Alternative DREAM Act Introduced in Florida

On Wednesday 30^th March Rep. David Rivera Republican congressman introduced alternative DREAM act called as Studying Towards Residency Status Act (STARS). This Act will offer a chance for the illegal immigrants to obtain non-immigrant status for five years only under certain criteria. Criteria includes they must have entered US before 16 years of age, lived in the country for at least 5 years, obtained high school diploma and also in higher learning institution.

The bill is meant as an alternative to Sen. Dick Durbin’s (D-Ill.) Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, which provides a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants provided they have demonstrated good moral character and are working toward completing a degree at a college or university or serving in the military. Sen. Marco Rubio, a fellow Florida Republican who is friends with Rivera, plans on introducing an alternative to Durbin’s bill by the end of the summer.

Marco Rubio’s bill would provide non-immigrant visas to the illegal immigrants who either serve in the military or attend college. But Dick Durbin’s (D-III) will not give any way to obtain Citizenship.

“Congressman Rivera has had discussion about the STARS Act with Sen. Rubio, but the congressman recognizes that the House and Senate each have their own legislative process,” the aide said. “The STARS Act is meant to start the conversation in the House of Representatives in the hopes of achieving some sort of immigration reform in the 112th Congress.”

Democrats have expressed to pass some kind of immigration reform legislation but the many will oppose views in granting the citizenship. Mitt Romney has said, if elected as The President he would veto Durbin’s DREAM Act.

USCIS and Smithsonian’s National Museum: Preparing for Oath

A web-based tool has been designed to help non-citizen to be citizen under naturalization process, in preparing for civic & history portion. The web-based tool called “Preparing for Oath: US History and Civics for Citizenship”, this was made possible by U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. This website includes features videos and multimedia activities from the Smithsonian collections and exhibitions of the National Museum.

“Preparing for the Oath is an invaluable addition to the citizenship preparation materials we offer to aspiring citizens,” said USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas. “Using the Smithsonian Institution’s extensive collection, this online tool will help individuals learn about the founding principles of American democracy and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in a meaningful way.”

Preparing for Oath is organized into themes like History, Civics and Government with small clip and a small Q&A based on the content. Each of the questions will prompt the users to interactive learning activities from the Smithsonian collection.

“The naturalization ceremony and release of Preparing for the Oath highlight the strong partnership between USCIS and the Smithsonian. During the past four years, the two entities have worked together to provide immigrants, adult educators and the public with a better understanding of American history and the naturalization process,” said Marc Pachter, interim director of the museum.

US Immigration Boost Deportation of Criminal

Nearly 25 percent (150 agents) of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers from desks and backroom jobs agents tasked include to finding and deporting illegal immigrants with criminal records across the country.

Last fiscal year, the government spent $120.9 million deporting 182,655 people by plane. Of those, 17,777 were flown out of Columbus Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, according to ICE. And most of them — 13,806 — were deported to Mexico.

Each of the team has given a goal of arresting 50 suspects per month.  Team are instructed to focus on kicking out the illegal immigrants convicted of felony or more than two misdemeanors, having fraudulent documents and most importantly breaking the law.

An early draft of the plan says ICE is “experiencing a shortfall in criminal removals for the fiscal year,” and called for using 300 Border Patrol agents, dressed in ICE uniforms, to close the gap. The plan was scaled back to 150 ICE officers after objections were raised by union organizers for the Border Patrol.

ICE Director John Morton defended the program Friday as “the best way to use our limited resources” against those who pose the greatest threat to public safety.

“We changed agency policy to focus fugitive operations more on criminal offenders,” Morton said in a telephone interview. “This is part of a permanent restructuring of agency resources to meet the highest priority of removing serious offenders. … We think that is the right call because at the end of the day public safety is our goal.”

Anne Hathaway’s Ex-Boyfriend Deported after Release from Prison

Anne Hathway’s ex-boyfriend Raffello Follieri has been deported from USA. Who was released on 15^th May 2012 from federal prison in Loretto, Pennsylvania. Raffaello Follieri pleaded guilty to conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering in October of the year their relationship ended.

Source: DailyMail

A representative for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement told TMZ: “ICE carried out the order of an immigration judge, and removed Follieri from the United States May 25, 2012.”

