My Name is Mei Lau and I am Undocumented
Published October 23, 2009 @ 06:00AM PT
[This week's DREAM Act guest post comes from Mei Lau, who is eligible for the DREAM Act and represents the essence of the American DREAM--a high school graduate at the age of 15 who merely wants to attend college in this country. She is undoubtedly and irrevocably an immigrant that America needs and this country should find a way to retain her intellect and services instead of turning her away. Going back to her country of origin to apply for a visa to re-enter will not work in all likelihood so please do not make that suggestion].
My name is Mei Lau, a 15 year-old high school graduate. My brother and I arrived in US following our mother, who was an international student at the time, when I was nine and have been educated here ever since. But right now, I can't even be considered an international student anymore because mother cannot afford her tuition fee due the harsh economy for the past two years.
We both skipped two grades and entered high school at the age of 12. My IQ was proven and officially tested to be over 150. I maintained a 4.66 GPA in school with 4 AP classes and 2 college computer course, and finished all four years of high school math in my freshmen year. I went on to score a 5, highest score possible, in AP Calculus AB test in my sophomore year. Everyone including my counselor, teachers, friends, family, and myself was absolutely certain that with such a young age and brilliant record, I could get a full scholarship.
Quite a few were offered to me - with the requirement of being a permanent resident or US citizen. I was not. And several schools that accepted me regrettably informed me that they could not provide me with a full scholarship. Even the full scholarship the state university should provide to the students with 3 AIMS exceeded was denied to me because of my status despite the fact I completed my entire high school years here.
The most they could grant to a non-US citizen student like me cannot even cover my tuition that is essential if I wish to attend any college. My mother is a single-parent that had to take care of two kids while barely graduated high school. She was a student herself and had to work all day to cover her own tuition fee and our living expenses. I never saw her taking a break in four years from work other than during national holidays. She never bought anything for herself but still we struggle financially. She cannot possibly cover my college expenses.
I am underage, obviously, and cannot even get a student loan. Most scholarships either have an age or citizenship requirement. I can't even legally work because I don't have a social security number. I'm running out of ideas and have yet to find a solution.
I dread what the future may bring. Am I going to be forced to drop my education so young with my level of intelligence just because of where I was born? I lived here nearly as far as I remember. US is my home. I never knew another. Yet, opportunities are all being close to me because of the fact I was not born here. My brother is about to graduate within two years. If the DREAM Act is not passed by then, he is about to face the same dilemma I am facing. I really don't know what to do right now.
(Photo courtesy DreamAct2009)
USCIS Director Gets Ready for Immigration Reform
Published October 22, 2009 @ 12:00PM PT
'Modernizing Immigration' - The irony was unavoidable as the title of a foreign press center briefing held in the Capitol yesterday with new USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas.
After all, USCIS is a long-shot from what one would consider a 'modernized immigration' system. One only need to look through this great spoof of our immigration processing centers to see how desperately we need modernization of poor USCIS services and practices. It is almost impossible to get a response from them regarding individual case files let alone the ability to file applications online.
Mayorkas was on a public relations blitz and wanted to present the USCIS as a transparent body responsible for serving the public:
What brings me here today is another pillar of importance to the administration of our agency's work, and that is transparency. We are a public agency. We serve the public. And we, therefore, must be answerable to and responsive to the public.
That is really interesting since the last time we petitioned ICE to stop the deportation of a DREAM Act student, we were told to stop telling them how to do their jobs. Maybe the public nature of USCIS does not extend to answering questions about detention and deportation practices.
Mayorkas did admit that there may be shortcomings in the immigration system with respect to family reunification that should be fixed by immigration reform. While, he skirted around Obama's lack of progress on overhauling antiquated immigration laws and avoided any discussion about local police enforcement of immigration laws, Mayorkas did confirm the immigration reform will be vigorously pursued:
Q: Zoltan Mikes, World Business Press Online: What do you think about the plan of Mr. Obama of immigration reform? Why is after one year he is in office, not so much in progress?
Mayorkas: With respect to comprehensive immigration reform, the president has indicated that comprehensive immigration reform is a top priority of his and has remained so. He has designated an individual, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, as his point person in that effort. And she shares his commitment and his prioritization of that effort. We have embarked on developing ideas and learning from the public what the public would most want to see in the context of comprehensive immigration reform. And so we are active. The reform process is a legislative one. It is one that the legislature will ultimately accomplish. But the president is quite devoted to the effort, and we are pursuing that vigorously.
USCIS - More Fee Hikes On the Horizon
Published October 22, 2009 @ 09:00AM PT
Immigration officials requested 206 million dollars for fee structure reform but the immigration bill sitting on President Obama's desk has only allocated 55 million.
Officials now say that the agency is either going to hike fees or reduce expenditures. USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas admitted in a press briefing yesterday that:
We will as an agency potentially have to make cuts, and we will potentially have to raise certain fees to meet the financial challenge brought about by a decline in revenue.
The agency increased fees for citizenship filing from 400 to 675 dollars in 2007 (a 69% increase) when a record number of filings for naturalization came in from people wanting to acquire citizenship to vote in the 2008 elections.
In 2008, the number of applications fell possibly due to the fee increases. As a consequence, USCIS fell short of initial forecast by 345 million dollars. It is likely that increasing fees would deter more filings, leading to another budget shortfall.
Already, filing an I-485 takes close to $2000 for immigrants wanting to adjust their status to legal permanent residency. And that is not including attorney fees.
Achieving legal residency and gaining citizenship in the United States is fast becoming a lucrative exercise that only more financially privileged and educated can undergo.
(Photo: Photobucket Stream)
CNN Misses the Point with 'Latino in America'
Published October 21, 2009 @ 05:40PM PT
What does it mean to be Latino in America? CNN tries to explore this question in a two-part four-hour documentary hosted by Soledad O'Brian.
