My Fiance and I are getting close to submitting our I-129F Yes the latest rendition! I am 41 and at a younger age I made bad decisions when it came to drinking and driving home. Even though this was years ago, of course I told my Fiance about my past mistakes. That's what people in love do. I knew of IMBRA and the criminal background checks would be required, but I was SHOCKED to see that the Gov. put an extra Billet mark and also asked if you had any convictions for drugs/alcohol 3 times. Here is the original clip from VTWA:

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005, of which IMBRA is a part, are designed to continue Congress’s efforts to prevent domestic violence and spousal abuse. Immigrants who have been victims of domestic violence have long benefited from VAWA immigration provisions, which allow abused spouses and children to self-petition for lawful immigration status. Under IMBRA, Congress has further extended those protections by regulating more closely the international marriage broker market and by requiring disclosure of violent criminal history, such as domestic abuse, rape, or murder, of which a fiancé(e) may be unaware.

Sorry but I missed the part of how a night of drinking and bad judgment now turns into the preposition that I am violent, have abused Women, or worse I have killed? Even if you have never made this bad judgment, why wouldn't it be OK for the Gov to include a person convicted of Bank Robery? Burglary? Shoplifting? Deffinetly in each of these mentioned cases, there is a high probability of violence NOT to mention these can all be classified as FELONIES!!!

As I said, My girl knows everything as that is the proper way to start a life together. Yes I have already researched these past charges and have managed to get Certified Copies of the Court Sentence and also Police reports. NOTE: Police Departments DO NOT CERTIFY POLICE REPORTS!!! Even though that is what IMBRA is clearly asking for on the I-129F.

I feel the pain of the people with NO record at all having to be apart from the one that keeps their smile going everyday. I will do anything I have to and have started. I don't want to "Raise my name as a problem Person with USCIS". It is all KISS A&@ till my girl is where she wants to be. After that, look out congress people!!!! I promise to join the crusade against this cruel but well intended law!!! It just needed more thought!!!

BradLuvsMaria Now and for Eternity:)))

The interesting thing about IMRA is that it does not disqualify you as a petitioner. It just makes sure the berneficiary knows that one has killed his whole family with an axe.

???????????

a mountain out of a molehill???
where are you affected??

The offenses were years ago in far away counties of the state I live in. Most require you to be in person to sign for the certified papers. Mole hill? Why is it even a factor towards the originating facts behind this law? That why it is my Mountain. I have already climbed it but why?

Unless you have been convicted three times...doesnt mean a thing. Sign for what??
You are only required to report them....no where did I ever read that you are required to furnish anything.

I would guess that people whos abuse alcohol and drugs are the same that abuse women.

The theory is that if you have an alchohol/drug offense, you likely have abused alchohol/drugs. There is a well-documented correlation between domestic violence and alchohol and drug abuse.

There's also a correlation between domestic violence and low IQ. Should we start giving people IQ tests?

YES...We should!!!

dont give USCIS ideas now..................

lmao... the same reasoning why do people have to study and work hard for a drivers license but anyone with a womb can spit out some kids?

IMBRA2005- What an Ignorant individual you are. I feel sorry for the small world you live in that you can classify all persons via a subject. You have totally missed the mention of herendous felonies not counted towards this post. Thank God we have upstanding Christians like you to tell the rest of the world the statistics on what is correlated to abuse. Your dirty little secrets are safe but yet again, who knows them? I am taking and have still taken FULL responsibilities for my actions. How dare you classify me as an abuser!!! You could be a closet abuser for all anyone on this post knows!!! Easy to point fingers, let's let our loved ones decide if we should be executed for DUI!

Maybe you should report yourself...as being bizarre!!!
How did you come up with this logical conclusion??/

Small Worlds for small minds! You spit out convictions of how all people that have have the unfortinate convictions for a DUI to be VIOLENT. That is Bizarre Not knowing what the individual situation was. Does a sober life of 10 years count for anything ot should people just be branded for the rest of their lives? Conclusion? It was you conviction that all DUI be processed as Violent people that makes no sence. I guess some crimes can never be repaid to society!

Am I missing something here? Where in my post did I classify you as an abuser? I answered your question as to why IMBRA asks about alchohol/drug abuse. Given your demonstration, perhaps the correlation is well-founded.

You should asnser yes...as being a potential abuser if you come unglued at an obvious fact...that ppl who have alcohol/drug problems tend to be abusers.

At least you admit you have a problem........thats the first step.

You should call the rubber truck to come pick you up.

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What do you think you post was refering to? A direct correlation?
Don't start posting ignorant statements saying you did not refer to me as this. Here is your post:


The theory is that if you have an alchohol/drug offense, you likely have abused alchohol/drugs. There is a well-documented correlation between domestic violence and alchohol and drug abuse.

