Is the US Immigration on some witchhunt recently?

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LEDcandle

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Recently just read about an asian designer, Huck Gee, who has been based in the States for 20+ yrs but never got a citizenship. He left the country (US) for some travels and later faced problems upon return. As he had a minor drug offence when he was a kid (14 yrs ago), they are using that to 'expel' him from the country.

From what I read, now he is in a legal tussle.

This was just 'something I read' on the net till my bro faced a little issue at the US embassy over here in S'pore. He's been studying in NY for a couple of years already (student visa) and has even successfully applied for a working visa in the States, but it is only effective from July 06.

He has now returned to S'pore for a holiday, and while at the US embassy to renew his student visa, the guy was rather unhelpful. During the interview, he asked my bro what his plans were and of course, with his working visa, the plan was to work in the States. So the officer asks him when he's coming back to S'pore.

My bro mentioned it depends on the job he finds and how busy the job is. The guy takes it that he's never gonna return to S'pore and refuses to give my bro a visa to go back to the States, even though he's already studied there for 2 years and has an approved working visa for July.

After some more convincing, the guy disappears for some time (no one else in the queue had to face this) and finally agrees.

I'm just wondering if there is any recent 'operation' to repatriate asians/foreigners who are seen to be 'parasitical'?

This is not a racist thingie or neither do I want to delve deep into politics. I just want to know the general sentiment recently about this immigration issue as it seems several ppl are facing repatriation/refusal of entry more so recently than even just awhile back.
 

idleprocess

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The focus of immigration policy right now is focused primarily on our neighbors to the south - Mexico in particular - since they're the majority of immigrants in the US. You might be better off taking this issue to the Underground - immigration is a hotbutton issue in the US right now with the nationwide wave of demonstrations a few weeks ago.
 

Lightmeup

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I'm not aware of any witch hunts like you cite, but I think they have become equal opportunity jerks to everyone in general. Don't take offense, they treat us the same way.
 

LEDcandle

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That's why I mentioned I don't want to delve too deep into it; just want to know if there has been a recent emphasis on it (which apparently there is). Thanks for the info guys :D
 

vtunderground

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LEDcandle said:
I'm just wondering if there is any recent 'operation' to repatriate asians/foreigners who are seen to be 'parasitical'?

I don't think it's a really recent thing. One of my college roommates was from Taiwan, and he constantly had trouble with his visa (a lot like what you described). This was back in '97-'01 I believe.
 

James S

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Wow, an immigration official being unhelpful? who'd a thunk it!

I have 2 very dear friends who went through the immigration process with their husband or wife. It was a total nightmare for years. Your progress on any particular visit was at the whim of the petty functionary that you happened to get assigned to.

The legal immigration process needs to be revamped, but if you can find the energy to stick with it you can eventually get the paperwork for the necessary visas or whatever else sorted out. An absolute NO one day can be a simple process of extra paperwork another. It makes no sense.

I think what he experienced was just business as usual. Come back another day and try again, and keep smiling.
 

NewBie

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Remember Visas are not automatically given and are not an inherent right.

They are given as a privilege by the US Government.

A Visa allows a person to come here such as for work or school (temporary), but if one wants full access, the need to go thru all the wickets to immigrate and become a citizen.

They could have just as well denied it, and have been just.

In otherwords, if you get one, consider yourself lucky. *Many* are denied.
 

David_Campen

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but I think they have become equal opportunity jerks to everyone in general. Don't take offense, they treat us the same way.
Yep, after 911, what with the unwashed masses clamouring for the government to "do something" to insure everyones total safety the attitude has been to treat everyone like a terrorist. It is really screwing up the United States ability to compete globally. It is not just citizens of asian countries being treated like this; I was talking to a German PhD geochemist, a postgraduate researcher at a top German University, who had been invited to work at Caltech for a year as a "Visiting Scientist", it took him something like 6 months to get a visa.

Remember Visas are not automatically given and are not an inherent right.

They are given as a privilege by the US Government.
They could have just as well denied it, and have been just.

In otherwords, if you get one, consider yourself lucky. *Many* are denied.
Yep, that is the attitude I am talking about. With this attitude soon the US will no longer be a world power.
 

LEDcandle

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NewBie said:
Remember Visas are not automatically given and are not an inherent right.

They are given as a privilege by the US Government.

A Visa allows a person to come here such as for work or school (temporary), but if one wants full access, the need to go thru all the wickets to immigrate and become a citizen.

They could have just as well denied it, and have been just.

In otherwords, if you get one, consider yourself lucky. *Many* are denied.

Yeah I mean its not a right, I know, but c'mon, almost wanting to deny a person who has already studied there for 2 years and already has an approved working visa is just plain mean and inconvenient.

