Proposed Restrictions on Parents/Family Members

[John & Annie 0]

I personally don't believe the myth of dreaded "chain migration". I've read a lot of articles on this subject and I've yet to see a statistic on the percentage of immigrants whose families follow them. Until I see such, I remain unconvinced that chain migration is a "problem".

For those that have come here legally, played by all the rules, and paid all the fees - I believe it's patently unfair to close the door against their native family.

It may very well be that many nations have immigration systems that favor skill and education of the intending immigrant over familial relationships. That argument doesn't wash with me when the same bill quashing familial ties in favor of skills/education also creates a special visa class for those who have only enough skills/education to pick vegetables and sweep floors.

I tend to agree with you RJ.

One thing to throw in the mix is that they are not throwing this away. They are changing the structure. From what I understand it can take 10 years to petition for a person to come over. By changing to the point system it includes everyone who is not a sponsored employee.

We do not yet know what value they will place on "family ties". I think if we focus our energy on creating a higher value on family ties, it would then be easier to get family over.

For example a person with "family ties" to the US should have a higher value than say an unskilled worker.

I am trying to look at this in a unbiased manner. This new change does have the potential to make it easier. Plus separating the "parental visa" takes this sub group out from the competing people.

IMO

[mawilson 2,133]

Yes, Health insurance for immigrating parents over 65 is a major issue.

They cannot get a proper cover before they complete 5 years in US (when they can buy medicare.)

Buy Medicare? What do you mean, buy? Isn't Medicare something all U.S. citizens are entitled to,

once they reach a certain age?

What about Medicaid?

[Kez/JWolf 6]

Yes, Health insurance for immigrating parents over 65 is a major issue.

They cannot get a proper cover before they complete 5 years in US (when they can buy medicare.)

Buy Medicare? What do you mean, buy? Isn't Medicare something all U.S. citizens are entitled to,

once they reach a certain age?

What about Medicaid?

You have to have paid 40 quarters into the Medicare program to claim medicare when you reach 65 or become disabled.... that works out to be 10 years worth of work.... if you do not have 40 quarters you can buy medicare coverage on a sliding scale depending on how many quarters you have....

Kez

[mawilson 2,133]

You have to have paid 40 quarters into the Medicare program to claim medicare when you reach 65 or become disabled.... that works out to be 10 years worth of work.... if you do not have 40 quarters you can buy medicare coverage on a sliding scale depending on how many quarters you have....

Kez

Ah....I see. That makes sense.

What about Medicaid so? Can you qualify if you claim no income?

[Kez/JWolf 6]

My understanding is that Medicaid is one of the state benefits that your sponsor would be asked to pay back... if you claimed it...

Kez

[mawilson 2,133]

My understanding is that Medicaid is one of the state benefits that your sponsor would be asked to pay back... if you claimed it...

How would the state even know that I had a sponsor?

Also, doesn't the sponsorship obligation end when the sponsored alien naturalizes?

[Yodrak 7]

mawilson,

Yes.

Yodrak

..... doesn't the sponsorship obligation end when the sponsored alien naturalizes?

[mawilson 2,133]

mawilson,

Yes.

Yodrak

In that case, one could apply for Medicaid, no?

[Yodrak 7]

Kez,

I believe that a married person can be credited with their spouses quarters as well as their own, which could shorten the time to 5 years if both are working. And stay married. The accounting is done when the need arises, so a spouse's quarters are lost if a divorce comes before the accounting.

Yodrak

You have to have paid 40 quarters into the Medicare program to claim medicare when you reach 65 or become disabled.... that works out to be 10 years worth of work.... if you do not have 40 quarters you can buy medicare coverage on a sliding scale depending on how many quarters you have....

Kez

[Boiler 43,708]

Most of the US Healthcare systems are pretty basic, I know too many people with major financial issues with insurance. You need money as well, lots of it, or best of all do not get sick.

I have so far avoided a Doctor for 3 years, annual checks accepted. Certainly not something could put my parents through who do have medical issues, I have another year before I could sponsor them anyway.

I have read a bit about the MA scheme, there are issues with it, it will be interesting to see how it develops.

I can only say where I am this is not on anybodys agenda, the cost implications for a State budget are very large.

