kumarc123
01-23 06:48 PM
Hi
Can someone please tell me how to post a new thread, lately I saw a post reflecting on us citizenship for international students who will serve in army intelligence, if someone could please post that thread here, I tried looking for it.
Please help me out here,
Thank you
Can someone please tell me how to post a new thread, lately I saw a post reflecting on us citizenship for international students who will serve in army intelligence, if someone could please post that thread here, I tried looking for it.
Please help me out here,
Thank you
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franklin
07-11 05:12 PM
Need 3 more volunteers for non bay area members to help calling bay area people!
s416504
12-04 09:40 AM
Thanks Ashkam & Sledge_hammer for sharing valuable information
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InTheMoment
07-11 10:37 PM
With all correct things said above: Yates Memo, Conditions of AC21 met (same/similar job, salary etc. 180+ days) and proof that you are regularly paid since joining the company (paystubs), EVL from new employer...
With all of the above supplied I can say from my own experience of joining a small company (50 employees) and submitting AC21 docs (to pre-empt any RFE - because I changed address and state of workplace; against my attorneys advise of waiting for an RFE) that it was the best thing I did. I had no RFE issued before I-485 approval.
So just send in the AC21 docs if you feel that there are redflags that may trigger an RFE for EVL (I-140 getting revoked, address change across state - diff from original employer, petition being very old)
With all of the above supplied I can say from my own experience of joining a small company (50 employees) and submitting AC21 docs (to pre-empt any RFE - because I changed address and state of workplace; against my attorneys advise of waiting for an RFE) that it was the best thing I did. I had no RFE issued before I-485 approval.
So just send in the AC21 docs if you feel that there are redflags that may trigger an RFE for EVL (I-140 getting revoked, address change across state - diff from original employer, petition being very old)
more...
krishnam70
07-09 12:45 PM
I read about the problem in this thread and immediatly called all our friends and signed up for the drive. We went in a group of 25 people and signed up. Hopefully something will work out for Vinay and people like him. This is not a one time effort but once we are in the registry we have the capability to help many others who might be needing help. I urge members to please go to the drive's or request information on how to create drives in your own city and help in this good cause.
supreet
06-30 12:28 AM
My Wife and I were scheduled to have our fingerprints taken on July 7th and July 9th respectively. Today, we received a letter for my wife and the letter says "Appointment Canceled" "No need to appear at ASC".
The letter does not say if they are going to reschedule OR the reason for cancelling.
I am a July 2007 applicant and this is the first FP appts we have got.
Does anybody have this kind of experience before?
Do you think I should show up at the ASC on the previously scheduled date OR just wait for a new letter and date.
My case is in TSC.
Any comment is appreciated.
Thanks.
Bipin :mad:
I got the exact same letter. My wife and I were supposed to go to Oakland on July 7th for our FPs (our first) and today we got the letter which says "APPOINTMENT CANCELLED"; "No Need to Appear At ASC".
Additional information - I was laif off last month (May). So far my 485/140 status is unchanged (no RFEs...keeping fingers crossed).
Any ideas what's going on?
- S
The letter does not say if they are going to reschedule OR the reason for cancelling.
I am a July 2007 applicant and this is the first FP appts we have got.
Does anybody have this kind of experience before?
Do you think I should show up at the ASC on the previously scheduled date OR just wait for a new letter and date.
My case is in TSC.
Any comment is appreciated.
Thanks.
Bipin :mad:
I got the exact same letter. My wife and I were supposed to go to Oakland on July 7th for our FPs (our first) and today we got the letter which says "APPOINTMENT CANCELLED"; "No Need to Appear At ASC".
Additional information - I was laif off last month (May). So far my 485/140 status is unchanged (no RFEs...keeping fingers crossed).
Any ideas what's going on?
