Meeting Monday with the NY Times National Immigration Correspondant

[KristinD 77]

Ok everyone. Here's my final push. I've done everything else I can think of to bring light to the topic of the fogotten K1 visas. I am meeting with the NY Times National Immigration Correspondant Monday. She already has our stories. Now we need to bombard her with the cold hard facts.

I need letters/ emails from TSC, from your congressmen, etc. (black out your names if wanted)

Touch points for our conversation:

• Processing time differences
• Denial of processing time difference
• Calling about case status
• Not being able to put in an inquiry
• Days you've been waiting
• TSC slow down since March 27
• Things they said when you've asked about your case

She has the letter on behalf of Pres. Obama to us and an email from the Senate Judiciary Comittee about the shock they were in when they did not transfer files. I will also share all of my correspondance with her and my emails back and forth with the Ombudsman. I look forward to including my response from TSC about my inquiry (though a Tier 2).

Love you guys! I don't think that an emotional angle will make her want to write a story. We need documentation. If you have scanned docs please send them to: helptscnow@gmail.com

Best,

Kristin

[Wooderz 314]

Way to go Kristin. I'll forward what little I have since my congressman's office doesn't like replying to me.

[AC&BS 23]

KristinD. We don't really have anything that can help but we appreciate so much everything you and everyone else has done to bring light to this horrible situation.

Everyone at TSC has suffered so much and there is no end in sight for those that come after us. We have escaped only to be held up at the next stage, but we continue to watch and hope for those that remain.

Good luck tomorrow. The September TSC filers couldn't be in better hands.

[KristinD 77]

Thanks guys! Now I have to dig though all of my emails and find everything but I'd rather get it to her before our convo to review if possible It's worth a shot lol we got the files to go to CSC, too bad they weren't ours #onlyourgovernment

[muhkoo 12]

I'm sure this is already implied or maybe even explicit in some of your points, but some direct language like institutionalized or systemic discrimination in regards to the routing of cases to service centers may be useful and straight to the point.

Good luck to you and THANK YOU!

[asdf123 7]

I apologize if I am out of line for posting since I am not at TSC … But I appreciate what you are doing nonetheless.

What gets me about this process (and maybe I am wrong in my views cause I am new to the visa journey and not an expert) is DACA and how people that are in the USA “ILLEGALLY” are getting temporary visa’s without the need for “out of country” medical exams and treatment, probably getting priority over K1 visa processing at USCIS and have no sponsorship requirements therefore getting a free ride on our tax dollars. Not to mention they have no emotional drain since they are with their girlfriends, boyfriends, fiances etc … It is completely mind blowing to me how the government can blow off tax paying “LEGAL” US citizens that are attempting to obtain visa’s legally for their fiances while at the same time cater to “ILLEGAL” immigrants who have no legal right even being in this country to begin with let alone receive special treatment. Since DACA is implemented, In fairness we should be allowed to bring our fiancés over while we navigate through this maze of government red tape which is what it sounds like this K1 visa process is all about.

I guess DACA is the power of donations from special interest groups hard at work.

[TabeaK 517]

KristinD, you are awesome! Way to go!

I wish I had any actual documents to share, but our few interactions with USCIS have been on the phone with the usual blatant "within posted processing times" or "keep waiting another x months, you have no other recourse" or "no, your file has not been transferred".

[Pitaya 2,577]

~Moved from K1 Process to USCIS Service Centers Forum~

~Commentary about Service Centers activity~

[Wooderz 314]

Anyone feel like moving this to the uscis service center forum is like a death sentence for the efforts. It won't get exposure here.

[muhkoo 12]

Anyone feel like moving this to the uscis service center forum is like a death sentence for the efforts. It won't get exposure here.

Yeah and since this is an effort by K-1 filers and focuses on the discrepancy in processing the I129F between the service centers specifically I don't agree with it being moved.

[TabeaK 517]

Agreed. I do not think this move is appropriate as the focal point the K1 visa process - hence I believe it was in the right category.

[KristinD 77]

Thanks for the support guys, I think it should be in K1 also. Because this time I would like to focus on the K1 with her. But, I'll see what she saiys Monday, I told her anytime is fine.....

I went through my emails last night right now I have 40 different things to give her. Each response pretty much from a different government entitly and/or emails I've sent with no response. I will try to write her a short and sweet synopsis this weekend but we have baseball, I have a final paper and I'm getting a new engagement band!!! Yeah!!!!

[Mena28 35]

Up.

I am sorry we dont have any documented evidence of out interaction with USCIS - only phone calls so far. Thank you for all you do and good luck with the newspaper person!

[usmsbow 801]

I apologize if I am out of line for posting since I am not at TSC … But I appreciate what you are doing nonetheless.

What gets me about this process (and maybe I am wrong in my views cause I am new to the visa journey and not an expert) is DACA and how people that are in the USA “ILLEGALLY” are getting temporary visa’s without the need for “out of country” medical exams and treatment, probably getting priority over K1 visa processing at USCIS and have no sponsorship requirements therefore getting a free ride on our tax dollars. Not to mention they have no emotional drain since they are with their girlfriends, boyfriends, fiances etc … It is completely mind blowing to me how the government can blow off tax paying “LEGAL” US citizens that are attempting to obtain visa’s legally for their fiances while at the same time cater to “ILLEGAL” immigrants who have no legal right even being in this country to begin with let alone receive special treatment. Since DACA is implemented, In fairness we should be allowed to bring our fiancés over while we navigate through this maze of government red tape which is what it sounds like this K1 visa process is all about.

I guess DACA is the power of donations from special interest groups hard at work.

1. I-129fs have been delayed at various service centers for a long time, much longer than there was such a thing called DACA. It's now TSC that has delays. It used to be CSC and VSC (which stopped handling I-129fs).

2. USCIS created a service center in Arlington, VA to handle DACA matters and only DACA matters. TSC sometimes blames DACA for its slowness, but who knows how valid that is. ]

3. While DACA will increase the workload for USCIS, it will also increase its funding to afford more facilities and personnel. That's how USCIS was able to open up a new center in Arlington.

In other words, DACA is NOT the reason for TSC being so bad. Perhaps it has made some impact, but it is far from the sole or even biggest cause. TSC has slowly morphed into the awful service center that it is today.

Edited to add: best of luck to you on Monday OP! Wish I could help you out, but I was one of the "lucky ones" back in August that was transferred to CSC.

Edited May 1, 2015 by usmsbow

[brentos 53]

Hello,

I am not at TSC or a K-1 so I can't be of very much help in this I think. Sucks that the system is messed up all around.

Just wanted to wish you good luck.

Just curious, your letter to President Obama got a reply? Did they say anything worth while or interesting?

Thanks,

Brent