Question:

What are Dual Intent visas?

Answer:

They are nonimmigrant visas that allow people to apply for permanent residency.

Nonimmigrant visas are specifically for foreign nationals who wish to remain in the U.S. for a only temporary period of time. However, there are some nonimmigrant visas that allow for Dual Intent, which means that someone can be admitted for a temporary period but he or she can also apply for a Green Card during that time. Green Cards are also known as immigrant visas.

The H-1B visa is an example of a dual intent visa.

Look for a new Immigration Fact of the Week every Friday!

Por ahora Arizona continuará negando licencias de conducir a beneficiarios de la Acción Diferida, pero la demanda en contra de la política de la gobernadora Jan Brewer sigue en pie.

Ayer, el Juez Federal de Distrito David Campbell negó una medida cautelar para la orden ejecutiva de la gobernadora Brewer que evita que los beneficiaros de la Acción Diferida obtengan licencias de conducir.

En una declaración, la gobernadora Brewer dijo lo siguiente:

“Esta parte de la decisión no es sólo una victoria para el estado de Arizona — es una victoria para los derechos de los estados, el Derecho de la Ley y los principios fundamentales que guían el proceso legislativo de nuestra nación y la división de poderes entre el gobierno federal y los estados.”

A pesar de que la decisión del Juez Campbell deja que se siguán negando licencias de conducir, la demanda contra la política de Brewer no ha sido expulsada.

Hablando con activista Carmen Cornejo, de la Coalición de Arizona Dream Act, ADAC, ella dijo que los soñadores de Arizona siguen esperanzados. ADAC, junto con cinco beneficiarios de la Acción Diferida, presentaron la medida cautelar que el Juez Campbell rechazó.

“Va a ser un proceso largo, pero estamos esperanzados. El Juez Campbell fue positivo. Él dijo que la demanda probablemente será exitosa,” Cornejo dijo.

La ley de Arizona emite licencias de conducir a algunos inmigrantes indocumentados con permisos de trabajo, ¿por qué no otorgan licencias de conducir a los jóvenes inmigrantes indocumentados con Acción Diferida? La demanda, en base de este hecho, es muy fuerte porque la política de Brewer parece ser discriminatoria hacia los inmigrantes jóvenes.

Bajo la Acción Diferida, un programa que entró en vigor en agosto del 2012, los beneficiarios reciben autorización para permanecer en los EE.UU. por un período de dos años, durante los cuales deberían de tener acceso a un permiso de trabajo y una licencia de conducir.

El Departamento de Seguridad Nacional ha confirmado este año que los beneficiarios de la Acción Diferida están legalmente presentes en los EE.UU. a pesar de que no tienen estatus legal.

El último informe del USCIS confirmo que 291,859 solicitudes de Acción Diferida han sido aprobadas desde el inicio del programa. USCIS ha recibido 515,922 solicitudes. La mayoría han sido aceptadas pero aún están bajo revisión.

Arizona will continue to deny driver’s licenses to Deferred Action recipients for now, but the lawsuit against Governor Jan Brewer’s policy still stands.

Yesterday, U.S. District Judge David Campbell denied a request for a preliminary injunction on Brewer’s executive order that prevents Deferred Action recipients from getting driver’s licenses.

In a statement, Gov. Brewer said the following:

“This portion of the ruling is not only a victory for the state of Arizona — it is a victory for states’ rights, the rule of law and the bedrock principles that guide our nation’s legislative process and the division of power between the federal government and states.”

Despite Judge Campbell’s ruling that the driver’s license ban can currently stay in effect, the lawsuit has not been thrown out.

When speaking to Advocate Carmen Cornejo, of the Arizona Dream Act Coalition, ADAC, she said that Arizona DREAMers are still hopeful. ADAC, along with five Deferred Action beneficiaries, filed the preliminary injunction Judge Campbell dismissed.

“It’s going to be a longer process but we’re hopeful. Judge Campbell was positive. He said the lawsuit is most likely going to be successful,” Cornejo said.

Arizona law issues driver’s licenses to some undocumented immigrants with work permits, so why not issue driver’s licenses to young undocumented immigrants granted Deferred Action? The lawsuit, based on that fact, is very strong because Brewer’s policy seems discriminatory toward young immigrants.

Under Deferred Action, a program that went into effect in August of 2012, recipients receive authorization to remain in the U.S. for a period of two years, during which they should be able get a work permit and a driver’s license.