If you want to be a judge of human lives and character, get a diploma in law and go for it. Don't try to ease out of your clear accusation. Either you state your mind or you don't. Keep by your words,

Actually, you are required to provide them, even if you had been told the records were sealed.

I am well-aware of what I stated in the post and I stand by my words 100%. I said the THEORY is that a person (perhaps I shouldn't have said "you") that has AOD offenses likely is a AOD abuser, and that many studies indicate a statistical correlation between AOD abuse and domestic abuse.

Really sorry you're on such a short fuse, but there ain't no accusation there.

desert_fox,

I believe that you're on the right track. However, I think it would be more accurate, and would ruffle fewer feathers, if you wrote it the other way around - men who abuse women also tend to be men who abuse alchohol and drugs.

Yodrak



jenn,

Well, it would cause an immediate spike in posts to VJ followed by a severe drop in membership ......

Yodrak

But what studies, what do they say exactly? While not disaggreeing with what you are saying about the correlation--I would also say there is a correlation were many Victims of abuse are also often AOD abusers. Furthermore low education, and as stated low IQ and low income are often associated with or correlated to domestic abuse. So are young experienced couples or parents. People who grew up in borken homes or who were abused as a child--or who work in law enforcement or the military, or take steroids, or who smoke tobacco are correlated to being domestic abusers. There are many factors that could correlate to domestic abuse. And why only report the 3 convictions of DUI--who is to say that 3 convictions is anymore a magic threshold of abuse than 1 or 2 convictions.

you're right.......its correlated the other way

cancel the rubber truck!!

I don't know, but I have no reason to doubt what you say about education, social history, etc. is true. Are you suggesting that Congress should have included all those factors in passing IMBRA? If so, maybe you're right and it might have been smarter to include all those things. But that's different from saying that Congress couldn't draw a line based on what they thought (they don't need the actual studies) was important. That's why we pay them the big bucks -- to make those decisions based on their judgment. Of course, you're free to disagree with their judgment and I guess that's why people run against incumbents.

Same thing with the magical number 3. All I can say is that someobdy thought 3 was a reasonable number. You see that sort of thign all the time -- think about the "three strikes" laws, etc. Maybe 2 is a better number, maybe 4? Seems kind of reasonable to me, though

Cheap shot IMBRA. Here is your Post:

The theory is that if you have an alchohol/drug offense, you likely have abused alchohol/drugs. There is a well-documented correlation between domestic violence and alchohol and drug abuse.

I was upset with yours and Dessertfox reply but I will take the high road and understand that you have your opinion. Your direct insult of me being violent is a well founded correlation is harder to let go. Still I will just let it go. Just own your words! if you post them then they are yours. As far as dessertFox? There is no dignified reply to such an ignorant post.
Again the high road. I wish you all the best in your life. discussions of trials and tribulations of our loved one should not resort to this.

Good Luck!!!!

Didn't the congress try and pass a law in reference to gun ownership and domestic violence? What ever happened with that law--I remember the uproar was that like substancial number of law enforcement, security guards, and military personnel were going to be prohibited from carrying a weapon since a correlations was made between gun ownership and domestic violence.

And now there seems to be this correlation between domestic violence and marriages to a foreigner met through a marriage broker.

I guess my problem with the law and most laws out of Washington is that they ignore the problem and just legislate the symptoms--and in the end result criminalize all of us or all that we do.

dont believe that anyone concluded you were violent....you reached that decision yourself.
Someone just pointed out an obvious coorelatio between alchol abuse, and domestic vio,ence.

have a beer and chill!!!

Maybe it's just me, but when I read IMBRA's post, I thought the "you" was a general "you" and not "you" personally. *shrug*

And that's how I meant it.

I had a great love story to tell and it would've been nice to share with this forum. I find the abusive accusations by some mebers not worth the time or trouble. I am deleting my profile and hope that the negative members on this site do not make others do the same. Remember, this site was for everyone! Not just You. Good luck to all and I'm sorry to leave!!!!

BradLuvsMaria, why do you have to leave, I think you have every right to discuss and post here!
there are many nice people here!
I cheer you up... no matter what you did in the past!
good luck

can replies be added without the quoting and overquoting 100 times? I did not lose my point of reference in just 2 pages

Oh PUHLEEEZZE!!! First you say, "The theory...". Let's start making laws based on theories! Also, the correct wording should be, "if you have been abusive, you likely have abused alchohol/drugs," not the other way around. I'd love to see the documentation and studies which indicate that people with DUI convictions abuse their spouses.

