a1b2c3
05-07 09:26 PM
congratulations!
when did you apply, how soon you got it? what did it involve? are there backlogs? you plan on sponsoring your family?
most answers are already around, thanks to stuckinmuck, but it never hurts to get it from the horse's mouth.
when did you apply, how soon you got it? what did it involve? are there backlogs? you plan on sponsoring your family?
most answers are already around, thanks to stuckinmuck, but it never hurts to get it from the horse's mouth.
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grupak
06-10 03:14 PM
I guess some of the bills are being considered on June 12th.
Its crucial to make the calls now. Don't wait a moment!
Call your representatives in addition to those listed on action items.
Its crucial to make the calls now. Don't wait a moment!
Call your representatives in addition to those listed on action items.
NKR
07-02 08:17 AM
Some of the reasons I can think of�
Employers will be right in the eyes of the law since there will be an agreement signed by both parties, the law does not care if the agreement was signed under duress, under mild threat or when the employee was ignorant.
Employer is legally bound to pay only what is in the LCA, that amount will be way less than what you get by pay rise, percentage or whatever. So when the employee leaves the employer could keep majority of the share and give only what is mentioned in LCA.
Good employers treat both their current employees as well as old employees equally and that is how they grow, but bad employers don�t. They do not want the employee to leave when they do not have a GC yet, so they will try all the tricks in the book (perfectly legal but highly unethical and totally unprofessional) to keep him saying that if an RFE shows up, they might not be able to respond in time if they are not with them.
They do not find projects, but since the employee is on their payroll, he will find a job himself to remain in status. Here too the employer has not broken any law.
In all of the above instances do you have a case to sue the employer?. No, even if you do have a case do you sue them?. No, cause you need them and then history repeats�.
Employers will be right in the eyes of the law since there will be an agreement signed by both parties, the law does not care if the agreement was signed under duress, under mild threat or when the employee was ignorant.
Employer is legally bound to pay only what is in the LCA, that amount will be way less than what you get by pay rise, percentage or whatever. So when the employee leaves the employer could keep majority of the share and give only what is mentioned in LCA.
Good employers treat both their current employees as well as old employees equally and that is how they grow, but bad employers don�t. They do not want the employee to leave when they do not have a GC yet, so they will try all the tricks in the book (perfectly legal but highly unethical and totally unprofessional) to keep him saying that if an RFE shows up, they might not be able to respond in time if they are not with them.
They do not find projects, but since the employee is on their payroll, he will find a job himself to remain in status. Here too the employer has not broken any law.
In all of the above instances do you have a case to sue the employer?. No, even if you do have a case do you sue them?. No, cause you need them and then history repeats�.
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RandyK
11-06 12:41 PM
Positive or negative we need to know what is going on out there, this visa deal has made me a geek (no offence), I watch CSPAN when Monday night football is on.
:rolleyes:
:rolleyes:
more...
Libra
07-18 10:30 AM
I would say, we should take the web fax created by numberUSA and answer each and every point of it in red and bold and then fax to all senetors. Some senetors who are neutral on legal immigration will know exactly whats going on with these anti-immigrants.
alisa
02-11 05:35 PM
Could you please at the same time also ask EB-3 ROW to quit this organization?
I totally agree with you. I think we should call DOS/USCIS to complain about this. I will ask as many as EB2s to do the same.
I totally agree with you. I think we should call DOS/USCIS to complain about this. I will ask as many as EB2s to do the same.
more...
immi2006
07-28 12:39 PM
I agree house prices are falling across US, if one wants to make a quick buck, house may not be the best option. If the prices and interest rate swing, u will loose big time. It is a nice coffee talk however.
Take for example my friend pays 40 K mortgage per year, and the house price depreciated by 60 K here. he bought it in 2004. Now if he sells he makes 60 K less, + deposit, 80 K two years rent... so in effect, he cud have lived happily for 1200 rent per month, paying abt 30 K for two years and saved the moeny and headache and now he is not finding buyers - as there are lots of houses on sale. This is one of the best areas near San Jose.
