Immigration Reform

[Brian1967## 119]

Hello folks on VJ,

Well, I am in need of some real help I had a meeting today with a senators aid about my situation, he listened for about 30 min and asked me to put everything together and send it to him. Well he also asked a very interesting question he asked me to write a very short letter to the senator about testifying in from of the senate committee on Immigration reform, he said the issue I have had has not been looked at or brought up and maybe my voice can be heard. He asked for a short clear letter of petition and he would give it to the senator. Does anybody have any ideas on what the letter should say? HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JohnR! 5,495]

Make it the cover letter for the documentation you were asked to submit; and add a paragraph indicating you would be glad to speak about your situation on the floor if your testimony should be deemed necessary, or beneficial for the current discussion on immigration reform.

Good luck!

[CurleyHoward 1]

I want in on this one.!

[Caryh 5,206]

The system has flaws in both directions, as I think we both know. Your ex wife used you for a green card, or at least you feel she did. Then they often get away with it, while leaving an innocent victim drained of money and left with abuse charges. Then there are people that are complete used and controlled by their spouses here, who never get a chance to adjust status, and they end up with no option good options when they escape the situation for staying, or even to have the resources to return home. It can get pretty ugly when things don't work out.

The only solution might be if someone is accepted in on a K-1 or CR-1 visa, they get an unconditional green card. The entire idea of giving conditional green cards was to insure Americans were not being used for green cards, instead they're being used and left with manufactured domestic violence charges and convictions. Then since we're going to give unconditional green cards, the system of checks before giving the Visa would need to change. But how do you really judge if a relationship is real being an outsider making a decision? Truly the system isn't working well right now, but is there a real solution that can be written into a law? You can't legislate away every ill in the world, and sometimes people just need to take their lumps when they've found themselves married to someone who is just using them. There are no laws trying to protect citizens from each other when they marry, why are we trying to create so many protections from those that marry across international borders? The best thing congress could probably do is throw away all these laws trying to make people prove this or that condition and just let people who want to be together marry and take their lumps if it doesn't work out. If the immigrant needs to go back, well then make the person bring them in deposit the return money with USCIS or something ahead of time, no exceptions everyone goes back unless the marriage lasts 10 years or something. Or just say you're here and you can stay forever, it doesn't matter if your marriage works or not. And get rid of the stupid ROC process.

[Villanelle 4,122]

Hi Brian. Hope you are doing well.

Here is a link that may help you with format-http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111117/15492016808/senators-rand-paul-jerry-moran-maria-cantwell-all-warn-that-protect-ip-will-kill-jobs.shtml

Its for something similar- they were petitioning for I dont know- IP piracy act legislation or some nonsense, but use it as a template to get started.

Your intent is to testify to express your concerns (shared by many) as currently written the Immigration Act does not afford protections to USCs to defend themselves against VAWA claims etc etc- or whatever your concerns were that you expressed to the aide.

[verysadguy 170]

There should be one simple tenet here. PROTECT US CITIZENS. If there is real abuse, and they prove it great. However, don't give the foreigner immunity and benefits without weighing BOTH sides of the story and really looking at the FACTS.

For anyone with an education and in his/her right mind to think entry to the USA, benefits, and assistance won't lead to fraud and working the system is just plain ignorant. Welfare fraud, immigration fraud, benefits fraud etc is rampant in this country. We have to stop letting this go on and on. We probably spend more money supporting a broken relief and adjudication system than simply making the rules tougher and sending foreigners home.

I will say it again, immigration reform for inventors and entrepreneurs and scientists and engineers is great, but K-1 scams perpetrated by poor, cheating, heartbreakers need to be dealt with rigorously. Saying get married and taking the lumps is just wrong. I lost over $100,000 via a communist scammer who came from nothing and she was able to work the system and it cost her NOTHING. That is messed up!

[SingleDad2usc 71]

Does anyone have a solution? It has to be comprehensive. Nothing to be won by merely recounting a failed relationship: typically male marrying a younger foreign female, and then the desired arrangement (objectively flimsy to begin with) breaks.

I'm afraid, an objective comprehensive solution takes more than we can come up with in this forum

[verysadguy 170]

Does anyone have a solution? It has to be comprehensive. Nothing to be won by merely recounting a failed relationship: typically male marrying a younger foreign female, and then the desired arrangement (objectively flimsy to begin with) breaks.

I'm afraid, an objective comprehensive solution takes more than we can come up with in this forum

Age has nothing to do with morals and ethics. If man is 60 and woman is 20 she should still not be a liar and a fraud. Many couples are far apart in age and do fine, but we only hear about the bad marriages. Then you jump to conclusions?

I don't care if you are 15 years old or 50 yrs old. If you were raised properly and come from a culture of honesty and fairness then you do not cheat people.

The US Gov't must tighten up on morals and ethical choices of NON US Citizens who come here fraudulently regardless of age, marriage, whatever.

[SingleDad2usc 71]

hey, I'm no less interested than you. but neither of us is capable of producing an all-encompassing comprehensive objective version of immigration law. which means, for all the practical purposes, that we deal with the laws in place, and individual circumstances. Also, no reason to get the picture even fuzzier with statements that you "don't care". If one cares to go public, one should care about everything involved. Everything. Objectively.

(and that's the problem: being everything to everyone; and that's why the laws will hardly ever encompass everyone's interests simultaneously). I'm as sorry as anyone; but have to seek out bright spots! Best wishes, as always, take care of yourself

Edited May 13, 2013 by SingleDad2usc

[Caryh 5,206]

Age has nothing to do with morals and ethics. If man is 60 and woman is 20 she should still not be a liar and a fraud. Many couples are far apart in age and do fine, but we only hear about the bad marriages. Then you jump to conclusions?

I don't care if you are 15 years old or 50 yrs old. If you were raised properly and come from a culture of honesty and fairness then you do not cheat people.

The US Gov't must tighten up on morals and ethical choices of NON US Citizens who come here fraudulently regardless of age, marriage, whatever.

What is ethical and moral in some cultures around the world, are a far cry to what is considered ethical and moral in the USA. And some of what we think of as perfectly fine here, would horrify people elsewhere. Lying, cheating, and conning from someone who is not blood family is perfectly acceptable in some cultures. I'm very aware the current system has many flaws, but I've yet to see anyone propose a change that would correct the problems inherent in the current system and still maintain American values and/or ethics. Its easy to see how cases shouldn't work out the way they do, it's quite another thing to come up with a solution to all the problems.