He spend past four-and-a-half-year in prison since October 2008.Follieri used the money to pay his medical bills, $37,000 a month rent and Dominican Republic New Year’s holiday with Anne Hathway. She was not charged with any crime.

In 2008, Follieri admitted in court he had “no excuses” for his illegal actions.

He said: “The most important thing I want the court to know is I was not raised with bad values. I started off with good intentions, determined to run an honourable business and make everyone proud of me.

“What I did was wrong and there is no point in making excuses. I will never be able to wash away the shame. I just hope that someday those who have been hurt by my actions will forgive me.”

Hathway told Britain’s The Independent: ‘The worst thing that happens to you can be the best thing for you, if you don’t let it get the best of you.’

Source:DailyMail

Now happily engaged to actor Adam Shulman and awaiting the July premiere of her film The Dark Knight Rises, Hathaway and her 31-year-old fiancé plan to wed sometime next year.

 

Mt. Fuji "Shibazakura" Flower Festival

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If there is one thing that best represent  Japan’s natural beauty, it has to be the highest mountain- Mt. Fuji.   The 3,766m symmetrical cone shaped mountain has inspired poet and artist for decades, where it was often depicted with the top- half covered in snow.

My first visit to the mountain was last year, during the hiking season where the  picturesque snow-capped was gone. 

Read more… 690 more words

USCIS Launched Online Application Portal – ELIS

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service Director Alejandro Mayorkas launched new online application portal called “ELIS”, this name because of the immigration gateway of Ellis Island.

USCIS ELIS is a user-friendly system created to streamline the application process for immigration benefits. It allows immigration benefit seekers and their legal representatives to create an account and file benefit requests online. USCIS ELIS provides more accurate and secure customer service.

With the current version applicant can file for Form I-539 (Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status). Later of the success one can include other forms too. Firstly this online system will be tested with the small group of people, this will help the agency to know the flaws and move forward.

USCIS ELIS will allow you to: 

1. Create an individual online account.

• Sign up to receive email notification and text messages.
• Manage account and contact or interact with USCIS in real time.

2. Manage your interactions with USCIS securely and electronically.

• E-file the supporting document/evidence.
• Online payment option either credit card or bank account.
• On your behalf attorney or any other legal representatives can file for benefits.

3. Get detailed help and current case status.

• Detailed case-status.
• Get online assistant under “Tips” and “Help”.
• Step-by-Step help from online setup.

“We are really transforming the agency from a paper-based agency to…an online environment. It’s a very complex and challenging effort. It’s something that other organizations have not succeeded in accomplishing, whether in the public or private sector,” Mayorkas.

In phase two USCIS have plan to allow organizations to allow storing all the immigration forms. And applicants can submit supporting documents and receive case updates instantly in real time. USCIS employee had to shuffle hard-copy application back and forth across country.

We plan to improve USCIS ELIS over time to better serve your needs. Please send us your feedback by emailing uscis-elis-feedback@uscis.dhs.gov.

J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award for Pau Gasol

Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol won National Basketball Association’s Walter Citizenship Award. Gasol came across important crossroad where decided to pursue professional basketball or career in medical. His charity work with UNICEF and children’s hospital, his family is from medical back ground (Spanish).

What is Citizenship Award?

Being a good citizen is not given importance while you study in school or college. As a citizen responsibility is to exhibit good citizenship skills, productive to the country and caring for the society. Citizens respect others, respect others and also they respect the environment.

National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) together administer the American Citizenship Award.

This award is an attractive lapel pin that is presented to any student in elementary, middle, high school, special events or recognition banquets. This will help inspire enthusiastic school spirit, strengthen self-esteem, building responsible and knowledgeable citizens and also volunteerism.

There is not certain rule or regulation that who should get American Citizenship Award.
- Services in school or community
- Positive attitude toward classmates, school and community
- Understanding civic responsibility
- Strengthening the character to do what is right.

”It’s a great honor for any player to receive,” Gasol said. ”It should be an honor for any player to have the opportunity to give back and to make the community better, be a role model to all the other kids and people. I think it’s very important when you have that opportunity, you take advantage of it. You maximize it.” Over past seven years Gasol has travelled with UNICEF to raise awareness on health care for children, program related to nutrition and also education.

Gasol’s father was medical administrator and his mother was physician. Pau was born in Barcelona; he took pre-med program as a teenager, but gave up his studies when his basketball career took off.

