Losing faith

[Al422 221]

Wow. The lack of compassion for those less fortunate boggles my mind. I would gladly give up a few measley months of my time to take care of those whose circumstances are dire. What a sad display.

Charity begins at home. I take care of me first (and my fiance of course, assuming I get this visa before one of us dies of old age).

Then, AFTER me and mine are taken care of, I worry about charity cases.

Maybe I am cold and hard, but I didn't get to where I am in the world by being warm and soft. So I offer no apologies for my attitude, and I will continue to do everything in my power to get my visa ahead of these charity cases.

As for those who really believe the charity cases should go first, you should all write to BCIS and ask them to put your files at the back of the line and not process them until the charity cases are finished.

Now how many of you will actually do that?

[Al422 221]

Now, Krikit, I could not help notice that your visa journey is already completed. So none of this Hatian charity stuff affects you in any way. I wonder if you would feel differently if it was YOUR life that was placed on hold and not MINE. Maybe if the shoe were on the other foot, you would not be so quick to criticize.

[Blob18 111]

Wow. The lack of compassion for those less fortunate boggles my mind. I would gladly give up a few measley months of my time to take care of those whose circumstances are dire. What a sad display.

Is it my problem that a hurricane hit them after an earthquake? Is it my problem that their government was given over a billion dollars which 'disappeared'?

No it is not. As others have said Charity starts at home. Take care of your own first. Like EVERY OTHER COUNTRY does.

Why do we need to give them TPS? Why not Mexico? Why not Cuba? Why not the countless countries of South America?

Would you be willing to give up your job for one of them? Let them stay in your home? Give them your food and money? If not, don't go judging others as less compassionate.

---------------

Also these people have not been waiting over a year, the processing time for a TPS is 3 months. They have been getting loads of these TPS's ever since the earthquake and hurricane. Checking the VSC trend chart on USCIS you can see a HUGE spike in those filed in August and September. Which is what they are focusing on right now.

Now, Krikit, I could not help notice that your visa journey is already completed. So none of this Hatian charity stuff affects you in any way. I wonder if you would feel differently if it was YOUR life that was placed on hold and not MINE. Maybe if the shoe were on the other foot, you would not be so quick to criticize.

It's all the same with everyone whos finished the journey. They somehow 'forget' the long waits and problems they themselves had and feel like the process went by so quickly. Most of them probably didn't even have their process put on hold nor did their service center not come to a complete stop on K-1s

Edited December 8, 2010 by Blob18

[Al422 221]

OK, I just took some action.

Here is the letter I wrote to my Congress Member:

(personal data redacted)

-------------------------------------------

Dear Congressman *******

I am a petitioner to the BCIS for a K-1 fiance visa for my beloved fiance, Elena ********.

I started to consider the possibility that something was wrong when BCIS took an inordinate amount of time to issue my NOA2, a document that in the past was issued in 4 to 6 weeks.

I then did some research and learned that BCIS now has a misguided policy that is causing substantial harm to all American citizens looking to bring their fiances and spouses home, where they belong, on a K-1 or K-3 petition.

It turns out that BCIS has decided to put processing of all K-1s and K-3s on hold indefinitely so they can instead process charitable applications for immigration from residents of Haiti whose lives were affected by the recent weather events there.

I am not suggesting that the United States should abandon its fine tradition of compassion towards people in other lands who are suffering, but compassion has its limits, and when American citizens are being harmed, those limits have been reached.

A K-1 and K-3 visa application is special. It is special because the Constitutional right of the American citizen applicant to marry as he sees fit and his Constitutional right to expect expedient service from his government are involved. This hold on American citizen petitions while these charity based petitions are being processed has denied these American citizen applicants these rights for months and months on end, with no conclusion in sight.

Until these petitions are processed, the American citizen applicants cannot marry as they see fit and cannot cohabit with their fiances or spouses as they see fit. And the spouses and fiances we love so dearly are denied their right to live in the homes that are rightfully theirs and instead remain trapped in their countries of origin. This is an unacceptable loss of our basic rights as American citizens, and as a citizen and your constituent, I wish to go on record as being opposed to this summary deprivation of our rights by BCIS.

Charitable petitions are a wonderful work of American compassion in action, but these petitions simply must take a back seat to the exercise of the basic rights of American citizens, as all charitable work must take a similar back seat.

I therefore wish for you, my elected representative, to take whatever actions are possible to correct this well intentioned but severely misguided policy of BCIS, to get them to put things in the correct order, and to respect the rights of American citizen K-1 and K-3 applicants to have their petitions processed first, before any consideration is given to any foreign individual, Hatian or otherwise, for the extraordinary privilege of immigrating to our great nation.

I thank you for your kind courtesy and consideration.

Yours truly,

Al****** **********

----------------------------------------------------------

Of course one voice is not nearly as loud as a chorus of voices. So who is with me? Who will write a similar letter to your Congress Member? If you are not a good letter writer, please feel free to cut and paste mine.

We need as many voices as we can on this campaign. We need to show BCIS that we are not going to tolerate this abuse any more. And the more voices we have, the more likely it is we will be noticed.

Please, all of you: Stop playing nicey nice. Stand up for your rights and take action!

So I repeat: WHO IS WITH ME?

[Afrikan Queen 11]

But that does not mean that we all have to deal with it in the same way.

Very well said. However, don't hurt yourself in the process.