If he was rejected outright from the start when attempting to enroll in the US, it would at least be understandable. Now my bro is simply back for a holiday (2 weeks) before his job search (of which he already has landed a project, with Disney) and imagine he gets denied a Visa to go back! :p

Oh well, I can understand there are a lot of unwanted types over there; they spoil the whole thing for the sincere ones.
 

tygger

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i heard an commentary piece on Nat. Public Radio about 2 weeks ago by a russian born lawyer working here in the US. it was entertaining and informative. basically, he was saying in order to get a visa to continue living and working in the US he was going to start working for a landscaping business because he would have a better chance at getting a visa and eventually his citizenship if a guest worker program is approved. apparently, it is very difficult for a white collar professional to get a visa for a number of reasons. its my understanding you must be sponsored by a company, which requires large amounts of money, time, and resources, and apparently the company must prove that it is a job that no american is equally qualified to do. it seems that the higher the skill level of the job, the more scrutiny will be applied to that person. i assume that for students it is difficult as well.
 

BB

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For those of US who would wish to work in another country--oh say Mexico:

Mexico's Immigration Policies:


...Mexico, which annually deports more illegal aliens than the United States does...
Mexico welcomes only foreigners who will be useful to Mexican society:

  • * Foreigners are admitted into Mexico "according to their possibilities of contributing to national progress." (Article 32)
  • * Immigration officials must "ensure" that "immigrants will be useful elements for the country and that they have the necessary funds for their sustenance" and for their dependents. (Article 34)
  • * Foreigners may be barred from the country if their presence upsets "the equilibrium of the national demographics," when foreigners are deemed detrimental to "economic or national interests," when they do not behave like good citizens in their own country, when they have broken Mexican laws, and when "they are not found to be physically or mentally healthy." (Article 37)
  • * The Secretary of Governance may "suspend or prohibit the admission of foreigners when he determines it to be in the national interest." (Article 38)
  • Mexican authorities must keep track of every single person in the country:
  • * Federal, local and municipal police must cooperate with federal immigration authorities upon request, i.e., to assist in the arrests of illegal immigrants. (Article 73)
  • * A National Population Registry keeps track of "every single individual who comprises the population of the country," and verifies each individual's identity. (Articles 85 and 86)
  • * A national Catalog of Foreigners tracks foreign tourists and immigrants (Article 87), and assigns each individual with a unique tracking number (Article 91).
  • Foreigners with fake papers, or who enter the country under false pretenses, may be imprisoned:
  • * Foreigners with fake immigration papers may be fined or imprisoned. (Article 116)
  • * Foreigners who sign government documents "with a signature that is false or different from that which he normally uses" are subject to fine and imprisonment. (Article 116)
  • Foreigners who fail to obey the rules will be fined, deported, and/or imprisoned as felons:
  • * Foreigners who fail to obey a deportation order are to be punished. (Article 117)
  • * Foreigners who are deported from Mexico and attempt to re-enter the country without authorization can be imprisoned for up to 10 years. (Article 118)
  • * Foreigners who violate the terms of their visa may be sentenced to up to six years in prison (Articles 119, 120 and 121). Foreigners who misrepresent the terms of their visa while in Mexico — such as working with out a permit — can also be imprisoned.
Under Mexican law, illegal immigration is a felony. The General Law on Population says,
  • * "A penalty of up to two years in prison and a fine of three hundred to five thousand pesos will be imposed on the foreigner who enters the country illegally." (Article 123)
  • * Foreigners with legal immigration problems may be deported from Mexico instead of being imprisoned. (Article 125)
  • * Foreigners who "attempt against national sovereignty or security" will be deported. (Article 126)
  • Mexicans who help illegal aliens enter the country are themselves considered criminals under the law:
  • * A Mexican who marries a foreigner with the sole objective of helping the foreigner live in the country is subject to up to five years in prison. (Article 127)
  • * Shipping and airline companies that bring undocumented foreigners into Mexico will be fined. (Article 132)

Considering that about 17%-20% of Mexico's working age population is here in the US "illegaly"--it appears that it is better to be in the US illegally than in Mexico as a citizen for many of their folks.

-Bill
 

LowBat

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I don't know of any new policy changes other than the U.S. is not the easiest country to obtain a visa. I was denied a work visa when I applied for an overseas job many years ago so I know it's not just the U.S. that has strict standards. I hear the country with the toughest standards is Australia. Whatever the requirements are, I'm glad your brother is going about this legally and not ignoring the expiration date on the visa.

We're in the middle of a real fight here at the moment with millions who have criminally entered the U.S. and are now making demands because of their large numbers. Unfortunately most of our government officials have been elected with special interest funds and are beholden to an industry that wants the use of cheap black market labor to bolster profits. Discrimination doesn't just occur against the poorest of the American workers; here in Silicon Valley many employers tend to favor those that are here on a temporary visa. What it comes down to is corporate greed is outweighing the law and American citizens are on the losing end.
 