So moral of the story is use commonsense. It is easy to give simple advices, if you do not weigh all factors age, job, how long u can repay etc, it will give u insight into affordability and the risks. We folks always look at an X or Y who made money, there are X-n people who also lost, which we tend to overlook for our convenience.
Take for example my friend pays 40 K mortgage per year, and the house price depreciated by 60 K here. he bought it in 2004. Now if he sells he makes 60 K less, + deposit, 80 K two years rent... so in effect, he cud have lived happily for 1200 rent per month, paying abt 30 K for two years and saved the moeny and headache and now he is not finding buyers - as there are lots of houses on sale. This is one of the best areas near San Jose.
So moral of the story is use commonsense. It is easy to give simple advices, if you do not weigh all factors age, job, how long u can repay etc, it will give u insight into affordability and the risks. We folks always look at an X or Y who made money, there are X-n people who also lost, which we tend to overlook for our convenience.
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dr_vroeg
06-07 10:06 AM
Hope this isn't too late (even though I have a whole month still). Love the other entries so far. Go Holland! :tb:
more...
cgs
01-29 07:26 PM
I know a lot of people using pre approved labor certs waiting for GC. What happens to them? I think this rule will affect only those who are trying to do Labor substitution in future.
* Since this is a final rule, upon approval by OMB, the elimination of substitution and 45-day validity of certified labor certification will be triggered. Take this message as a very special alert! This rule will not only eliminate substitutition on the OMB approval and release in the Federal Register but also kill the certified labor certification unless it is used within 45 days from the date of certification! Please stay tuned to this web site reporting.
* Since this is a final rule, upon approval by OMB, the elimination of substitution and 45-day validity of certified labor certification will be triggered. Take this message as a very special alert! This rule will not only eliminate substitutition on the OMB approval and release in the Federal Register but also kill the certified labor certification unless it is used within 45 days from the date of certification! Please stay tuned to this web site reporting.
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trueguy
08-13 06:00 PM
This is really bad news indeed. USCIS is screwing us up big time. How can they see a demand for the numbers when there is no one applying for the past 3 months?
Any why cann't they determine Oct dates for EB3 now? What will change in Early September? Are they going to process any EB3 with "U" in early September? This is so BS.
Any why cann't they determine Oct dates for EB3 now? What will change in Early September? Are they going to process any EB3 with "U" in early September? This is so BS.
more...
guesswho
05-20 04:45 PM
Did you consider using "atlas america" and other bunch of travel insurance that advertise themselves as PPO? I am wondering if anyone has expericence dealing with them regarding claims. I purchased that recently for my parents since it had 100/0 or 90/10 coverage.
Anyone has experience going to hospital using these insurance?
Hi I am a physician in Oregon and my parents are visiting too in July. I called Kaiser regarding this, and this is what I was told.
1. they can get insurance since Kaiser does not need an SSN for the application.
2. Every Plan has a deductible $, an out of pocket maximum $, and a co-insurance $ amount.
So,
Plan A: Deductible 2500, Co-insurance 22% of all inpatient cost upto max of $22,000.
Plan B: Deductible 6000, Co-insurance 50% of all inpatient cost upto max of $50,000.
Essentially none of these plans are a 'good deal'. But remember its easier to pay back a loan of 22k - 50k than to pay back 100-200k.
Also since Kaiser is an HMO, and has its own facilities in the west coast and Hawaii, 'accepting insurance' is not a problem.
Anyone has experience going to hospital using these insurance?
Hi I am a physician in Oregon and my parents are visiting too in July. I called Kaiser regarding this, and this is what I was told.
1. they can get insurance since Kaiser does not need an SSN for the application.
2. Every Plan has a deductible $, an out of pocket maximum $, and a co-insurance $ amount.
So,
Plan A: Deductible 2500, Co-insurance 22% of all inpatient cost upto max of $22,000.