- S
more...
ramaonline
09-26 01:43 PM
according to the regulations, h time counts towards L visa time and vice versa - It is not very clear in the i129 form
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nixstor
09-18 10:54 AM
I dont feel that its a cosmetic change, while I agree that it can lead to some confusion. But there are orgs which have done it succesfully in the past. I thought it might give a better chance for us to give every one an idea abt what we are doing without getting on here or not coming her on to the website thingking "yet another org working for illegals"
I agree that the paperwork that needs to be done might be a lot. Our presence is predominantly on the website. I mean no offices etc.. Redirecting requests on the web aint a big deal. People who go to IV will be redirected to LIV. I am not trying to take over and drive in a new direction. As I said, this might not be the exact need of the hour with congress in session. Core members can discuss this when they feel its pertinent.
I agree that the paperwork that needs to be done might be a lot. Our presence is predominantly on the website. I mean no offices etc.. Redirecting requests on the web aint a big deal. People who go to IV will be redirected to LIV. I am not trying to take over and drive in a new direction. As I said, this might not be the exact need of the hour with congress in session. Core members can discuss this when they feel its pertinent.
more...
paskal
08-23 11:19 AM
"Anything that can possibly go wrong Does"
but:
make your best efforts then hope for the best.
that is the better line......
what will happen will. no point expecting the worst. good things happen to those that do their best. we make our own destinies...hey i could go on all day...
let's do the needful. come to DC. help with rally preparations
if you don't have a local chapter- help organize one. otherwise join your chapter!
but:
make your best efforts then hope for the best.
that is the better line......
what will happen will. no point expecting the worst. good things happen to those that do their best. we make our own destinies...hey i could go on all day...
let's do the needful. come to DC. help with rally preparations
if you don't have a local chapter- help organize one. otherwise join your chapter!
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srikondoji
07-02 03:07 PM
One question that comes to my mind regarding contributing for the lawsuit is...
Should i contribute to IV or to my lawyers firm. I believe both ways the funds are going to end up with AILF. Or shud i do part contribution to both these orgs?
I need some answers.
The only way out for me is to contribute and nowhere else to go.
CIR is shut and July has turned back on me.
The only window i can see is through IV now. The sooner we all realize the better for us.
Should i contribute to IV or to my lawyers firm. I believe both ways the funds are going to end up with AILF. Or shud i do part contribution to both these orgs?
I need some answers.
The only way out for me is to contribute and nowhere else to go.
CIR is shut and July has turned back on me.
The only window i can see is through IV now. The sooner we all realize the better for us.
more...
swadeshi
07-27 04:06 PM
I had same question, but when I checked all I-94s of mine, they all had same numbers, one at POE consistent with all other 797 issues after that.
Hope that helps.
I-94 numbers never change, I have had the same one's even though I switched visa types like L1 to H1 and travelled twice. The I-94 number never changes it remians the same.
Hope that helps.
I-94 numbers never change, I have had the same one's even though I switched visa types like L1 to H1 and travelled twice. The I-94 number never changes it remians the same.
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GetGC08
07-30 07:26 PM
I think EB2 is easy if you have US Masters. Since you have a 3 year degree you need to prove that it is equivalent to US BS degree
Thanks for the response.
I have 3 year BS degree in computer science
&
3 Year MS degree in computer science. S0 total 6 years in the same field(computer).
Thanks.
Thanks for the response.
I have 3 year BS degree in computer science
&
3 Year MS degree in computer science. S0 total 6 years in the same field(computer).
Thanks.
more...
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GCanyMinute
08-23 08:34 AM
Hi GCanyMinute;
The PD only shows on the Approval Notice of the I140 . The I485 does not show any PD.
thanks
andy
You guys were right!!! :)
I took a look at my I-140 and thank God yes the PD is over there!!
I guess i'll really get the GC Any minute :D !!!
Thanks a lot guys and good luck for you all.
The PD only shows on the Approval Notice of the I140 . The I485 does not show any PD.
thanks
andy
You guys were right!!! :)
I took a look at my I-140 and thank God yes the PD is over there!!