DonShock

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I think it's just a case of bureaucratic laziness. Illegal immigration is becoming a major issue over here. But of course it's much easier to just mess with the people who are trying to follow the rules than to actually try to go after those who are ignoring them. It's just so they can say "Ooooh, look how tough we are, limiting access to the US" without actually addressing the real problem, ILLEGAL immigration, not legal immigration.
 

Brighteyez

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LEDcandle,

Actually immigration for Asian immigrants have become far more relaxed over the last 30 or so years. There used to be very strict limitations and quotas on the number of Asian immigrants that could enter the U.S. (even for visitor/tourist visas,) solely for the purpose of keeping the numbers down. And yes, it was organized and legislated racial discrimination going all the way back to the late 19th and early 20th century. I don't think you'll find that these days, however visas that allow any foreign national to work in the U.S. is scruitinized more unless they are sponsored by an employer (H1B), and even those require quite a bit of paperwork on the part of the employer. Student visas are a bit easier to come by, though even those are looked at more carefully since 9/11.
 

Lightraven

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If I understand the bureaucracy here, the U.S. State Department handles visas, and Homeland Security handles removals.

The two situations related are probably handled by completely different agencies, so I would say no to the witchhunt.

I just read Huck Gee's story on his website. It sounds credible. I can understand his feelings that this punishment is coming long after the crime and his getting his act together. From a deterrent standpoint, punishments should come right after the crime is committed, but the U.S. immigration system is too overwhelmed.
 

scott.cr

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My wife is from Canada and so is her best friend. Both were here on TN (work) visas when we first met; my wife didn't bother getting a new one when she changed jobs because we were so close to the wedding date so she was actually here illegally for about six months (this is forgiven upon marriage).

The TN visa is not intended for permanent residence, so if your brother does not give a fairly specific date about his return to Singapore the ICE official (usually a jerk) can give him a hard time at his discretion. Also, it is technically illegal for your brother to pursue a greencard while here on a TN visa, even if his employer is sponsoring it. He'd have to pursue it from Singapore.

If you PM me I can hook you up with an excellent and cheap US immigration attorney... kept my wife out of a lot of hot water before we got married. Whatever you do, DO NOT fill out immigration forms yourself for crissake. Yes you can do them 100% correctly, but an ICE agent is more likely to be humbled by the signature of an attorney. Above all, these guys would like to avoid paperwork and being pointed out as incorrect in front of people.
 

TedTheLed

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same thing sort of happened to me 25 years ago going into Canada from the US. On the train entering Canada, a big German policeman came through checking visas, he asked me what I was going to do in Canada, "work in a movie," I replied. When I couldn't provide a work permit I was handcuffed, put in a police car and driven back across the border to Buffalo. I got the permit from the movie's producer the next day, and was allowed to come back across the border... the Buffalo Hilton was kinda seedy..

a few years later getting a visa in New York to go to Mexico, the Mexican agents demanded that I show them a wad of cash, over a thousand bucks, before they would okay me. they wanted to make sure I was going to spend money in Mexico..I returned with the cash, showed it to them, and got the visa..

ymmv ?
 

Cliffnopus

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powernoodle said:
Please elaborate on your belief that unrestrained immigration is the sole basis for America's status as a world power.

cheers
Exactly, unrestrained immigration of poor uneducated folks will really add to the U.S. brain trust. :ohgeez: Wait a minute, a few more just sneaked in....I can feel the country lurch ahead already, snapped my neck right back.

Cliff
 

BB

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Some numbers about visas:

Staying Put When Visas Expire



...one of an estimated 3.6 million people living in the U.S. who have overstayed or otherwise violated the terms of their visas, according to the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general's office. They account for more than a quarter of the roughly 12 million illegal immigrants in the country.
...
The Department of Homeland Security announced last month that 165,000 visa violations occur annually and that tracking those cases is part of a new enforcement crackdown.

Last year, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested more than 8,000 visa violators nationwide. In Los Angeles, agents apprehended more than 70 violators in the last 18 months.
...
Foreigners can travel to the United States on several types of visas, including tourist, work, student and religious visas, with varying time restrictions. Most visitors from certain countries, including much of Western Europe, don't require a visa to travel in the U.S. for up to 90 days because of reciprocal agreements among countries.

In 2004, there were nearly 30.8 million nonimmigrant visas issued. They included visas for about 5.3 million temporary workers and business travelers, 22.8 million tourists and 620,000 students, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

30,000,000 is about 10% of our country (excluding the xx million of people that don't need visas for stays of 90 days or less)... 5,300,000 temporary workers are, roughly, 5% of our work force... That is not generous already?

-Bill
 
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