Plan B: Deductible 6000, Co-insurance 50% of all inpatient cost upto max of $50,000.
Essentially none of these plans are a 'good deal'. But remember its easier to pay back a loan of 22k - 50k than to pay back 100-200k.
Also since Kaiser is an HMO, and has its own facilities in the west coast and Hawaii, 'accepting insurance' is not a problem.
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ak27
06-14 10:48 AM
We had AOS interview even though our dates were not current. It was routine interview which USCIS has been carrying out in recent past..
Service rep at InfoPass counter asked if I had travelled outside of country in last few months.. I also found it weird that my wife's BC check has come back but, my background check is pending...
Service rep at InfoPass counter asked if I had travelled outside of country in last few months.. I also found it weird that my wife's BC check has come back but, my background check is pending...
more...
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admin
04-10 07:59 AM
Is there an IRS ITIN tax ID number for IV for those who report contributions on their tax returns ?
gc_2010,
As quoted in in the last paragraph of the Contributions (http://immigrationvoice.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=26&Itemid=44#TaxDeductible) page, your contributions to Immigration Voice are not tax deductible. So one should not report these contribution in their tax returns. I have also sent you a PM.
gc_2010,
As quoted in in the last paragraph of the Contributions (http://immigrationvoice.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=26&Itemid=44#TaxDeductible) page, your contributions to Immigration Voice are not tax deductible. So one should not report these contribution in their tax returns. I have also sent you a PM.
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zCool
01-31 11:02 AM
Those who are celebrating .. consider this.. your employer decides for any reason to not continue filing I-140 or decides to let you go in 6th yr.. earlier you used to have at least possibility of sub labor.. now you are basically straight out of luck.. Also if microsoft needed some genius from China or India to join their team and the guy obviously deserves special consideration due to business need and/or his talent.. they are stuck..! It's not good.. yes desi folks were selling and buying these but remedy is worse than the defect.. they could have made changes to rules to make it stringent and almost impossible to get but no reason to place such arbitraty deadlines etc.. if H1B and GC is geared towards desi consulting.. it's should not and will not exist in the long run..
Indentured servitude and middle-men agent type business model is not ideal for anyone including US economy..
Indentured servitude and middle-men agent type business model is not ideal for anyone including US economy..
more...
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laksmi
11-24 06:17 PM
i am working on H1B and my wife is on H4, she was not included in 485 yet so she is not having EAD, can i change status from H1B to EAD, please advice.
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smisachu
07-31 05:00 PM
smisachu,
here is what i have figured out in last 4 year and i have been to various blogs.
1. i have read various blogs all are saying trading options with all good stuff you can hardly make any money. Most of the term you have used i have some idea what its is , but havent studied it properly.
There is no silver bullet that will make money all the time. If some one says so he is lying. Options can give you a chance to minimize risk but also cap profits. And you can be wiped out in options routinely. However in stocks it is a rare event when your stock goes to zero.
2. trading is gambling- you can have some edge by stastical analysis what have performed well over a long time. so backtest u r system over 10 years.
Trading is most certainly gambling, even fixed income. You can build a model and hedge to reduce risk and make it a calculated gamble but still a gamble..
3. would like to know what kind returns are you targeting with options
Most professional option traders generate income by writing options. Writing options are very risky as you have a theoretical loss probability reaching infinity. Forming synthetic positions will minimize risk but you might bleed hedging the position. A seller of option is long theta and short delta; a buyer of options is short theta and long delta. Think of theta as the time factor and delta as the hedge factor to put simply. If you sell a call option you have to hedge the option by buying delta units of the underlying stock. And when the call is at the money or near you will end up buying the stock high and selling the stock low, thus loosing money. Black and Scholes famously showed that in an option trade you can delta hedge the risk away. This is not possible and their model is flawed. But it is simple and intuitive and every one serious in trading options NEEDS to learn the model. You don�t have to know the derivation but just the model, and the partial differential equation. I can talk about the flaw and the smile and smile dynamics but many of these concepts need to be drawn out and very hard to explain with out drawing.