I guess i'll really get the GC Any minute :D !!!
Thanks a lot guys and good luck for you all.
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acecupid
06-09 12:30 PM
Our I-485 is pending and we have EAD/AP to enter the US back. We are planning to travel to INDIA end of this year and we can use our AP to return. We also have our H1B/H4 visa approval until 10/2010. The question is:
1. Should we stamp our passport with H1B/H4 visas? If yes, does anyone has information about how to take an appointment from US for Mumbai embassy?
2. Is it recommanded to have passport stamped with H1B/H4 even if we have Advance Parole?
Please help. Thanks a lot.
1. If you are currently in H1 status then my personal opinion is to continue to stay on H1 rather than become a parolee with AP entry. Ofcourse you can avoid a lot of hassles and mental tension with AP, however its good to be on H1 and keep AP as backup for re-entry.
If God forbid your I-485 gets denied for some reason, then you will still be in status based on H1. If you are a parolee at the time of denial, then you go out of status right away. Ofcourse you can file MTR and still get back in status if things work out. But having H1 is the cleanest way to maintain valid status.
You have to take the appointment from VFS website for the mumbai consulate. Keep in mind mumbai consulate process is slightly different compared to the other consulates in India. You have to send the application forms and required documentation 3 days prior to the interview date. You can get more info here : https://www.vfs-usa.co.in/Home.aspx
2.Since you already have AP, there is no harm in getting H1B stamped. If it is denied for some reason you can always come back on AP. Make sure you carry a copy of your I-485 receipt for the interview.
1. Should we stamp our passport with H1B/H4 visas? If yes, does anyone has information about how to take an appointment from US for Mumbai embassy?
2. Is it recommanded to have passport stamped with H1B/H4 even if we have Advance Parole?
Please help. Thanks a lot.
1. If you are currently in H1 status then my personal opinion is to continue to stay on H1 rather than become a parolee with AP entry. Ofcourse you can avoid a lot of hassles and mental tension with AP, however its good to be on H1 and keep AP as backup for re-entry.
If God forbid your I-485 gets denied for some reason, then you will still be in status based on H1. If you are a parolee at the time of denial, then you go out of status right away. Ofcourse you can file MTR and still get back in status if things work out. But having H1 is the cleanest way to maintain valid status.
You have to take the appointment from VFS website for the mumbai consulate. Keep in mind mumbai consulate process is slightly different compared to the other consulates in India. You have to send the application forms and required documentation 3 days prior to the interview date. You can get more info here : https://www.vfs-usa.co.in/Home.aspx
2.Since you already have AP, there is no harm in getting H1B stamped. If it is denied for some reason you can always come back on AP. Make sure you carry a copy of your I-485 receipt for the interview.
more...
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enggr
06-25 10:02 AM
The attorney sent my I-94 and we got approval until Nov 2010. (this happened in sep/oct 2008)
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fionaapple20
11-27 03:56 PM
My questions that I posted in a similar thread:
- Can one be unemployed and just wait out the 180 days before invoking AC21? Can a person be unemployed before the 180 days elapse? What happens if person is unable to find a job before 180 days?
- Can one transfer to another employer on H1 (but let USCIS know after 180 days have elapsed)? Can the person find a new job, change H1s and then wait for 180 days to send in a letter to USCIS?
- Can one be unemployed and just wait out the 180 days before invoking AC21? Can a person be unemployed before the 180 days elapse? What happens if person is unable to find a job before 180 days?
- Can one transfer to another employer on H1 (but let USCIS know after 180 days have elapsed)? Can the person find a new job, change H1s and then wait for 180 days to send in a letter to USCIS?
more...
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gc_chahiye
02-17 09:43 PM
3) If I invoke AC21 using my EAD and in the worst case scenario, if my 140 and 485 is rejected, can I then transfer my H1B to an other company (I still have some years left) or will that be a problem because I was not on H-1b at that time?
