Murders outside consulate Juarez

[DarlayJesus 0]

In shock regarding Americans murdered outside of US consulate office in Juarez, Mexico.

This is the ONLY consulate in Mexico that processes K-3's, which means my husband and I will HAVE to go there....

Why would US continue to have an operating consulate in the murder capitol of the world?

How can the US require me to put myself and my family in danger to complete my petition?

[Kathryn41 3,205]

I think these are really good questions and your concerns are valid . The situation there is dangerous and has been for a while. These murders strike very close to home for those who are going through immigration from Mexico. I don't know if there is much you can do but you may find some benefit in writing to your Senator or Congressman and asking them these questions. Perhaps if enough elected representatives raise the issue something constructive can be done, such as relocating immigration petitions to another, safer location. I hope your family remains safe and it won't be long before you are all together safely in the US.

[rushica03 2]

In shock regarding Americans murdered outside of US consulate office in Juarez, Mexico.

This is the ONLY consulate in Mexico that processes K-3's, which means my husband and I will HAVE to go there....

Why would US continue to have an operating consulate in the murder capitol of the world?

How can the US require me to put myself and my family in danger to complete my petition?

I completely agree with you and also in shock when I was reading the details of the 2 incidents that happened. Juarez also is the only location in Mexico that will process a K-1 visa. I just don't understand why it can not be the same as getting a tourist visa, you go to the location closest to where you live. My fiance lives in Cancun, so you can't get any further away. I plan on going to the interview with him and needless to say my family was already worried about us going there but after this weekend they do not want me to go. I wish I knew where to voice our concerns as I know we are not the only ones feeling this way. Also makes me wonder if Juarez is the only location to scare people away from applying!

Edited March 16, 2010 by jtdr2716

[dbarker2 1]

I agree 100% .. My wife and I are currently waiting for her interview date for her K3 visa and honestly I am terrified of going to the Consulate. Any suggestions that anyone has for the trip to Juarez would be greatly appreciated. We were hoping to cross the border into El Paso and then fly to Salt Lake, but after seeing where those murders took place right by the bridge I am considering flying from Ciudad Juarez even though the tickets are 3 times as much. We are both really just worried.

[Justine+David 218]

I don't know if this is any consolation, but it is most likely that you will be forced to puruse the CR1 visa since if the I-129Fs and I-130s are received together at the NVC after 02/01/10, the I-129F (K3) will be closed. Are there other places in Mexico that do CR1 interviews? I sure hope so, that is so scary to think about!

Keep safe, dbarker

Edited March 16, 2010 by Justine+David

[rushica03 2]

For what it is worth I sent emails this morning to my senator, congressman, the uscis and the secretary of travel. I don't expect any immediate changes but maybe it will help others in the future.

[pushbrk 12,143]

In shock regarding Americans murdered outside of US consulate office in Juarez, Mexico.

This is the ONLY consulate in Mexico that processes K-3's, which means my husband and I will HAVE to go there....

Why would US continue to have an operating consulate in the murder capitol of the world?

How can the US require me to put myself and my family in danger to complete my petition?

First, you are not on a K3 visa path. K3 is dead. Your I-130 will take you down the CR1 visa path.

Only the beneficiary is required to go to Juarez

Because the Consular staff can live in the USA (El Paso, TX) and commute to work every day.

You may choose not to immigrate to the USA. Nobody is requiring you to do so. There are lots of things people find inconvenient, distasteful and even dangerous during the US immigration process all over the world. For example, my wife and daughter live relatively close to the only US Consulate in all of China, that processes family based visas. It was only a 14 hour overnight train ride followed by negotiating the maze of pick-pockets and other scum at the Guangzhou East train station. For some in China it's three full days or more on the train and they need to stay in GUZ for a week or ten days.

It sounds like you are well informed about what's ahead and you have months to make the needed preparations and arrange for any precautions. I suggest you use your energy to that end as the circumstances will not change.

[Rob and Jill 82]

Dangerous Cities

There are dangerous cities all over the world. Embassies are there to protect American citizens and give aid to Americans in foreign countries as well as processing Visas. I know we are all a little one sighteded when it comes to these places because most of us here just consider whether or not these employees in these countries will let our loved ones come home to us. These places are necessary to do as much as possible to try and ensure the safety of Americans in other countries.

I can understand completely why you are nervous and scared now, but the Embassy didn't do this. Some psycho did it, or worse a group of psychos did it. I agree it is not a great decision to go running off into an area after something like this has happened (and the travel warnings have been issued for that area), but you make a choice to live with the fear of walking out your front door in the morning, or doing what you need/want to do to have your loved one here.

The only place you had listed as a location is Phoenix. The link aboce has Phoenix listed as one of the top 10 most deadly cities in 2003, and different bits of other information I found about it gave it pretty bad ratings too. Danger is everywhere, Pine Bluff is in Arkansas and it is listed in the link above. I just noticed Little Rock is on there too and I go to Little Rock EVERY DAY. I've been there and I am still breathing. Control your fear, don't let it control you...and if you're still really freaked out hire a body guard for the day. The peace of mind might make it worth it.

Edited March 16, 2010 by Rob and Jill

[Lia792 5]

To the OP: I wrote to my Senator this morning as Kathryn mentioned, and I suggest you do too. Hopefully it will have some effect.