Nobody said there are any studies that show correlation between DUI convictions and spousal abuse. What was said is that there is statistical correlation between substance abuse and domestic violence. Let me know if that's what you're disputing and I'll give you all the statistics and federal government studies on that (including one that found that half of the men receiving treatment for alcohol abuse were guilty of abusing an intimate partner within the year prior to seeking treatment).

Now, if you have a DUI, some might say (I'm not one of them) that drinking to intoxication and then getting behind the wheel is proof positive that you abused the intoxicant -- at least that time (and most would suggest that it wasn't the first time, either). Thus, there is a DUI's can be a proxy or marker for substance abuse. And then there is a connection between substance abuse and domestic abuse. If A=B and B=C, then A=C.

Ask yourself if it would give you pause to find out your young daughter was about to move thousands of miles away to a new country to marry a much older guy with multiple convictions involving alcohol or drugs.

OK! I will still delete my profile but not without clarifying and asking for facts of your statements!!
First: lets quote you so no one miss interprits your statment:

(including one that found that half of the men receiving treatment for alcohol abuse were guilty of abusing an intimate partner within the year prior to seeking treatment).

Where are your facts to document this statement??? Do you read People magazine?

Second: Do you realize that almost all states in the US have a sobriety level of .08 That is the consumption of four beers or glasses of wine within a two hour period for a person that weighs 160 lbs. Senator Kennedy reciently only swallowed a mouth filled of pills and didn't remember what happened. He didn't mention the alcohol. Should he still be a US Senator!

You have no facts!!! You are expressing your opinion on a pre judged attitude that the person who was convicted with a DUI was Oblivious and passed out drunk. Most dinner parties these days have respectable people who leave and drive home but yet they fall in to the .08 catergory. Stop being so rightous!!!

You want facts? Here you go:

National Crime Victimization Survey data: “alcohol was used by 67 percent ofpersons who victimized an intimate.”

The 50% figure can be found in Chapter 1: Alcohol and Violence, in 10th Special Report to the U.S. Congress on Alcohol and Health (U.S. Dep’t. of Health and Human Services: June 2000), p. 57, http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/10report/intro.pdf.

U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration, “Experts Assess Links Between Substance Abuse and Domestic Violence” http://www.samhsa.gov/news/newsreleases/980121t.html).

Hope this helps.

by the way....what does People magazine have to do with it? What does the BAC level have to do with it? and it was Congressman Kennedy of Rhode Island, not Senator Kennedy of Massachusetts, who recently had the auto accident that was in the papers. (although they both have had substance abuse problems.)

Great statistics! So the other 33% should just be convicted! Lets just lock them up and put away the key. Does you trivial google search include the huge amount of recovering alcoholics that live each day praising their sobriety? No. You just say that once convicted, you are never reformed! 10 years sober and people like you disgust me!!!

wow. yes, good luck to you.

I am sorry to say, but you are being to overtly emotional on this issue. Perhaps there is some sensitivity to the mistake you made and the truth hurts per se'. Whatever the truth may be, sometimes parts of what is said strikes home and irritates the tender parts. Your best bet is to just ride the wave.

Immediatly my impression of the whole deal is that you feel .08 isn't drunk enough to not drive? If so, then by this same token, how could a law be passed for such a low rating? Further, how could IMBRA or VAWA be passed? (other than the law encapsulation technique that occured this time around)

Well there ARE studies. Many that show direct corelations to other studies and points of logical deductive reasoning to have proviso's in the law for something like this. Think of it like computer software, you hear all the time about "hackers" exploiting a hole in the code until it is patched with another law. Well in the code of law there are many holes, and the laws that are intended to patch the hole are generaly made with this kind of deductive reasoning. It is in fact even used sometimes to show proof of concept mathematical equasions such as if a=b and b=c then a=c. This just happens sometimes. IMBRA, and the VAWA is a "we're not messing around" law that intends to patch even the most ambiguous holes.

I suggest just dropping the issue, leave your pride at the door here, and open your heart and get to sharing your story.

I like People magazine

But I would like to say well done to BradluvsMaria, 10 years is fantastic.

Good luck on your journey.

Helen

IMBRA2005 - You have one your hatred post. Never will i be apart of this judgment by people I can't admire. Deleteing my profile!!!!

I am not disputing that. I am saying that it is never a good idea to just assume things. But if we must, it makes more sense to assume that it is a safer bet that a person who abuses his spouse has probably had times when he/she has had too many drinks than to say that a person who has had too many drinks at times has probably abused his or her spouse.



By you pointing out that statement you are insinuating and going from a DUI to spousal abuse irrationally. 1+1 does not equal 100.