I think you can still re-capture any year left in your 6 your term on your H1B. That is, even after going to EAD you can revert back to H1B in case of any issues. As always, this is just my understanding and could be wrong even.
you can get back to H1 status, it might involve:
- filing a H1 petition (you wont be counted agianst hte quota)
- leaving US and coming back in, to "Activate" the h1.
I think you can still re-capture any year left in your 6 your term on your H1B. That is, even after going to EAD you can revert back to H1B in case of any issues. As always, this is just my understanding and could be wrong even.
you can get back to H1 status, it might involve:
- filing a H1 petition (you wont be counted agianst hte quota)
- leaving US and coming back in, to "Activate" the h1.
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kumar_77
12-17 10:12 AM
Hello ,
can you please give some details ...like your 140 Status , eb -2 , or eb-3 , PD ...SUB etc..
Thanks
can you please give some details ...like your 140 Status , eb -2 , or eb-3 , PD ...SUB etc..
Thanks
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gene77
08-15 08:28 PM
Hi, I recently filed my I-485 using my pre-approved Eb3 I-140 (PD:May 2004). Around a month back, I applied a new EB2 I140 and that got approved today so I have ported my PDs to this new EB2 I-140. Now, I am planning to file an amendment to replace the EB3 I-140 with EB2 I-140 attached with my I-485. Some people call this process as interfiling too. Can somebody please let me know if he/she has done it before and how long does it take to get affected?
I plan to do this but I am waiting for my EB2 I-140 to be approved. Please see below, I have attached some info I got from Mathew Oh's website. Did you say you applied for your I-140 only 1 month ago and it got approved already? I applied for my EB2 I-140 in Nov and still don't have any approvals.
//NSC Procedure of Transfer of Pending I-1485 From Current Approved Underlying I-140 Petition to New I-140 Petition
� This posting involves aliens who are waiting for the I-485 applications where the underlying I-140 petition was approved but due to retrogression, I-485 cannot be approved. Most of these cases are EB-3 cases. When the same alien obtains an EB-2 labor certification approval through the same employer or a different employer and the visa number is available for the EB-2 for him or her, he should be eligible for filing another I-485 application based on the visa number available EB-2 I-140 petition. This can be achieved either by concurrent I-140/I-485 filing or if the new EB-2 I-140 has already been approved, by filing of stand-alone I-485 application.
� However, in the foregoing situation, the Pearson Memo of 2000 allows the alien to transfer the pending I-485 application from the existing underlying approved I-140 petition to a new EB-2 I-140 petition such that the alien does not have to file another I-485 application to use the second I-140 petition. For this to happen, two conditions must be met: (1) The existing underlying I-140 petition (most likely EB-3) must have been approved before the I-485 transfer is requested. (2) Secondly, the visa number must be "current" for the new I-140 petition (most likely EB-2) before the I-485 transfer is requested. Inasmuch as the visa number is current, the pending I-485 application that suffer from the visa number retrogression can be transferred to the nex I-140 petition.
� According to the Nebraska Service Center, people should take the following procedure to request such transfer of pending I-485 application from one I-140 petition to another I-140 petition:
o Request for Transfer of Pending I-485 Application to a Newly Filed I-140 Petition That Has Visa Number Current: In this situation, he/she is filing a new I-140 petition (probably EB-2 with visa number "current") with the agency to transfer the pending I-485 application and attach it to the new I-140 petition. The NSC states that if he/she files such new I-140 petition, he/she should use "large, bold print in the cover letter or with a separate, brightly colored cover page and notation 'Inter-file I-140 with Pending I-485' and include the Receipt/File Number of Pending I-485 Application, both on the Envelope and Cover Letter.