4. spreads can be an way to go ..but has to be directional bet or else difficult. I have seen lot of iron condor guys breaking down in recent melt down and up.
Any model will work only for certain duration. That is why you need to keep running it and that is why quants have jobs. In stat arb sometimes you run models 3 times or more a day. I mean complicated mathematical models getting data from a provider and running large data sets to find the mean. And then trade when the stock diverges from the mean.
Each strategy or model has shelf life, so you need to keep researching and running new models.
Spreads are a good way of limiting down side while also capping upside. Volatility spreads are the most profitable ones and again short straddle makes money almost 95% of times but the 5% when they loose they will loose big. You need to have a certain limiting conditions and then hedge the spread with in this range. Usually you will make a little or loose a little. Sometimes you will hit a home run. It is easy to show this on a graph
5. so i kind of believe in hit and run and momentum play - what else can make you money where nothing is certain
I don�t trade momentum, swing or technical indicators. But there are profitable traders who do this.
6. buying when rsi2 is depressed and selling quickly - can be spread havent back tested it.
i backtest using stockfetcher. but u cant backtest options, you have to manually do it. itried some using think or swim platform.
Relative strength Index, McClellan RSI(2) and Oscillators can be an indicator of stock movement. Relating it to the option market is abstract but I think possible. But I feel the options will already be priced in for such potential movements in the underlying. A very good quant I know always says any new strategy will first manifest itself in the derivatives market before equity as the players there are much more sophisticated.
I am not sure which retail trading platform has good back testing, try options first with scottrade. I use Bloomberg which has loads of functions like OVME-GO where you can back test , simulate and see the volatility surface.
so i am trying to see if anybody else has any good strategy to share.
There are many good strategies but I have no idea on sophistication of each individual. For example right now you can sell credit default swaps on Goldman sachs medium senior secured notes and hedge it with delta units of binary in-the-money call options on the VIX. This will give you synthetic exposure to the notes with steady cash flow and the binaries are cheap. If goldman defaults the VIX will sky rocket giving you a handsome payout better than what you will have to pay on the senior secured notes because of high recovery rate if all the default climbs up to the senior tranche. Actually this would be equal to the end of the world in today�s market.
Or better yet just buy SPX and sit, the market is doing all the work for you.
The US natural gas market is in contango (I swear this is not jargon:o, there is no other term). So buy long dated/leap calls at the money now. In 2 years you will be so deep in the money you wont know what to do. But average retail investor cannot hedge this as he cannot trade spot.
So I guess my point is there are sophisticated ways to make money for which the average retail investor has no access to. If there is a simple way then it has already been exploited under the no-arbitrage clause of free markets.
If you have 2-5 year horizon. Go long the market and sit on it would be my best advice. If people want to meet and share ideas I am open to it. I live in NJ so NY/NJ is fine spot to meet.
here is what i have figured out in last 4 year and i have been to various blogs.
1. i have read various blogs all are saying trading options with all good stuff you can hardly make any money. Most of the term you have used i have some idea what its is , but havent studied it properly.
There is no silver bullet that will make money all the time. If some one says so he is lying. Options can give you a chance to minimize risk but also cap profits. And you can be wiped out in options routinely. However in stocks it is a rare event when your stock goes to zero.
2. trading is gambling- you can have some edge by stastical analysis what have performed well over a long time. so backtest u r system over 10 years.
Trading is most certainly gambling, even fixed income. You can build a model and hedge to reduce risk and make it a calculated gamble but still a gamble..
