5 Things I've Learnt About the US Immigration Process

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

The point of my post is that the secrecy is wrong. No amount of national security concerns can posiibly justify this 21st Century Star Chamber. Even the terrorists at Guantanamo get to face their accusers and state their cases.

Every US court, quasi court and administrative tribunal is open, at least to the people involved, if not to the public. Every one that is, except two: The State Department and USCIS. Funny how you should mention North Korea and Russia because these two agencies act like they have been trained by Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin. And they get away with it, right under our noses, in the greatest democracy in the world.

Why is that?

Well, I do think the US is a pretty great country, but there are other great countries too, and I don't think the unbridled patriotism really helps or is meaningful in this context.

In the US, we have a right to a fair trial, but we do not have a right to immigration. The alien is the one that is approved or denied a visa, not the USC. Those two reasons are part of the reasons why the "client" cannot always get all the facts of their decision immediately.

The process is opaque, and that is frustrating in an instant-gratification over-exposure to meaningless noise world. But you will be approved, and all will be well. I believe you already have been approved.

Not that I defend USCIS, but the more you learn about the process, the more you understand how these things came to be. My only real criticism is that it should be somewhat faster.

[Al422 221]

We have a right to due process, guaranteed by the 5th Amendment. And that right extends to aliens who use our tribunals too. Now how can a 21st Century Star Chamber possibly be considered due process? The entire process should be as transparent as glass. Due process demands nothing less.

BTW yes we have been approved. That was a week ago. And for the past 8 days the file has been collecting dust, untouched by anyone, while others who were approved around the same time rocketed right past us. How is this due process?

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

We have a right to due process, guaranteed by the 5th Amendment. And that right extends to aliens who use our tribunals too. Now how can a 21st Century Star Chamber possibly be considered due process? The entire process should be as transparent as glass. Due process demands nothing less.

BTW yes we have been approved. That was a week ago. And for the past 8 days the file has been collecting dust, untouched by anyone, while others who were approved around the same time rocketed right past us. How is this due process?

Did you listen earlier when I said .................. that if you understood the family immigration systems of other countries better, you might be proud of ours? Were you listening?

For the record, I'm not just talking about North Korea here.

You didn't have to prove you earn more money than 50 percent of the population.

Once she gets here, it won't take her five years to get permanent residency.

You won't have to pay the equivalent of $5000 USD for her to gain permanent residency.

She won't have to take an English language test to be granted residency.

If you need an apartment, in the US it's illegal to discrimate due to ethnicity. In this other country, you can't send her out hunting for a family home. Landlords will hang up the phone on her because she's accented. They have been appointed by the government to ascertain if someone is legally present in the country or else they will be fined. So instead - they just don't talk to anyone who doesn't have a local accent.

She'll have a document that proves she's authorized to work. Instead of employers just turning her away because the immigration status of people in that country is too complex to be bothered to learn.

Guess which country this is? Go on. I bet you can't even come close to guessing correctly.

Edited May 28, 2014 by Rebecca Jo

[NikLR 13,220]

We have a right to due process, guaranteed by the 5th Amendment. And that right extends to aliens who use our tribunals too. Now how can a 21st Century Star Chamber possibly be considered due process? The entire process should be as transparent as glass. Due process demands nothing less.

BTW yes we have been approved. That was a week ago. And for the past 8 days the file has been collecting dust, untouched by anyone, while others who were approved around the same time rocketed right past us. How is this due process?

No it shouldn't be. It deals with national security. Find me a country in the world that has a clear as glass national security system and I'll call "bullsh*t"

USCIS - United States Citizenship and immigration services is part of WHAT department in the government?

It should be faster, and we should know what "generally" goes on, but we do generally know what goes on and it's faster than it used to be. I can only hope it gets faster as it progresses.

**/double post edited**

Edited May 29, 2014 by NLR

[Al422 221]

No it shouldn't be. It deals with national security. Find me a country in the world that has a clear as glass national security system and I'll call "bullsh*t"

USCIS - United States Citizenship and immigration services is part of WHAT department in the government?

It should be faster, and we should know what "generally" goes on, but we do generally know what goes on and it's faster than it used to be. I can only hope it gets faster as it progresses.

**/double post edited**

Yeah and I see USCIS is doing a great job of it too. Just ask the victims of the Bostom Marathon bombing how well USCIS keeps terrrorists out. Or perhaps you would like to ask the families of the September 11 victims. What about the almost victims of the shoe bomber or the underwear bomber or the TImes Square bomber? Our "secure" government let all of these terrorists in with arms open and eyes closed. So please don't lecture me on how great our security is.

Edited May 29, 2014 by Al422

[Dualie 185]

Made me smile!

[f&c 50]

We have a right to due process, guaranteed by the 5th Amendment. And that right extends to aliens who use our tribunals too. Now how can a 21st Century Star Chamber possibly be considered due process? The entire process should be as transparent as glass. Due process demands nothing less.

BTW yes we have been approved. That was a week ago. And for the past 8 days the file has been collecting dust, untouched by anyone, while others who were approved around the same time rocketed right past us. How is this due process?

The 5th (not counting the public domain part) and 6th Amendments only apply to criminal cases.

[Al422 221]

The 5th (not counting the public domain part) and 6th Amendments only apply to criminal cases.

Not so. Due process is a right in civil court cases as well as cases before administrative tribunals.

[NikLR 13,220]

Yeah and I see USCIS is doing a great job of it too. Just ask the victims of the Bostom Marathon bombing how well USCIS keeps terrrorists out. Or perhaps you would like to ask the families of the September 11 victims. What about the almost victims of the shoe bomber or the underwear bomber or the TImes Square bomber? Our "secure" government let all of these terrorists in with arms open and eyes closed. So please don't lecture me on how great our security is.

You understand that the Department of Homeland Security was created AFTER 9/11 right?

Not so. Due process is a right in civil court cases as well as cases before administrative tribunals.

This is not a court case.

FYI - I am not the American in this case. It's your government, not mine.

<<<<< Please note the member title. <<<<<

<EOM>

[f&c 50]

Not so. Due process is a right in civil court cases as well as cases before administrative tribunals.

I stand corrected.

[Kiwinyc 62]

I don't see the US process as being any better or worse than that of the UK, or Australia, or New Zealand, three countries that I'm most familiar with. I went through the spouse visa, marriage, permanent residence and citizenship process in the UK, and the citizenship process in Australia.

Every country has its boxes to tick, its hoops to jump through. I don't see what 'due process' has to do with any of this.

There is nothing mysterious about the USCIS processses.

Fill out the forms, provide the required evidence and you'll get the outcome you expect.

[Krikit 1,163]

Don't forget the travel and hotel costs for the medical exam!

Yeah and I see USCIS is doing a great job of it too. Just ask the victims of the Bostom Marathon bombing how well USCIS keeps terrrorists out. Or perhaps you would like to ask the families of the September 11 victims. What about the almost victims of the shoe bomber or the underwear bomber or the TImes Square bomber? Our "secure" government let all of these terrorists in with arms open and eyes closed. So please don't lecture me on how great our security is.

I'm confused. You're complaining that the government is not doing a great job of keeping terrorists out yet you want them to make the security checks and processes faster and easier?

Oh and, for the record, the US is not "the greatest country in the world."