Why do you bring up age in this question? It shows how you have an ulterior motive when you add things which have nothing to do with the original point to your hypothetical scenerios. In answer to your question, I would be more concerned that my daughter was going to be with an irresponsible drunk!

Imbra2005, please, let's step back a bit. Why is it that you are such an advocate for EVERY aspect of this law and the way it is being implemented? There have been many intelligent and rational posts on this board that you dismiss off-handedly and get on the defensive, which just shows a lack of tollerance for any view outside of your own. Why is it that you can never say, "I believe the IMBRA law is a good thing to help protect women but you make a good point about that and it was wrong of them to blah blah blah"? It does not help your cause if you are NEVER willing to agree with some obviously common sense points by others who perhaps may be angry at the delays caused by IMBRA yet still have valid arguments pertaining to certain aspects of it. At times you come across as an impenetrable and uncaring individual to some who truly are being treated unfairly. Wouldn't it benefit your cause if you showed that you were open to some possibility that not everything is great about IMBRA? Is everybody who disagrees with you wrong? It would make you more reasonable sounding and not so combative. Show some interest in the reality, not just what benefits your ideas.

Jangler, thanks for your post. I don't mean to sound combative. But don't you know why I'm so supportive of IMBRA?? Because I'm a paid shill, remember?? Just kidding (I don't think anybody could pay me enough to sit on this site at all hours anyway).

I just honestly support the law and don't think that there is much that is wrong with it. I'm sorry that there are delays, but that's just a by-product of its implementation. Honestly, I think that if USCIS was more on the ball, the delays wouldn't have happened. So while I fully support the law and its provisions, I think the fire-drill in its implementation was poorly executed.

I also honeslty think that a large portion of the unhappiness with the law derives from misunderstandings, so I strive to clear those up. You are free to have opinions, but there's no sense arguing about facts -- I just think most people don't have them.

That said, I think your earlier point about the direction of the correlation between AOD and domestic abuse is well-taken. Feel better?

Problem is that life is not a strictly mathematical equation. So A does not equal B nor B equal C nor etc.

Sometimes A and B = C or may never = C. Life is a lot more variable then a formula for figuring out the area of a Right Triangle.

For example there is supposedly a statistical perponderance of drug abusers that also commit domestic violence. Now the problem is the assumption is that there is a cause and effect. But this may very well not be the case. There is most likely some other problem that is causing both addiction and violence antisocial behavior. So its not an A=B B=C therefore A=C problem. Its possible that A=C and B=C but never will A = B. Life just does not work that way.

And as far as your software analogy. This law still leaves gaping wholes that any hacker or wife abuser could drive the Budwiser Horses and Wagon through.

I guess when one leaves there pride at the door they should also burn the Bill of Rights and Constitution as well. Let us not be proud nor free. hmmm. Don't think so.

A better law would have been to increase funding for women's shelters, increase marriage conseling centers, and provide more assistance in substance abuse treatment.

I agree that those studies do not show a cause/effect relationship. But that's not the point. The whole point of IMBRA is to arm the foreign spouse with critical information about their spouse -- information that is correlated with abuse -- not necessarily the cause of the abuse.

And what rights guaranteed you by the bill of rights or constitution are being violated here? and how?

I don't quite understand the umbrage over the requirement to divulge convictions of THREE alcohol/drug convictions. That may or may not have any link whatsoever with domestic abuse, but it certainly shows a pattern of irresponsible behavior.

I'm neither pointing fingers at the OP (or anyone else) nor acting holier than thou and making judgments, but I don't feel it's inappropriate to ensure the SO is aware of this past history. I would certainly want to know.

I bet ya that more abusers are that way because they saw their fathers treat women that way. They were "trained" to be that way by a bad example and role-model. I think that is more relevant than alcohol. I doubt that many men who come from warm, loving parents end up being abusers. If they are really looking to weed out the abusers, than maybe a more pertinent addendum to the I-129F would be, "Has your father ever verbally or physically abused your mother?"

AHMEN Brother!!! I want to thank the many people who have emailed me and asked me not to delete my profile because of one outspoken member. I will not disparage him as this trist has gone beyond it's value and turned into a one members pesonal venue and not mine. My life and my Fiance's well being comes first. If people understood my years of sobreity and the heart filled effort I have given towards my future, maybe I wouldn't have the negative response I had. God bless and god luck to all.

Dont you only have to report them if is 3 or more ?

YES, But at 41, the day's of 18 thru 25 catch up pretty quick! Unfortinatley.

Thanks for not leaving, BradLuvsMaria. We need good people like you on this forum. I wish you and your love the best.