3. would like to know what kind returns are you targeting with options
Most professional option traders generate income by writing options. Writing options are very risky as you have a theoretical loss probability reaching infinity. Forming synthetic positions will minimize risk but you might bleed hedging the position. A seller of option is long theta and short delta; a buyer of options is short theta and long delta. Think of theta as the time factor and delta as the hedge factor to put simply. If you sell a call option you have to hedge the option by buying delta units of the underlying stock. And when the call is at the money or near you will end up buying the stock high and selling the stock low, thus loosing money. Black and Scholes famously showed that in an option trade you can delta hedge the risk away. This is not possible and their model is flawed. But it is simple and intuitive and every one serious in trading options NEEDS to learn the model. You don�t have to know the derivation but just the model, and the partial differential equation. I can talk about the flaw and the smile and smile dynamics but many of these concepts need to be drawn out and very hard to explain with out drawing.
4. spreads can be an way to go ..but has to be directional bet or else difficult. I have seen lot of iron condor guys breaking down in recent melt down and up.
Any model will work only for certain duration. That is why you need to keep running it and that is why quants have jobs. In stat arb sometimes you run models 3 times or more a day. I mean complicated mathematical models getting data from a provider and running large data sets to find the mean. And then trade when the stock diverges from the mean.
Each strategy or model has shelf life, so you need to keep researching and running new models.
Spreads are a good way of limiting down side while also capping upside. Volatility spreads are the most profitable ones and again short straddle makes money almost 95% of times but the 5% when they loose they will loose big. You need to have a certain limiting conditions and then hedge the spread with in this range. Usually you will make a little or loose a little. Sometimes you will hit a home run. It is easy to show this on a graph
5. so i kind of believe in hit and run and momentum play - what else can make you money where nothing is certain
I don�t trade momentum, swing or technical indicators. But there are profitable traders who do this.
6. buying when rsi2 is depressed and selling quickly - can be spread havent back tested it.
i backtest using stockfetcher. but u cant backtest options, you have to manually do it. itried some using think or swim platform.
Relative strength Index, McClellan RSI(2) and Oscillators can be an indicator of stock movement. Relating it to the option market is abstract but I think possible. But I feel the options will already be priced in for such potential movements in the underlying. A very good quant I know always says any new strategy will first manifest itself in the derivatives market before equity as the players there are much more sophisticated.
I am not sure which retail trading platform has good back testing, try options first with scottrade. I use Bloomberg which has loads of functions like OVME-GO where you can back test , simulate and see the volatility surface.
so i am trying to see if anybody else has any good strategy to share.
There are many good strategies but I have no idea on sophistication of each individual. For example right now you can sell credit default swaps on Goldman sachs medium senior secured notes and hedge it with delta units of binary in-the-money call options on the VIX. This will give you synthetic exposure to the notes with steady cash flow and the binaries are cheap. If goldman defaults the VIX will sky rocket giving you a handsome payout better than what you will have to pay on the senior secured notes because of high recovery rate if all the default climbs up to the senior tranche. Actually this would be equal to the end of the world in today�s market.
Or better yet just buy SPX and sit, the market is doing all the work for you.
The US natural gas market is in contango (I swear this is not jargon:o, there is no other term). So buy long dated/leap calls at the money now. In 2 years you will be so deep in the money you wont know what to do. But average retail investor cannot hedge this as he cannot trade spot.
So I guess my point is there are sophisticated ways to make money for which the average retail investor has no access to. If there is a simple way then it has already been exploited under the no-arbitrage clause of free markets.
If you have 2-5 year horizon. Go long the market and sit on it would be my best advice. If people want to meet and share ideas I am open to it. I live in NJ so NY/NJ is fine spot to meet.
more...
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GCSOON-Ihope
12-09 11:46 AM
Congrats on your successful journey! Can one file WOM after 6-7 months of waiting on 485 with pending security check from fbi? Thanks.
Thank you guys, thank you all for your congratulations!
When can you file WOM? It's a grey area. When the Name Check has been pending for more than 2 years like in my situation, then you definitely have "a case". However, I have heard that some people do it after "only" one year.
Impossible to tell really when it's the "best" time to do it...
Thank you guys, thank you all for your congratulations!
When can you file WOM? It's a grey area. When the Name Check has been pending for more than 2 years like in my situation, then you definitely have "a case". However, I have heard that some people do it after "only" one year.