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed this year that Deferred Action recipients are lawfully present in the U.S. even though they do not have lawful status.

The latest USCIS report states 291,859 Deferred Action applications have been approved since the start of the program. USCIS has received 515,922 applications. Most have been accepted but are still under review.

“You do not examine legislation in the light of the benefits it will convey if properly administered, but in the light of the wrongs it would do and the harms it would cause if improperly administered.”

- Lyndon B. Johnson, 36^th President of the United States

Immigration Reform Bill S. 744 is currently making its way through Congress.  Authored by the “Gang of 8”, a bipartisan group of senators, it has become a topic of intense debate.

Senators Schumer and McCain have already met with President Obama at the White House to discuss their legislation and, according to Senator Schumer, the President has indicated that he is enthusiastic about the bill.  The President further said that he doesn’t “Want to drag this out because that’s the way bills get killed,” hence why the senators are hoping to pass the legislation by June.

Senator McCain has also said that there is a broad coalition of supporters of the bill, which include organized labor, the business community, Hispanic leaders, religious organizations and as well as others. McCain added that “The attitude of the American people has changed since 2007… Most Americans support this proposal far more than did in 2007. Frankly, elections have had an impact as well.”

President Obama has previously said that he does not support every part of the bill and one oth the key elements that he disagrees with has to do with the inclusion of a “trigger” for creating a pathway to citizenship for the undocumented immigrants in the country. The way that the bill is currently written, that pathway won’t open up until the government demonstrates progress on the other three central portions of the immigration reform bill, which are, border security, employer verification (i.e. eVerify), and the “entry-exit” system to track visa holders.

The conservative Senators support the trigger. Senator Shumer has said that without such a measure, it would be very difficult to pass the rest of the bill.

“This bill is clearly a compromise, and no one will get everything they wanted, including me.” Obama said, “[but the bill] is largely consistent with the principles that I have repeatedly laid out for comprehensive reform.”

The bill, of course, still faces major challenges. One immigration reform opponent, Representative Steve King, said Congress should reconsider its efforts in light of the Boston Marathon bombings since it was the work of a foreign national.

King faces opposition even in his own party. Fellow Republican, John McCain, said that he would continue to argue for comprehensive immigration reform and that that would help keep the US safe.

While the Gang of 8 senators expressed optimism about the bill, they also acknowledged the fact that there will be opponents in Congress who will try to add “poison pill” amendments. One example is an amendment that would effectively eliminate any pathway to citizenship for those affected by the reform.

While other amendments are sure to follow, with the sole purpose of killing the bill, I am encouraged by what Senator McCain has said: “We are committed to good changes to the bill, but we are also committed to voting against changes that could kill the bill.”

If this is the summer that we will get Immigration Reform, it still isn’t a certainty.  We strongly encourage you to contact your Senators and Representatives and tell them to vote “Yes” for what is the right thing to do.

(USCIS.gov)

El Comité Judicial del Senado continúa la votación sobre las enmiendas al proyecto de ley de la reforma migratoria.

Las enmiendas discutidas esta mañana se trataron de temas relacionados con empleo.

• La enmienda del senador Patrick Leahy (D-VT) hace que el programa EB-5 sea permanente y que haya una mejora en la eficacia del programa para los inversionistas y los operadores del centro regional extranjeros.
• La enmienda del senador Al Franken (D-MN) requiere que el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional cada año presente un informe sobre la tasa de error del sistema E-Verify, junto con recomendaciones sobre cómo mejorar la tasa de error. Otra enmienda de Franken adoptada fue una que crea una oficina para que empresas y los empleados pueden acudir en busca de información y asistencia.
• La enmienda del senador Chris Coons (D-DE) requiere que se elabore un protocolo para que las personas sepan cuando sus datos están siendo revisados a través de E-Verify.
• La enmienda del senador Chuck Grassley (R-IA) requiere que el USCIS envié un informe semanal al ICE con la información sobre personas que no fueron confirmados por el sistema E-Verify. Otra enmienda de Grassley adoptada requiere que el padre o guardián legal de una persona menor de 21 años que buscan empleo proporcione una confirmación de la identidad del niño.
• La enmienda del senador Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) prohíbe la retención de los registros de empleo de personas para propósitos de inmigración.

El Comité tiene la intención de seguir votando la próxima semana y posiblemente también el fin de semana para que puedan terminar antes de su próximo receso a finales de este mes.