o Request for Transfer of Pending I-485 Application to Already Approved New I-140 (most likely EB-2 category): NSC asks to print the attached over sheet on brightly colored paper, and submitting it with a cover letter providing the following Information:
Name of 485 applicant
Name of I-140 petitioner (employer)
I-485 Receipt Number
"A" Number of the 485 applicant
Prior I-140 petition (1) Receipt Number, (2) Filing Date, and (3) Approval Date
New I-140 to be inter-filed
Statement requesting new I-140 be inter-filed with the pending I-485 application
//
I plan to do this but I am waiting for my EB2 I-140 to be approved. Please see below, I have attached some info I got from Mathew Oh's website. Did you say you applied for your I-140 only 1 month ago and it got approved already? I applied for my EB2 I-140 in Nov and still don't have any approvals.
//NSC Procedure of Transfer of Pending I-1485 From Current Approved Underlying I-140 Petition to New I-140 Petition
� This posting involves aliens who are waiting for the I-485 applications where the underlying I-140 petition was approved but due to retrogression, I-485 cannot be approved. Most of these cases are EB-3 cases. When the same alien obtains an EB-2 labor certification approval through the same employer or a different employer and the visa number is available for the EB-2 for him or her, he should be eligible for filing another I-485 application based on the visa number available EB-2 I-140 petition. This can be achieved either by concurrent I-140/I-485 filing or if the new EB-2 I-140 has already been approved, by filing of stand-alone I-485 application.
� However, in the foregoing situation, the Pearson Memo of 2000 allows the alien to transfer the pending I-485 application from the existing underlying approved I-140 petition to a new EB-2 I-140 petition such that the alien does not have to file another I-485 application to use the second I-140 petition. For this to happen, two conditions must be met: (1) The existing underlying I-140 petition (most likely EB-3) must have been approved before the I-485 transfer is requested. (2) Secondly, the visa number must be "current" for the new I-140 petition (most likely EB-2) before the I-485 transfer is requested. Inasmuch as the visa number is current, the pending I-485 application that suffer from the visa number retrogression can be transferred to the nex I-140 petition.
� According to the Nebraska Service Center, people should take the following procedure to request such transfer of pending I-485 application from one I-140 petition to another I-140 petition:
o Request for Transfer of Pending I-485 Application to a Newly Filed I-140 Petition That Has Visa Number Current: In this situation, he/she is filing a new I-140 petition (probably EB-2 with visa number "current") with the agency to transfer the pending I-485 application and attach it to the new I-140 petition. The NSC states that if he/she files such new I-140 petition, he/she should use "large, bold print in the cover letter or with a separate, brightly colored cover page and notation 'Inter-file I-140 with Pending I-485' and include the Receipt/File Number of Pending I-485 Application, both on the Envelope and Cover Letter.
o Request for Transfer of Pending I-485 Application to Already Approved New I-140 (most likely EB-2 category): NSC asks to print the attached over sheet on brightly colored paper, and submitting it with a cover letter providing the following Information:
Name of 485 applicant
Name of I-140 petitioner (employer)
I-485 Receipt Number
"A" Number of the 485 applicant
Prior I-140 petition (1) Receipt Number, (2) Filing Date, and (3) Approval Date
New I-140 to be inter-filed
Statement requesting new I-140 be inter-filed with the pending I-485 application
//
wandmaker
08-10 11:38 PM
Hi, my I-485 approval might be close according to current processing time. I have moved within the same city. I wonder whether change of address at this time will cause any delay:
1. how likely due to change of address, my I-485 processing will be affected and got delayed?
2. how likely I will get a REF due to change of address?
3. Is it better to make an effort to keep the old address?
Thanks.
Notify the change of address - If USCIS finds out that you have moved and did not notify with in 10 days of your move then they have the power to revoke and deny your petition.
1. how likely due to change of address, my I-485 processing will be affected and got delayed?
2. how likely I will get a REF due to change of address?
3. Is it better to make an effort to keep the old address?
Thanks.