Impossible to tell really when it's the "best" time to do it...
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RandyK
11-06 12:41 PM
Positive or negative we need to know what is going on out there, this visa deal has made me a geek (no offence), I watch CSPAN when Monday night football is on.
:rolleyes:
:rolleyes:
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arunsush
08-31 10:09 AM
Wanted to let those interested know that my 140 EB2 got approved yesterday after RFE.
The RFE was on educational grounds. I have a 5 year integrated Msc in Physics and was -how a degree in Physics is equivalent to computer Science.
My attorney submitted a detailed analysis of all the course and a fresh educational evaluation on the 28th and it got approved on 30th.
The RFE was on educational grounds. I have a 5 year integrated Msc in Physics and was -how a degree in Physics is equivalent to computer Science.
My attorney submitted a detailed analysis of all the course and a fresh educational evaluation on the 28th and it got approved on 30th.
extra_mint
04-18 08:13 PM
Congrats man...and thanks for sharing the details.
This helps a lot of ppl.
This helps a lot of ppl.
sobers
02-22 12:31 PM
Whether it is logical or not, whether we like it or not, the issues of illegal and legal immigration are intrinsically tied up (to the disadvantage of skilled workers, of course:-()
Anyhow, this appeared in today's Wall Street Journal...it may forbode a taste of things to come..or not come..this one focusses on the DREAM Act which is geared to provide in-state tuition to illegal immigrants..
---------------
Should Illegal Immigrants Get Tuition Help?
States' Varying Stances on College-Education Benefit Illustrate Congress's Overhaul Task
By JUNE KRONHOLZ
February 22, 2006; Page A4
WASHINGTON -- An emotional state-level dispute over college tuition shows how tough it will be for Congress to overhaul immigration laws and extend citizenship benefits to the country's estimated 11 million illegal immigrants.
Four years ago, California passed a law granting in-state tuition to students who were in the U.S. illegally but had graduated from a California high school. Eight other states followed, allowing illegal immigrants to attend public colleges for in-state student fees -- usually less than half what out-of-state students pay.
DiAnna Schimek, a Democrat who heads the Nebraska Senate's education committee, says she has pushed for an in-state tuition bill for illegal immigrants as a matter of compassion and economic calculation. "These children didn't bring themselves" but were brought by their parents, she says. "It's only a good investment on our part to make certain they are productive citizens."
But attitudes have been hardening as an estimated 400,000 illegal immigrants flood in yearly. "That's an alarm to the people here ... it's a drain on the economy," says Rep. Glenn Donnelson, a Utah Republican who heads an education committee in his state.
So while some legislators want to extend tuition benefits to illegal immigrants in their states, others are calling for laws to deny the benefit -- or take it back.
Lawmakers in Utah, Kansas and New Mexico -- which passed in-state tuition benefits only two or three years ago -- now are waging uphill fights to repeal them. Massachusetts legislators last month rejected a bill to offer in-state tuition benefits to illegal immigrants.
Six states are considering measures that would deny in-state tuition, tuition waivers or state scholarships to illegal immigrants. In New York, which offers in-state tuition to illegal immigrants, and Virginia, which recently passed a law offering benefits to some, bills have been introduced to bar illegal immigrants from attending public colleges.
Meanwhile, lawsuits challenging in-state tuition for illegal immigrants have been filed in California and in Kansas. "There's something wrong with giving a benefit to an illegal that we don't even give to citizens of other states," says state Rep. Becky Hutchins, a Kansas Republican leading a repeal effort there.
The tuition laws generally require illegal immigrants to have attended a local high school for three years, to have graduated or earned a high-school equivalency and to sign an affidavit promising to legalize their immigration status as soon as they are eligible.
Promoters expect few students to actually take up the benefit. Dropout rates are high and academic scores generally are low among Hispanics, who account for the majority of illegal aliens. And even in-state tuition, which averages about $5,500 this year, may be out of reach for children whose parents typically hold minimum-wage jobs.