Gasol said. ”To me, that’s above and beyond basketball. Obviously, basketball has allowed me to have these opportunities, and that’s why I feel so fortunate, but to me it’s much stronger, much more powerful than the basketball game.”

Pau has released iBook about benefiting UNICEF in three different languages. He also is planning for another project with UNICEF once he finishes London Olympics.

Last year it was another Los Angeles Lakers player Ron Artest to win J. Walter Kennedy. He got this award for his work in mental health awareness, now he is known as Metta World Peace.

US Census Bureau: Immigrant Babies Surpass Whites In US Births

On May 17th 2012, government release data, there are more black, Hispanic and other minority babies are born in the US than white babies. With almost half of young and new born children belong to minority. Is it because of Bad economy?

As of July 1, 2011, 50.4 percent of babies younger than age 1 were minorities or of more than one race, up from 49.5 percent in 2010, the data showed. Among children younger than age 5, 49.7 percent were a minority or mixed race last year, up from 49.0 percent in 2010, according to the agency, which tracks the U.S. population.

Former chief of racial statistics at the Census bureau Roderick Harrision said “This generation is growing up much more accustomed to diversity than its elders. We remain in a dangerous period where those appealing to anti-immigration elements are fueling a divisiveness and hostility that might take decades to overcome.”

The Census Bureau findings also show:

* The largest and fastest-growing minority group in the United States last year remained Hispanics at 52 million, or nearly 17 percent of the nation’s population. The black population was 43.9 million.
* Asians were the second-fastest growing population, rising 3 percent to 18 million.
* There were 6.3 million American Indian and Alaska Native residents and 1.4 million Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders.
* More than half of all residents in Hawaii, California, New Mexico, Texas and Washington, D.C., were minorities as of last year.

Four Anti-Immigration Protestors Arrested in Chicago

On Tuesday 15th May 2012, about 100 people were opposing US Immigration Policy, War and Economic injustice were 4 protestors were arrested in Chicago.

Demonstrators began their march at Our Lady of Guadalupe Anglican Church in Little Village and marched downtown to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building where some staged a sit in out front, CBS2 reports. Father Jose Landaverde of Our Lady of Guadalupe and another woman were arrested in front of the ICE building for trespassing and another two protesters were arrested after demonstrators took Canal Street.

On Monday 14th May 2012, eight anti-war protestors were arrested for not leaving the lobby of President Barack Obama’s campaign headquarters.

Today, members of Communities United Against Foreclosure and Eviction and Occupy Chicago will rally at Jackson and LaSalle in the morning, march to Citibank, then to Daley Plaza where they will deliver petitions to Tom Dart’s office demanding the Cook County Sheriff stop “profit-oriented evictions and foreclosures.”

For this whole week organizers like CANG8, Occupy Chicago and others organizations have plan to focus on different issues each day throughout the city.

Virginia Morales, a member of the Communities United group whose family is facing forclosure said in a press release “There is no serious action being taken to help keep people in their homes. Modifications always seem to fail. We need this moratorium.”

On Sunday 20th May 2012, organizers expecting thousands will show up for a rally on Chicago Convention Center where two days of NATO summit is being held in discussion of military alliance’s strategy in Afghanistan.

Illegal Immigration from Mexico to US has Dropped Sharply

The number of Mexicans coming to the United States has decreased but increased in the numbers who are entering US in a legal way. This is a huge shift in the good economy in Mexico and bad economy in United States. And also in more of deportation and increased the security border.

At the start of the twenty-first century, less than 10 percent came with papers. A decade later, it is 50 percent.
The vast majority of these came on “family reunification visas”–spouses, parents, children, or siblings of U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents.

Late Harvard professor Samuel P. Huntington stated Mexican Immigrants “threaten to divide the United States into two people, two cultures and two languages”.

Source:Pew Hispanic Center

Others–some ninety thousand in 2011–came on H-visas to work, their professions ranging from engineers to agricultural workers. Ten thousand more came to study. Some two thousand–more than double 2000 levels–came on E-2 NAFTA visas, reserved for investors and business people from countries that are U.S. trading partners. Mexicans also received their highest ever number of EB-5 visas, which require a $500,000 to $1 million investment in a U.S. business, and the creation of at least ten U.S. jobs.

In the past decade almost 1 million became US Citizens who were Mexican residence; desire of obtaining US Citizenship is still same for any other country residence.