The Ciudad Juarez embassy is the only immigrant visa post in Mexico. There are many other more desireable cities as I have mentioned before in various other posts. Mexico City would be ideal, as Mexico is a centralized country. Ciudad Juarez ranks among the most dangerous cities in the world and according to the news yesterday, is the largest US embassy in the world. Not only were 3 family members of consulate workers (including 1 consulate worker) killed close to the consulate, but there have been shootings mentioned at the Denny's and other restaurants on the same street in broad daylight. I live in Mexico, and the rest of the country has violence, but nothing compared to that. ANY other city would be preferrible to Juarez.

[pushbrk 12,143]

To the OP: I wrote to my Senator this morning as Kathryn mentioned, and I suggest you do too. Hopefully it will have some effect.

The Ciudad Juarez embassy is the only immigrant visa post in Mexico. There are many other more desireable cities as I have mentioned before in various other posts. Mexico City would be ideal, as Mexico is a centralized country. Ciudad Juarez ranks among the most dangerous cities in the world and according to the news yesterday, is the largest US embassy in the world. Not only were 3 family members of consulate workers (including 1 consulate worker) killed close to the consulate, but there have been shootings mentioned at the Denny's and other restaurants on the same street in broad daylight. I live in Mexico, and the rest of the country has violence, but nothing compared to that. ANY other city would be preferrible to Juarez.

Juarez has a Consulate. The only Embassy is in Mexico City. To conduct interviews for family based visas, requires a fully staffed Immigrant Visa unit and established relationships with panel physicians be in place. Effecting such a change even after the long process of deciding to do so would take quite some time. Anybody in process now needs to make preparations to complete their visa process in Juarez or abandon it for a long time.

[Lia792 5]

Pushbrk, you are being quite rude. Nobody said they were not going to Juarez. Our loved ones are all going to put their lives in danger and walk across a street where people get shot on a daily basis and where the US tells its own citizens it is not safe to be. We all know what it takes to put together an Immigrant Visa section, and the US should long ago have moved that part from Ciudad Juarez instead of just recently building a new "consulate." If you don't have anything helpful to say besides flippant comments about not having to come to the US, you should not post. Next time I'm going to report you.

I quote the TOS: you agree that when using the service you will not: Make comments in a Post either direct or implied toward another member that are purposely designed to upset, antagonize, make fun of, belittle, or otherwise instigate an argument that takes away from the personal enjoyment of the Service by other users.

[pushbrk 12,143]

Pushbrk, you are being quite rude. Nobody said they were not going to Juarez. Our loved ones are all going to put their lives in danger and walk across a street where people get shot on a daily basis and where the US tells its own citizens it is not safe to be. We all know what it takes to put together an Immigrant Visa section, and the US should long ago have moved that part from Ciudad Juarez instead of just recently building a new "consulate." If you don't have anything helpful to say besides flippant comments about not having to come to the US, you should not post. Next time I'm going to report you.

I quote the TOS: you agree that when using the service you will not: Make comments in a Post either direct or implied toward another member that are purposely designed to upset, antagonize, make fun of, belittle, or otherwise instigate an argument that takes away from the personal enjoyment of the Service by other users.

There is no TOS violation or anything even close in my post. It's not argumentative in the least. It is an explanation of the facts posted to assist any reader with interest in setting appropriate expectations. Your reply, on the other hand is off-topic and inappropriate as well as designed to upset, antagonize and instigate and argument that takes away from the personal enjoyment of the Service by others. As such your post, IMO, IS in violation of the TOS.

[rushica03 2]

Pushbrk, you are being quite rude. Nobody said they were not going to Juarez. Our loved ones are all going to put their lives in danger and walk across a street where people get shot on a daily basis and where the US tells its own citizens it is not safe to be. We all know what it takes to put together an Immigrant Visa section, and the US should long ago have moved that part from Ciudad Juarez instead of just recently building a new "consulate." If you don't have anything helpful to say besides flippant comments about not having to come to the US, you should not post. Next time I'm going to report you.

I quote the TOS: you agree that when using the service you will not: Make comments in a Post either direct or implied toward another member that are purposely designed to upset, antagonize, make fun of, belittle, or otherwise instigate an argument that takes away from the personal enjoyment of the Service by other users.

Lia thanks for responding as I could not have said it better myself.

Pushbrk making your concerns heard is the only way change will take place. I wrote my senator and congressman to question why when there are plenty of other consulates is this the ONLY one we have the option to go to. I will be going with my fiance' to his interview in Juarez as I am aware there will not be a change anytime soon, but would love to see a change in the future for others that will have to go through the same process.

[pushbrk 12,143]

Lia thanks for responding as I could not have said it better myself.

Pushbrk making your concerns heard is the only way change will take place. I wrote my senator and congressman to question why when there are plenty of other consulates is this the ONLY one we have the option to go to. I will be going with my fiance' to his interview in Juarez as I am aware there will not be a change anytime soon, but would love to see a change in the future for others that will have to go through the same process.

I have not criticized you for making your concerns known. I'm advising you that doing so will have no impact on your own case and have explained why. Beyond that, you're preaching to the choir.

Edited March 17, 2010 by pushbrk

[TBoneTX 43,191]

Without denigrating anyone else, I agree with pushbrk's evaluation of this little tiff. Furthermore, it has become known today (see reliable newspapers) that the assassinations "near" the consulate (really near the POE) of the consular employee and her husband were almost certainly mistaken identity, due to similarity between cars. Americans are typically NOT targets of the cartel assassinations, certainly not in the tourist areas during daylight.