Kris Kobach, a University of Missouri law professor who brought a federal suit against the Kansas program, says 221 illegal immigrants are enrolled in Kansas public colleges this year, and that even when the benefit becomes widely known, the number probably wouldn't exceed 2,700.
Even so, in-state tuition laws have become flashpoint among some voters who feel they haven't any other way to protest illegal immigration. Federal laws allow illegal immigrants to use emergency medical services, and a 1982 Supreme Court decision entitles their children to public education through high school.
Rod Adair, a New Mexico state senator who introduced unsuccessful legislation to repeal his state's immigrant-tuition benefit, says he was acting "in response to my constituents. They're frustrated."
Prof. Kobach's suit contends Kansas's in-state tuition benefit violates a federal law that prohibits states from giving any benefit to an illegal alien that they don't also extend to all U.S. citizens.
Among his plaintiffs, Heidi Hydeman, an Iowa native, says she was charged out-of-state tuition by the University of Kansas, though she lived in Kansas for six years and paid Kansas income tax for three years while attending the school. "I thought it was unfair," says Ms. Hydeman.
Mr. Donnelson, the Utah legislator, says Utah would face a $34 million bill if a similar suit were filed there, and current out-of-state students were refunded the difference between in-state tuition and the nonresident tuition they pay.
But legislators' doubts go beyond that. Although illegal immigrants who get the tuition benefit pledge to legalize their status, there is almost no way they can do that under current laws. And even with a college degree, there is almost no way for illegal immigrants to legally get a job.
For years, congressional supporters have promoted a measure, called the Dream Act, that would clear up those problems. States would be allowed to offer in-state tuition to illegal-immigrant students who, in turn, could become citizens.
In 2003, almost half the Senate cosponsored the Dream Act. But the Dream Act's prospects have faded, and this year its pivotal supporter, Utah Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch, withdrew as a sponsor. "Realistically, the Dream Act will not pass" and should be included in an overhaul of immigration laws, he said.
But the tensions fueling opposition to in-state tuition laws are the same ones making it hard for Congress to pass immigration overhaul. A coalition of pro-business Republicans, Democrats, immigrant-rights groups and labor unions wants new federal laws that would let illegal immigrants eventually become citizens.
They are being stymied, however, by social conservatives, who worry about being culturally overwhelmed by immigrants, and by Republican national-security hawks, who are demanding that Washington cut off illegal immigration first. The tension prevented the U.S. House from taking up immigration overhaul last year, and is complicating the Senate's efforts to pass it this year.
Write to June Kronholz at june.kronholz@wsj.com
Anyhow, this appeared in today's Wall Street Journal...it may forbode a taste of things to come..or not come..this one focusses on the DREAM Act which is geared to provide in-state tuition to illegal immigrants..
---------------
Should Illegal Immigrants Get Tuition Help?
States' Varying Stances on College-Education Benefit Illustrate Congress's Overhaul Task
By JUNE KRONHOLZ
February 22, 2006; Page A4
WASHINGTON -- An emotional state-level dispute over college tuition shows how tough it will be for Congress to overhaul immigration laws and extend citizenship benefits to the country's estimated 11 million illegal immigrants.
Four years ago, California passed a law granting in-state tuition to students who were in the U.S. illegally but had graduated from a California high school. Eight other states followed, allowing illegal immigrants to attend public colleges for in-state student fees -- usually less than half what out-of-state students pay.
DiAnna Schimek, a Democrat who heads the Nebraska Senate's education committee, says she has pushed for an in-state tuition bill for illegal immigrants as a matter of compassion and economic calculation. "These children didn't bring themselves" but were brought by their parents, she says. "It's only a good investment on our part to make certain they are productive citizens."
But attitudes have been hardening as an estimated 400,000 illegal immigrants flood in yearly. "That's an alarm to the people here ... it's a drain on the economy," says Rep. Glenn Donnelson, a Utah Republican who heads an education committee in his state.