Notify the change of address - If USCIS finds out that you have moved and did not notify with in 10 days of your move then they have the power to revoke and deny your petition.
regacct
11-23 01:27 PM
Why the Anti-immigrant Dog Did Not Bark in Illinois (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-creamer/why-the-anti-immigrant-do_b_787368.html)
In the Sherlock Holmes short story "Silver Blaze" the famous detective focuses his analytic prowess on the "curious incident" of the dog that did not bark in the nighttime.
In the recent mid-term elections there was a similar "curious incident" in Illinois that is important nationally. No major candidate in Illinois from either the Republican or Democratic Party demagogued the immigration issue. Neither the ultra-conservative Republican candidate for Governor, Bill Brady, nor the supposedly "moderate" candidate for Senate, Mark Kirk, ran ads, did mailers, or used talking points about the supposed scourge of illegal immigrants taking jobs or sponging up our tax money. Nor did any major candidate for Congress.
It is definitely true that a number of the Republican candidates that were elected to Congressional seats hold anti-immigrant positions. But they did not choose to use those positions as wedge issues in the recent election. Why not?
A possible explanation is that Republicans in Illinois are a kinder, more reasonable group than Republicans elsewhere. That, I'm afraid, does not pass the laugh test.
You could argue that it's because Illinois has a large immigrant population in general and a large Latino population in particular. But so do Colorado, Nevada, Arizona and California where Republican Party candidates tried to use "illegal immigration" and "amnesty" as wedge issues to galvanize their base.
It is true that Illinois has a more immigrant-friendly tradition than some of the states in the Southwest. Much of the Caucasian population in Illinois comes from recent immigrant stock themselves - from Ireland, Poland, Lithuania, Italy, Germany, Croatia and Serbia.
But there is also a more old-fashioned reason. Demagogues and bullies tend to prey upon those whom they consider too weak to strike back. It turned out that in Nevada, California, and Colorado they made the wrong call, since their demagoguery galvanized turnout among Latino voters that defeated right-wing candidates for the Senate.
In fact, the Latino vote saved the Senate for the Democrats.
But in Illinois the right didn't even try their demagogic tactics. That's largely because the immigrant communities in Illinois have worked hard over five election cycles to build a muscular political organizing vehicle that gets out the immigrant vote -- and can bite back fiercely at anti-immigrant demagogues.
In 2008, Jim Oberweis ran for Congress against Democrat Bill Foster on a heavily anti-immigrant platform and was flattened by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. That experience sent a lesson through Illinois' right-wing political class. Nothing like watching one of their own get scalded to teach others not to touch the stove.
The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) no leads The New Americans' Democracy Project . This year, 13 electoral organizers worked for months in both the City of Chicago and the Suburbs. They targeted 133,128 infrequent immigrant voters for a multi-contact phone and door operation, and before the election was done the volunteers they recruited did a total of 549,000 live phone calls to their universe of Latino, Asian and Muslim voters.
This work has been growing in scale and bite since 2002 when it began with no funding and in only nine precincts. At this point the immigrant vote can no longer be ignored by either party. Here are several key lessons from the Illinois immigrant organizing experience:
1) Consistency Counts: ICIRR has had between 10 and 20 full-time immigrant election campaign organizers every election since 2004. They begin their work in July and work through November, building a "recent immigrant" field operation. In every single cycle they add new skills to their electoral organizing.
2) Numbers Count: The immigrant voter program has registered over 90,000 new immigrant voters. They door-knock between 35,000 and 60,000 doors every election cycle.
3) Diversity is Strength: The Democracy Project works with leaders and organizations in Latino community, but also the Asian, Arab, and Polish immigrant communities.
4) Mine the "Base" and work the "Swings": The electoral work is done in the immigrant "base" Chicago port of entry neighborhoods to generate numbers, but also in swing suburban political districts where multi-ethnic immigrant organizing multiplies the voting power of Latinos. The activation of new immigrant voters in suburban "swing" communities forces Republican attention to immigrant issues.
