is big brother watching us

[Matt & Rocio 28]

In order for them to get your IP, they need a search warrant. Not sure what leverage the patriot act gives them, but the COs are not police. How can they use the patriot act for that type of investigation? Useless you post something advocating terrorism (which is using deleted pretty quickly), how can they legally ask the ISP to give them your records?

My thoughts exactly. They would need a warrant to require VisaJourney to hand over their logs to show what IP address(es) you were using when you made posts. They would then need to get a warrant to your ISP to tell them what account that IP address belonged to on the date of your post. There have been recent rulings that have made it even more difficult to say an IP address belongs to a person because there is no way to prove that person was using a computer assigned to that IP address at the moment of the post. This is of course my opinion, I am not a lawyer and have no intention of becoming one.

From my experience VisaJourney has been an invaluable resource, better than having an immigration attorney and best of all it is free! I have read more than one post from someone giving the wrong advice, but they are almost always corrected. I have also seen threads where someone is suggesting they are looking to find a loophole (ie commit fraud) and there are always members who will jump in and admonish them because this site absolutely does not tolerate immigration fraud.

Would be nice if VJ could line up another Q&A with an immigration official. I would like to know where USCIS is with implementing electronic processing similar to what NVC is now offering to select countries.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

In order for them to get your IP, they need a search warrant. Not sure what leverage the patriot act gives them, but the COs are not police. How can they use the patriot act for that type of investigation? Useless you post something advocating terrorism (which is using deleted pretty quickly), how can they legally ask the ISP to give them your records?

They don't need a search warrent, our communications fall into the international traffic portion of internet traffic and can readily be monitored by acts put into place post 9-11 that act as a universal search warrent. Most of what happens here wouldn't trigger direct monitoring but frequently I spots words from "the list " that will flag this "international traffic" . That will allow them to check on thing without further permission. ALso all your email between each other ( assuming one of you isn't in the US) falls into the same class and can be monitored freely. Forget your protections as a USC , the claim is they are protecting us from non USC's

[karin_brenig 18]

I believe it is safe to assume that anything you post anywhere on a public forum or the internet in general

can (and will) be read by every entity that may (or may not) be related to governments of all and any country in the world.

If you write it, the world will know.

The only way to keep your thoughts/opinions private is to refrain from writing them down or speaking out loud.

If you want your thoughts/opinions heard by the world, on the other hand, the internet (i.e. forums like this one) is the easiest way to get the word out.

[Truelove6 5]

i sometimes think that some of the vj members are actually consulars or lawyers...lol just by the way the respond!! but who cares i have nothing to hide.I just really really want my NOA2 please...

'tear"

[X Factor 1,112]

i sometimes think that some of the vj members are actually consulars or lawyers...lol just by the way the respond!! but who cares i have nothing to hide.I just really really want my NOA2 please...

'tear"

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Even if they do monitor VJ - it would only be useful in a tiny percentage of the applications they receive.

Take K1 alone - USCIS grants over 2,000 visas every month.

Yet for my most recent step (ROC), just 48 other VJ users applied in the same month as me.

USCIS does not grant ANY visas. USCIS handles petitions. Department of State handles visas. They are not the sameand an approved petition is not an approved visa, nor are ALL petitions even for visas, your I-751 is a petition

USCIS spends far more time investigating and reviewing AOS filings, RoC filings and citizenship filings. Petitions are nothing but an approval to APPLY for a visa. The qualification level for an approved I-129f or I-130 is SO low and so easy to meet that there is really little to investigate.

Consulates, who grant a visa to enter the vountry and USCIS when they handle Adjustment of status, which allows one to STAY in the US spend far more time checking.

i sometimes think that some of the vj members are actually consulars or lawyers...lol just by the way the respond!! but who cares i have nothing to hide.I just really really want my NOA2 please...

'tear"

You are correct.

I believe it is safe to assume that anything you post anywhere on a public forum or the internet in general

can (and will) be read by every entity that may (or may not) be related to governments of all and any country in the world.

If you write it, the world will know.

The only way to keep your thoughts/opinions private is to refrain from writing them down or speaking out loud.

If you want your thoughts/opinions heard by the world, on the other hand, the internet (i.e. forums like this one) is the easiest way to get the word out.

Good policy to use.

[krenn08 8]

Absolutely various branches are watching this website. While there are obvious downsides for us, there are good aspects to it as well:

1) I believe they DO want to make the process go as smooth as possible. Watching here, they can learn what people are asking and getting lost with. This allows them to change things to make it easier. To think this is a naive thought is simply all-or-nothing thinking which tells us all government employees are bad - which just can't be true. I've known many, including my father (Air Force), two cousins (Marines), another cousin (Army), and a best friend since childhood (Army. Took tank driving when he wanted to become a social worker... :blink:O.o ) and MANY acquaintances while going to UMUC - generally a public college that serves the military as well.

2. Making the process go smoothly for us means it's smoother for THEM.

3. There could well be people on here trying to get into the US for nefarious reasons - the NSA, etc. can't not look here just for that reason.