First, it's problematic to lump people from diverse countries with diverse backgrounds into a singular category labeled 'Latino' for the purpose of a four-hour documentary. Second, it's far more problematic to label the United States as 'America.' This entire continent is America but glossing over this fact just shows our arrogance as a country. Both these facts can be ignored for the interest of good journalism.
What cannot be ignored is that the channel producing the documentary continues to harbor the infamous pretend-journalist Lou Dobbs who has perpetuated myths that demonize Latinos, accusing them of causing 7000 cases of leprosy, and gone as far as to muse whether President Barack Obama is an undocumented immigrant. Besides Faux News, CNN is one of the last places to go for accurate information on 'Latinos' so the new documentary series presents itself as a public relations ploy and opportunity to profit at the expense of real journalism.
And CNN has done a pathetic job when it comes to 'real journalism.' Hate crimes against Latinos soared by 40 percent from 2003 to 2007, which is a conservative estimate but reporting of these cases has remained stagnant with CNN casting a blind-eye to cases such as Brisenia Flores while giving space to Dobbs to perpetuate hate. When asked to air an ad exposing Dobbs to balance the series, CNN refused the $16000 in ad revenue, inviting more negative attention from the Basta Dobbs Campaign, organizing against Lou Dobbs in over 18 cities. Then, CNN refused to run an ad critical of the insurance industry at a time when 34% of Hispanics do not have health insurance in the United States, the largest ethnic group without health coverage.
Can the channel really have any credibility to do a 'Latino in America' while it does injustice to issues concerning Latinos?
I don't think so. And I won't be watching 'Latino in America.'
(Picture Credit: SPLC)
Census 2010 - Count Everyone
Published October 21, 2009 @ 06:00AM PT
Senators David Vitter (R-LA) and Robert Bennett (R-UT) are counting on fear to prevent undocumented immigrants from participating in the 2010 census. First, they proposed an amendment to add an inquiry about immigration status on the Census Bureau questionnaires as a way to discourage the undocumented from participating. As a rationale for their 21st century three-fifths compromise, David Vitter stated:
"States that have large populations of illegals would be rewarded for that. Other states, including my home state of Louisiana, would be penalized."
Much has been said about how undercounting would lead to an inaccurate assessment. Undercounting the undocumented does not mean that they do not exist. Census data is used to reapportion congressional seats in addition to dividing up billions amongst states on the basis of population. Giving less money to a state such as California does a gross disservice to everyone in the state, and not just the undocumented population, since the state would face greater budgetary shortfalls.
When Vitter and Bennett came under fire from civil rights organizations and the Census Bureau, the Senators changed the amendment to simply requesting country of citizenship. So now they are indirectly proposing that along with undocumented immigrants, even legal permanent residents who are on a pathway to citizenship, should not be granted either representation or access to services. It is nothing more than a pipedream but Vitter and Bennett will continue to deny immigrants living and contributing to this country any chance to adjust their status.
Senate Delivers Death to the Widow Penalty
Published October 20, 2009 @ 10:06PM PT
The House voted 307 to 114 last week to pass the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Conference Report (HR 2892), which included an amendment to abolish the widow penalty. Yesterday, the Senate voted 79 to 19 to pass the bill and President Obama is expected to sign it into law, thereby ending a long-standing United States immigration policy known as the 'widow penalty.'
Adoption of this measure means that the death of a U.S. citizen spouse will no longer result in automatic deportation of widows and widowers and their children. The new law removes the two-year marriage requirement, permitting widows and widowers of U.S. citizens to apply for a green card for themselves and on behalf of their foreign-born children. It is also retroactive so everyone qualifying for relief can file a petition for permanent residency up to two years after passage of the measure.
Brent Renison, an attorney who has been fighting widow cases for over five years, along with Surviving Spouses Against Deportation, is largely responsible for bringing national attention to the issue through the use of both litigation and media coverage. His work should serve as a model for other attorneys fighting similarly ridiculous immigration battles. 'Following the law' and litigation alone, cannot bring about much-needed changes in our broken immigration system.
(Picture: Creative Commons Attribute)
H/T: Dave Bennion
Republicans Have No Plans on Immigration Reform
Published October 20, 2009 @ 02:00PM PT
In a nutshell, that is what we can gather from the Jorge Ramos interview with RNC Chairman, Michael Steele.
When asked to issue a statement regarding what plans he had for the 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States, Steele said:
"...the party as I said is always the party, its been the party of assimilation and that is something that we believe in very firmly and basically what we should be saying is that there are rules that you need to get into the country, go the right door, fill out the right form, have some apple pie, hum a few bars of the star spangle banner and get to work, God bless you, and I think that that begins to set us on the right road to dealing with this issue."
Does that mean the Republican Party supports spending billions in hunting down, detaining, litigating and deporting all undocumented immigrants to their countries and asking them to 'get in line?' Good luck.
Steele makes getting citizenship sound so easy. If only it was as easy as going down to the local immigration office, filling out some forms, eating apple pies and singing the national anthem, we wouldn't have the problem of 12 million undocumented immigrants living in the shadows of society.
The GOP track record with Latino voters is dismal and Republicans have continuously irritated the Latino community this year, especially during the Sotomayor hearings, which led to the early resignation of their only Latino GOP senator, Mel Martinez (FL). Even Senator McCain, once a champion of immigration reform, is still licking his wounds over losing 68% of the Latino vote to Barack Obama and refusing to budge on the issue of immigration reform.
Given that Latinos overwhelmingly support immigration reform and are the fastest growing ethnic group in this country, opposing the issue based on reactionary politics only hurts Republicans.
Try again Michael Steele.
(Picture: Creative Commons from WisPolitics Flickr stream)
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