5) Reward Friends, Punish Enemies: ICIRR keeps track of who engages in immigrant bashing -- and stikes back. When Republican anti-immigrant candidate Jim Oberweis polarized voters against "illegal immigrants", ICIRR released to the media a film of undocumented immigrants cleaning his business while being paid only $3.23 an hour. When old-school Democratic Mayor of Waukegan, IL attacked "illegals" with local law enforcement of immigration laws, he went down to defeat in the next election because Latinos in Waukegan mobilized to support his opponent.
6) Naturalize, Naturalize, Naturalize: ICIRR has one of the most aggressive citizenship programs in the nation. All told, an additional 170,000 immigrants were naturalized in Illinois over the last five years. The coalition itself directly assisted over 48,000 of those legal immigrants to become citizens, and thus voters.
ICIRR is not a partisan organization. In fact, their most recent fundraiser was headlined by the popular former Republican Governor Jim Edgar. But because of the track record of Republicans across the country, its organizing definitely benefits Democrats. In fact, Democratic Governor Pat Quinn - who won by fewer than 20,000 votes -- would not likely have been re-elected had it not been for their work.
On the policy side, ICIRR works for immigrant-friendly policies, and by any definition they have succeeded in winning some of the most immigrant-friendly policies in the nation at the state level in Illinois.
The state of Illinois leans Blue, but it has wide swatches of Red. In the recent elections the Democrats barely lost the Senate race and took some terrible losses in the Congressional delegation. But in addition to electing a Democratic Governor, both the State House and Senate remained in Democratic hands. The immigrant vote was critical to these Democratic victories, but it is also a force that Republicans ignore or abuse at their peril. In this election, at least, Illinois Republicans generally had the good sense not to bait the immigrant community.
In the current environment of racialized fear and polarization against immigrants across the U.S., the hard work of immigrant advocates in Illinois provides two key lessons:
* Demagogues go after the weak, not the strong. You don't stop anti-immigrant demagoguery through accommodation, you stop it with strength.
* Nuts and Bolts Organizing works.
In the Sherlock Holmes short story "Silver Blaze" the famous detective focuses his analytic prowess on the "curious incident" of the dog that did not bark in the nighttime.
In the recent mid-term elections there was a similar "curious incident" in Illinois that is important nationally. No major candidate in Illinois from either the Republican or Democratic Party demagogued the immigration issue. Neither the ultra-conservative Republican candidate for Governor, Bill Brady, nor the supposedly "moderate" candidate for Senate, Mark Kirk, ran ads, did mailers, or used talking points about the supposed scourge of illegal immigrants taking jobs or sponging up our tax money. Nor did any major candidate for Congress.
It is definitely true that a number of the Republican candidates that were elected to Congressional seats hold anti-immigrant positions. But they did not choose to use those positions as wedge issues in the recent election. Why not?
A possible explanation is that Republicans in Illinois are a kinder, more reasonable group than Republicans elsewhere. That, I'm afraid, does not pass the laugh test.
You could argue that it's because Illinois has a large immigrant population in general and a large Latino population in particular. But so do Colorado, Nevada, Arizona and California where Republican Party candidates tried to use "illegal immigration" and "amnesty" as wedge issues to galvanize their base.
It is true that Illinois has a more immigrant-friendly tradition than some of the states in the Southwest. Much of the Caucasian population in Illinois comes from recent immigrant stock themselves - from Ireland, Poland, Lithuania, Italy, Germany, Croatia and Serbia.
But there is also a more old-fashioned reason. Demagogues and bullies tend to prey upon those whom they consider too weak to strike back. It turned out that in Nevada, California, and Colorado they made the wrong call, since their demagoguery galvanized turnout among Latino voters that defeated right-wing candidates for the Senate.
In fact, the Latino vote saved the Senate for the Democrats.