So while some legislators want to extend tuition benefits to illegal immigrants in their states, others are calling for laws to deny the benefit -- or take it back.
Lawmakers in Utah, Kansas and New Mexico -- which passed in-state tuition benefits only two or three years ago -- now are waging uphill fights to repeal them. Massachusetts legislators last month rejected a bill to offer in-state tuition benefits to illegal immigrants.
Six states are considering measures that would deny in-state tuition, tuition waivers or state scholarships to illegal immigrants. In New York, which offers in-state tuition to illegal immigrants, and Virginia, which recently passed a law offering benefits to some, bills have been introduced to bar illegal immigrants from attending public colleges.
Meanwhile, lawsuits challenging in-state tuition for illegal immigrants have been filed in California and in Kansas. "There's something wrong with giving a benefit to an illegal that we don't even give to citizens of other states," says state Rep. Becky Hutchins, a Kansas Republican leading a repeal effort there.
The tuition laws generally require illegal immigrants to have attended a local high school for three years, to have graduated or earned a high-school equivalency and to sign an affidavit promising to legalize their immigration status as soon as they are eligible.
Promoters expect few students to actually take up the benefit. Dropout rates are high and academic scores generally are low among Hispanics, who account for the majority of illegal aliens. And even in-state tuition, which averages about $5,500 this year, may be out of reach for children whose parents typically hold minimum-wage jobs.
Kris Kobach, a University of Missouri law professor who brought a federal suit against the Kansas program, says 221 illegal immigrants are enrolled in Kansas public colleges this year, and that even when the benefit becomes widely known, the number probably wouldn't exceed 2,700.
Even so, in-state tuition laws have become flashpoint among some voters who feel they haven't any other way to protest illegal immigration. Federal laws allow illegal immigrants to use emergency medical services, and a 1982 Supreme Court decision entitles their children to public education through high school.
Rod Adair, a New Mexico state senator who introduced unsuccessful legislation to repeal his state's immigrant-tuition benefit, says he was acting "in response to my constituents. They're frustrated."
Prof. Kobach's suit contends Kansas's in-state tuition benefit violates a federal law that prohibits states from giving any benefit to an illegal alien that they don't also extend to all U.S. citizens.
Among his plaintiffs, Heidi Hydeman, an Iowa native, says she was charged out-of-state tuition by the University of Kansas, though she lived in Kansas for six years and paid Kansas income tax for three years while attending the school. "I thought it was unfair," says Ms. Hydeman.
Mr. Donnelson, the Utah legislator, says Utah would face a $34 million bill if a similar suit were filed there, and current out-of-state students were refunded the difference between in-state tuition and the nonresident tuition they pay.
But legislators' doubts go beyond that. Although illegal immigrants who get the tuition benefit pledge to legalize their status, there is almost no way they can do that under current laws. And even with a college degree, there is almost no way for illegal immigrants to legally get a job.
For years, congressional supporters have promoted a measure, called the Dream Act, that would clear up those problems. States would be allowed to offer in-state tuition to illegal-immigrant students who, in turn, could become citizens.
In 2003, almost half the Senate cosponsored the Dream Act. But the Dream Act's prospects have faded, and this year its pivotal supporter, Utah Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch, withdrew as a sponsor. "Realistically, the Dream Act will not pass" and should be included in an overhaul of immigration laws, he said.
But the tensions fueling opposition to in-state tuition laws are the same ones making it hard for Congress to pass immigration overhaul. A coalition of pro-business Republicans, Democrats, immigrant-rights groups and labor unions wants new federal laws that would let illegal immigrants eventually become citizens.
They are being stymied, however, by social conservatives, who worry about being culturally overwhelmed by immigrants, and by Republican national-security hawks, who are demanding that Washington cut off illegal immigration first. The tension prevented the U.S. House from taking up immigration overhaul last year, and is complicating the Senate's efforts to pass it this year.
Write to June Kronholz at june.kronholz@wsj.com
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