[KiwiBird 132]

Hi Kiwi- I read the whole thread and it's so great that you choose to stay so optimistic throughout this process. Just a thought though, maybe in a thread called "Losing faith" people aren't looking for encouragement but instead are looking to discuss their frustrations and the fact that they are losing faith.

I just figured that those that are 'losing faith' are the ones that need to hear "It will get better, and soon.." the most!

Which.. it will. It will get better. We'll all get processed in time.

[sachinky 464]

Until these petitions are processed, the American citizen applicants cannot marry as they see fit and cannot cohabit with their fiances or spouses as they see fit. And the spouses and fiances we love so dearly are denied their right to live in the homes that are rightfully theirs and instead remain trapped in their countries of origin. This is an unacceptable loss of our basic rights as American citizens...

While I feel your pain I must point out a correction. While it is your constitutional right to get married to whomever you please, immigration is NOT a constitutionally guaranteed right and therefore, the foreign spouse has NO 'inherent right' to be here in the US. It is a PRIVILEGE accorded to United States Citizens by the U.S. government to have their loved ones live with them and be able to work, etc.

And no, I've not "forgotten" my wait and how truly heartwrenching it was -- it is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. But frankly speaking, you're not the first person and you certainly won't be the last person, to author outraged letters to Congressmen -- just don't expect much to come out of it. Legal immigration, unfortunately, is not a 'hot issue' on the agenda.

Best of luck to you. I hope you get your NOA2 soon!

[Al422 221]

While I feel your pain I must point out a correction. While it is your constitutional right to get married to whomever you please, immigration is NOT a constitutionally guaranteed right and therefore, the foreign spouse has NO 'inherent right' to be here in the US. It is a PRIVILEGE accorded to United States Citizens by the U.S. government to have their loved ones live with them and be able to work, etc.

And no, I've not "forgotten" my wait and how truly heartwrenching it was -- it is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. But frankly speaking, you're not the first person and you certainly won't be the last person, to author outraged letters to Congressmen -- just don't expect much to come out of it. Legal immigration, unfortunately, is not a 'hot issue' on the agenda.

Best of luck to you. I hope you get your NOA2 soon!

If nothing else comes of it, at least I can look at myself in the mirror and like what I see. Instead of laying down like a lamb being led to slaughter, I did something. I spoke up for my rights. And I feel a lot better for it.

I thought my letter was well tempered and showed no anger, despite the rage I feel at this blatant and callous disregard of our basic rights. I can understand volume of petitions by American citizens slowing things down, but to give priority to foreign charity cases and make hard working, taxpaying, fee paying American citizens wait because if it makes my blood boil more than you can possibly imagine.

[JlovesA 109]

OK, I just took some action.

Here is the letter I wrote to my Congress Member:

(personal data redacted)

Your Congress Member is not going to know what an NOA2 is...it's strictly a VJ term. Just a head's up so you can hopefully change it before you send it.

[Al422 221]

Just one more post and I will leave this thread alone.

I feel good now, having stood up for my rights, and I don't want to screw that up.

I just want to make my position clear: Americans have a right to K-1s and K-3s. But foreign charity cases have no rights and only a slender, fragile privilege based on our good graces.

I have no problem waiting in line behind hard working, taxpaying, fee paying American citizens who filed before I did and have a right to their approvals before I get mine.

But to push all of us aside to process foreign charity cases is an outrage of epic proportion. BCIS has no right to even remotely consider giving foreign charity cases the slightest slither of consideration while as few as one American is waiting for a K-1 or K-3.

I'll be back here when I get the NOA2 that I am entitled to or when my Congress Member gets me some results.

Bye for now.

[KiwiBird 132]

It's going to be a long two months for you.

I do hope they hurry, for your health's sake. Being so angry all the time can raise the blood pressure! *sends calming vibes your way*

Oh, and I must applaud you. That letter clearly gets the point across. Very well written!

Edited December 9, 2010 by KiwiBird

[Ban Hammer 12,901]

Now, Krikit, I could not help notice that your visa journey is already completed. So none of this Hatian charity stuff affects you in any way. I wonder if you would feel differently if it was YOUR life that was placed on hold and not MINE. Maybe if the shoe were on the other foot, you would not be so quick to criticize.

funny how you noticed her visa journey is complete yet didn't notice she's a moderator and decided to fire a few rounds in her direction.

[REINITA♥REY 8]

In my opinion all July filers should contact their Congressman (Hell everyone should) and have them bombard USCIS with inquries as to what the hell is going on and why U.S. citizens interests are put on the backburner.

I'm sure if they recieve enough heat things will change...way it usually works in government.

AGREED!!!!

[feg 1]

I just have called USCIS and i spoke with a very nice gentleman who advise me that if I have not received a notice by dec/23 to give them a call back !!! If you beleave your five months are over call them to see what they can do for you ! I will wait to DEC/23 to give them a call back !!! Good Lucjk !!

It is a good new, Hope on dec 23rd we can get our NOA2!!

[feg 1]

Why shouldn't they whine? 10 months is ridiculous. I've said it before and I'll say it again...your "friends'" case is not the norm, stop pushing it on people like it is.

Feg, I know the process sucks. This fall, CSC completely stopped processing I-129Fs and none of us knew why. It's so hard to wait but your NOA2 IS coming and it'll be even sweeter when it does arrive. Once you get that, the rest of the process moves a lot quicker.

Thank you so much for your comment I apreciate it! So just keep waiting with all the hope!!