But in Illinois the right didn't even try their demagogic tactics. That's largely because the immigrant communities in Illinois have worked hard over five election cycles to build a muscular political organizing vehicle that gets out the immigrant vote -- and can bite back fiercely at anti-immigrant demagogues.
In 2008, Jim Oberweis ran for Congress against Democrat Bill Foster on a heavily anti-immigrant platform and was flattened by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. That experience sent a lesson through Illinois' right-wing political class. Nothing like watching one of their own get scalded to teach others not to touch the stove.
The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) no leads The New Americans' Democracy Project . This year, 13 electoral organizers worked for months in both the City of Chicago and the Suburbs. They targeted 133,128 infrequent immigrant voters for a multi-contact phone and door operation, and before the election was done the volunteers they recruited did a total of 549,000 live phone calls to their universe of Latino, Asian and Muslim voters.
This work has been growing in scale and bite since 2002 when it began with no funding and in only nine precincts. At this point the immigrant vote can no longer be ignored by either party. Here are several key lessons from the Illinois immigrant organizing experience:
1) Consistency Counts: ICIRR has had between 10 and 20 full-time immigrant election campaign organizers every election since 2004. They begin their work in July and work through November, building a "recent immigrant" field operation. In every single cycle they add new skills to their electoral organizing.
2) Numbers Count: The immigrant voter program has registered over 90,000 new immigrant voters. They door-knock between 35,000 and 60,000 doors every election cycle.
3) Diversity is Strength: The Democracy Project works with leaders and organizations in Latino community, but also the Asian, Arab, and Polish immigrant communities.
4) Mine the "Base" and work the "Swings": The electoral work is done in the immigrant "base" Chicago port of entry neighborhoods to generate numbers, but also in swing suburban political districts where multi-ethnic immigrant organizing multiplies the voting power of Latinos. The activation of new immigrant voters in suburban "swing" communities forces Republican attention to immigrant issues.
5) Reward Friends, Punish Enemies: ICIRR keeps track of who engages in immigrant bashing -- and stikes back. When Republican anti-immigrant candidate Jim Oberweis polarized voters against "illegal immigrants", ICIRR released to the media a film of undocumented immigrants cleaning his business while being paid only $3.23 an hour. When old-school Democratic Mayor of Waukegan, IL attacked "illegals" with local law enforcement of immigration laws, he went down to defeat in the next election because Latinos in Waukegan mobilized to support his opponent.
6) Naturalize, Naturalize, Naturalize: ICIRR has one of the most aggressive citizenship programs in the nation. All told, an additional 170,000 immigrants were naturalized in Illinois over the last five years. The coalition itself directly assisted over 48,000 of those legal immigrants to become citizens, and thus voters.
ICIRR is not a partisan organization. In fact, their most recent fundraiser was headlined by the popular former Republican Governor Jim Edgar. But because of the track record of Republicans across the country, its organizing definitely benefits Democrats. In fact, Democratic Governor Pat Quinn - who won by fewer than 20,000 votes -- would not likely have been re-elected had it not been for their work.
On the policy side, ICIRR works for immigrant-friendly policies, and by any definition they have succeeded in winning some of the most immigrant-friendly policies in the nation at the state level in Illinois.
The state of Illinois leans Blue, but it has wide swatches of Red. In the recent elections the Democrats barely lost the Senate race and took some terrible losses in the Congressional delegation. But in addition to electing a Democratic Governor, both the State House and Senate remained in Democratic hands. The immigrant vote was critical to these Democratic victories, but it is also a force that Republicans ignore or abuse at their peril. In this election, at least, Illinois Republicans generally had the good sense not to bait the immigrant community.
In the current environment of racialized fear and polarization against immigrants across the U.S., the hard work of immigrant advocates in Illinois provides two key lessons:
* Demagogues go after the weak, not the strong. You don't stop anti-immigrant demagoguery through accommodation, you stop it with strength.
* Nuts and Bolts Organizing works.
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