Un grupo de ocho legisladores de la Cámara de Representantes han estado trabajando en su propio proyecto de ley de inmigración desde hace meses. El presidente de la Cámara de Representantes John Boehner (R-OH) dijo hoy que le preocupa la gran cantidad de tiempo que se están tomando para llegar a un acuerdo con la legislación.

(USCIS.gov)

The Senate Judiciary Committee continues immigration reform bill mark-up today.

The amendments discussed this morning have mostly dealt with employment.

• Senator Patrick Leahy’s (D-VT) amendment makes the EB-5 program permanent and improves the efficiency of the program for foreign investors and operators of the regional center.
• Senator Al Franken’s (D-MN) e-verify amendment requires the Department of Homeland Security submit a report setting the error-rate of the e-verify system every year along with recommendations on how to improve the error-rate. Another amendment of his adopted was one that creates an office that small businesses and employees can turn to for e-verify information and assistance.
• Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) amendment requires that a protocol be developed to let individuals know when they are being checked through e-verify.
• Senator Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) amendment requires USCIS send a weekly report to ICE with information about individuals who were not confirmed through the e-verify system. Another amendment of his adopted requires the parent or legal guardian of an individual under the age of 21 seeking employment provide confirmation of child’s identity.
• Senator Richard Blumenthal’s (D-CT) amendment prohibits the withholding of individuals’ employment records for immigration purposes.

The Committee now intends to work through next week and the weekend just so that they can finish before their upcoming recess at the end of this month.

A group of eight House of Representatives lawmakers have been working on their own immigration bill for months now. House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) said today he is concerned over how long it is taking for the House group to create legislation they agree on.

More on Immigration Reform:

• Immigration Reform 2013
• Gang of 8
• Earned Citizenship
• Streamlining Immigration
• Strengthening Border Security
• More Accountability for Employers Hiring Undocumented Immigrants

El Comité Judicial del Senado modificó el proyecto de ley de reforma migratoria ayer con legislación para mejorar el control sobre las visas estudiantiles.

El senador Chuck Grassley (R-IA) propuso una enmienda que exige que los funcionarios de la Aduana y Protección Fronteriza, CBP, sean notificados inmediatamente cuando una visa estudiantil ya no es válida. Los atentados de Boston fueron la base de esta enmienda.

Uno de los estudiantes acusados del atentado de Boston pudo entrar a los EE.UU. en enero de este año a pesar de que su visa estudiantil ya no era válida. Él no se registró a la escuela antes de salir de los EE.UU., y su visa dejo de ser válida a causa de eso. El funcionario del CBP que permitió que el reingresara a los EE.UU. no tenía esa información disponible. El sistema actual permite un período de gracia de 30 días para que los estudiantes puedan renovar su visa y / o puedan cambiarse a otro estatus autorizado.

Los atentados de Boston dejaron a tres personas muertas e hirieron a más de 260. Los atentados pasaron la misma semana que la Banda de los 8 presento su proyecto de ley de reforma migratoria. Grassley inmediatamente hizo la conexión y vio la importancia de cerrar los hoyos en el sistema de inmigración que podrían evitar tragedias como ésta.

La enmienda fue adoptada con un voto unánime.

El Comité acordó que el tener una mejor comunicación y un sistema más riguroso sería mejor para la seguridad nacional. Si el proyecto de ley de reforma migratoria es aprobado, la ley requeriría una, transferencia de información inmediata de datos del sistema SEVIS para los oficiales de CBP en los puertos de entrada.

Otra enmienda que se aprobó ayer crearía penas más estrictas para instituciones involucradas en fraude de visa estudiantiles y crearía requisitos más estrictos en las escuelas de vuelo. Dos de las personas responsables por los ataques del 9/11 fueron entrenados en escuelas de vuelo.

The Senate Judiciary Committee amended the immigration reform bill yesterday with legislation to better monitor student visas.

Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) proposed an amendment that requires Customs and Border Protection, CBP, officials be immediately notified when a student visa is no longer valid. The Boston bombings is very much the basis of this amendment.

One of the students accused of the Boston bombing was allowed to enter the U.S. in January of this year even though his visa was not valid. He did not register to school before leaving the U.S., and his visa was pulled because of it. The CBP officer who allowed him to reenter the U.S. did not have that information available. The current system allows for a 30-day grace period so that students can renew their visa and/or change to some other authorized status.

The Boston bombings killed three people and injured more than 260. It happened the same week the Gang of 8 presented their immigration reform bill. Grassley immediately made the connection and stressed the importance of closing the loopholes in the immigration system that could prevent tragedies like this one.

