh..The thing is..it is what it is..It took me over a year just to get a fiance visa...There were times I wanted to pull my hair out it was so frustrating..But it is a system,not a perfect one,but then who's is??...You know that phrase.."you can't please all of the people all of the time" applies to the immigration system very well..This country owes your Fiancee absolutely nothing..but it is trying to accommodate you..don't you agree??..For that you should be grateful..Once again,you always have the option of living in Russia,maybe they're immigration system is easier?..If it's here you want to live..Then it's USCIS rules you have to follow...take a deep breath.

[Nate & Dina 1]

I don't have a problem with the government keeping us safe from Terrorists, and i understand that it is a privilege to have my fiance come and live with me. What i don't understand though, is why the system that is put into place is so shoddy. I read on this forum that it only takes the adjudicator about 15 or 20 minutes to look over a case and approve it. If that is true, then what kind of background check was really being done there? Were the people on this forum misinformed about the amount of time it takes to approve a petition?