Just keep in mind.. if you have something to hide from the authorities (any of them), putting it up in ANY public arena probably isn't the wisest thing to do. If you have such an issue, asking a lawyer is probably your best bet.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Absolutely various branches are watching this website. While there are obvious downsides for us, there are good aspects to it as well:

2. Making the process go smoothly for us means it's smoother for THEM.

Absolutely. USCIS has every desire to help you do a better job so they can do a better job. There really is little of this that is top secret or even classified. None actually. USCIS keeps an arm's length and purposely makes it difficult to get answers to avoid any sort of accusations of favoritism and that is about all. By simply eliminating communication except in written form or with pre-selected answers, no one can be accused of doing something special for someone.

Any person I ever talked to with USCIS is very frank and pleasant and will discuss anything to do with the "process" they will not discuss individual cases EVER, but there is no secret, for example, what they do with a petition or how it is processed. It is pretty much a normal "cube farm" office with a lot of people sorting through a lot of paper.

Some people have also said that they feel USCIS is "anti immigration" or "looks for ways to deny your petition" They do not. Most of them are sincerely helpful to immigrants, have no bad feelings about it (few people have bad feelings about legal immigrants, my grandfather was one!)

Like any government office they can be frustrating and many things seem stupid or seem to take too long. They are not a "for profit" business and it is not their goal to process cases overnight. The costs to do so would be similar to the difference between a postage stamp and a Fedex package. You wouldn't want to pay it!

[pddp 240]

There's a difference between "having nothing to hide" and wanting to protect your privacy. Just because I have "nothing to hide", as in having never been involved in anything illegal/immoral etc. doesn't mean my whole personal life is fair game for the US government to explore at will. Not that I'm posting it online either, precisely for that reason...

[CarolAnn&Eddy 12]

I a way I am kind of hoping they do watch this forum.. I personally have nothing to hide. We are just 2 simple people in love wanting to be together and make sure that everything we do is the way it is suppose to be done. Maybe they will get some understanding and compassion for what we all are going through and just MAYBE, if they have profiles here, they are where some of the great ideas and amazing help is coming from.

I choose to this of this as a positive thing, if in fact they are watching.

[jaycali 415]

A others have mentioned, i think it would be pretty naive to think they don't check websites like this.

But we here on VJ represent an extremely tiny fraction of all petitions and visas they process, so I highly doubt they really have time or resources to monitor us all.

However, anyone hear of the British tourists that were detained at LAX for a couple of sarcastic twitter posts and returned? They obviously have every ability to check if they want to.

Edited April 15, 2012 by jaejayC

[Eddie&A 5]

Well if you do things the correct legal way, you have nothing to worry about.........right? Yes, they are probably watching us at times. Being honest has always been the best policy. Also, it doesn't land you into the hands of the law. Have a good day everybody!

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

There's a difference between "having nothing to hide" and wanting to protect your privacy. Just because I have "nothing to hide", as in having never been involved in anything illegal/immoral etc. doesn't mean my whole personal life is fair game for the US government to explore at will. Not that I'm posting it online either, precisely for that reason...

Thse are public forums, that means ANYone can look at them. Assume ANYone does. You will be required to surrender a bit of your privacy to obtain a visa for your SO.

I a way I am kind of hoping they do watch this forum.. I personally have nothing to hide. We are just 2 simple people in love wanting to be together and make sure that everything we do is the way it is suppose to be done. Maybe they will get some understanding and compassion for what we all are going through and just MAYBE, if they have profiles here, they are where some of the great ideas and amazing help is coming from.

I choose to this of this as a positive thing, if in fact they are watching.

Advertising is a violation of TOS.

[Iyawo Ijebu 157]

Absolutely. USCIS has every desire to help you do a better job so they can do a better job. There really is little of this that is top secret or even classified. None actually. USCIS keeps an arm's length and purposely makes it difficult to get answers to avoid any sort of accusations of favoritism and that is about all. By simply eliminating communication except in written form or with pre-selected answers, no one can be accused of doing something special for someone.

Any person I ever talked to with USCIS is very frank and pleasant and will discuss anything to do with the "process" they will not discuss individual cases EVER, but there is no secret, for example, what they do with a petition or how it is processed. It is pretty much a normal "cube farm" office with a lot of people sorting through a lot of paper.

Some people have also said that they feel USCIS is "anti immigration" or "looks for ways to deny your petition" They do not. Most of them are sincerely helpful to immigrants, have no bad feelings about it (few people have bad feelings about legal immigrants, my grandfather was one!)

Like any government office they can be frustrating and many things seem stupid or seem to take too long. They are not a "for profit" business and it is not their goal to process cases overnight. The costs to do so would be similar to the difference between a postage stamp and a Fedex package. You wouldn't want to pay it!

Some of us might take them up on the offer if possible.

[Oksana & Max 94]

Heck, some of our members might be "one of them" for all we know.

Great point!!!

And you know what I will tell you. I am one of them. I work for DOS, and used this forum, to bring my fiancee (now wife). We are all people, and while I might be working for the "big brother" we are all human beings.

If anyone else wondering, I do not have any bearing to Visa Approvals or things like that