The amendment was adopted with a unanimous vote.

The Committee agreed that having better communication and a more stringent system would be better for national security. If the immigration reform bill passes, the law would require a real-time, immediate transfer of data from the SEVIS system to the CBP officers at ports of entry.

Another amendment that was adopted yesterday would create more strict penalties for institutions involved in student visa fraud and create more strict requirements at flight schools.  Two of the 9/11 hijackers were trained at flight schools.

More on Immigration Reform:

• Immigration Reform 2013
• Gang of 8
• Earned Citizenship
• Streamlining Immigration
• Strengthening Border Security
• More Accountability for Employers Hiring Undocumented Immigrants

Activistas están pidiéndole al Presidente Obama que detenga la deportación de personas que podrían ser elegibles para legalización por medio del nuevo proyecto de ley de reforma migratoria.

Ayer, en una conferencia telefónica con medios de comunicación, activistas del National Day Labor Organizing Network, FL-CIO, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, y United We Dream dijeron que Obama debe actuar de inmediato y detener las deportaciones ahora mismo, incluso antes de que el Congreso vote sobre el proyecto de ley de reforma migratoria.

Estos activistas tiempo se han sentido decepcionados con el alto número de deportaciones de Obama. De acuerdo con el Servicio de Inmigración y Aduanas de los Estados Unidos, el ICE, Obama deportó a 1.5 millones de personas en su primer mandato.

La Administración defiende las altas cifras de deportación diciendo que demuestran su fuerte enfoque en la aplicación de ley. La Administración dice que sólo se enfoca en la deportación de criminales, los que violan las leyes de inmigración repetidamente, las personas que han cruzado ilegalmente recientemente, y la gente que son amenazas para la seguridad nacional.

Sin embargo, los activistas dicen que los inmigrantes indocumentados respetuosos de la ley que no representan una amenaza a la seguridad nacional no han sido protegidos. Los activistas estiman que 90,000 de esos inmigrantes indocumentados no criminales son deportados cada año.

Los activistas parecen estar entusiasmados con el proyecto de ley para la reforma migratoria. Después de todo, lo que le están pidiendo a Obama demuestra que los activistas del labor, activistas de los latinos y activistas de inmigración deben tener confianza que el proyecto de ley de reforma migratoria se convierta en ley. Pero mientras que el proyecto de ley se está debatiendo en el Congreso, miles de inmigrantes están siendo deportados, y los activistas quieren que Obama se involucre.

“El Presidente no es, ni puede ser, un espectador en el proceso”, dijo Pablo Alvarado, el director del National Day Labor Organizing Network. “Él tiene que intervenir.”

“Es una simple cuestión de equidad y justicia”, dijo Thomas A. Saenz, presidente de la Mexican American Legal Defense y Education Fund. “No tiene sentido deportar a aquellos que serían elegibles para el alivio.”

Activists are asking President Obama to stop deporting people who could be eligible for legalization under the new immigration reform bill.

Yesterday, in a phone conference with media outlets, activists from the National Day Labor Organizing Network, AFL-CIO, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, and United We Dream said Obama should act immediately and stop deportations now, even before Congress votes on the immigration reform bill.

These activists have long been disappointed with Obama’s high number of deportations. According to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, Obama deported 1.5 million people on his first term.

The Administration defends the high deportation figures saying that they demonstrate their strong focus on enforcement. The Administration claims to focus only on the deportation of felons, repeat violators of the immigration laws, people who have recently crossed illegally, and national security threats.

However, activists say law-abiding undocumented immigrants who pose no national security threat haven’t been protected. Advocates estimate 90,000 of those noncriminal undocumented immigrants are deported each year.

The activists seem to be excited about the Gang of 8 immigration reform bill. Afterall, this request shows that labor, Latino and immigration activists must be confident that the immigration reform bill will become law. But, while the bill is being debated in Congress, thousands of immigrants are currently being deported, and the activists want Obama to get involved.

“The President is not and can not be a bystander in the process,” said Pablo Alvarado, director of the National Day Labor Organizing Network. “He has to intervene.”

“It’s a simple matter of fairness and justice,” said Thomas A. Saenz, the president of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund. “It makes no sense to deport those who would be eligible for that relief.”

More on Immigration Reform:

• Immigration Reform 2013
• Gang of 8
• Earned Citizenship
• Streamlining Immigration
• Strengthening Border Security
• More Accountability for Employers Hiring Undocumented Immigrants