I have also read a bit about the CA proposal, but the numbers made no long term sense. If CA could make it work, perhaps it would be possible.

Actually that is part f the problem, it is a National not State issue.

With the US economy the way it is, just can not see it happening.

[c_mat 0]

c_mat,

I have no problem with this change in emphasis.

I know a lot of immigrants - my present circle of friends and acquaintences is more immigrant that native born - and none of them necessarily want to be bring family members to the USA. Their immediate family is here, and they can visit their other family members back home as easily as I can visit my other family members on the opposite coast of the USA. (Which is not to say how easy it is, only that it's somewhat comparable.)

Nor do their families of the immigrants I know want to emmigrate to the USA. They are perfectly happy living in their own country. And I am not talking about 'rich, 1st-world' countries. They are suited to their own lifestyle, and recognize that they might not be suited to the American lifestyle. Happy to visit or be visited, but wouldn't want to live here.

True enough, though, close family ties are a key part of many cultures, and many families want to stay close. Which always causes me 2nd thoughts in such cases - why one member would want to break away, and then once they have broken away 'family reunification' suddenly becomes a major issue in their life. Is there a motive here somewhere to get one family member into the USA, and use that one to get the rest of the family here as well?

Yodrak

For those of you who will be becoming citizens soon and would like to bring parents or adult children to the US in the future, please read "Proposed Restrictions on Parents" in the General Citizens Bringing Family Members to US forum. The new immigration bill that was approved by the Senate, while trying to resolve the illegal immigration problem, puts a severe cap on visas for parents, siblings and adult children of US citizens. The new guidelines put a greater emphasis on work/efficiency skills and English proficiency rather than on family ties. Based on the capping, parents and children may have to wait several years before they can get PR. What is more, if they do apply for PR, they maybe denied visit visas for that period until they have received the GC ( which could be greater than 5-10 years or more). For those of us, who think this is a serious concern, we cannot let the bill pas in the current form. My wife and I have already sent letters to Sentaor Kennedy, and several other people on the forum mentioned above are also doing so.

Just wanted to keep my friends on this forum updated as well.

Thanks,

c_mat

Yodrak and others, thanks for the response. I think I agree with you that there are some who may want to come to the US for not so very 'noble' reasons and then use every means possible to get the rest of their families here. However, the point is not the motivation of these individuals. USCIS will weed that out, but the very concept of limiting the rights of US "citizens". This is unacceptable. According to the Constitution, the "pursuit of happiness" is fundamental right of every US citizen, and this must logically include in most peoples cases a "unification of their families", even if some do not care about their families. I understand if someone is here on a visa, etc, there are certain limitations, which are well within the Law, but why boundaries for US citizens? That is unlawful. When the first immigrants came here from various countries, they did not all come here by themselves, though many did in the waves of the 20th century, but they came with their whole families.

For anyone who says that the US must not allow people in who cannot produce a certain amount of efficiency, who are they to judge others ? If someone is handicapped and is a child of a US citizen, they should not be allowed to live with their parents? Or if they are mentally ill? Or has polio? This is not saving the economy! But eugenics! In the 20th century Hitler employed eugenics to weed out the sick, elderly, mentally ill, handicapped and of course many Jews! I am surprised that someone would say this today, but why should I, when individuals no longer place value on human lives! (In response to quote from UK).

I understand that they are trying to put this cap because if they let 12 million illegal people become legal, they are going to have to do something about the families. But I would rather send them back home than separate their families, because guess what, its never going to happen! Either the government will let the families come in or they will come here illegally again.

Whatever the case, the decision to provide for your parents in their old age is a matter of conscience. "Honor your father and mother" is the first of the 10 commandments with a promise attached to it, "that you may live long". If I am a citizen of a country and my country does not allow me to freely follow the dictates of my conscience, then it is morally wrong, especially in a country like the United States, which was founded on the precept that "Congress shall not restrain the free exercise of 'religion'". Not every one who immigrates to the US and becomes a citizen does so for nefarious purposes. Some come here as refugees, others are married to US citizens, some come here to better their lives. If the Government thinks anyone worthy of making them a US citizen, they have no right to restrict any of the fundamental rights of these same citizens. The Constitution prohibits it.

[Kajikit 65]

I'm from a well-off country, college-educated and an English-speaker from birth, and if I had to get through under the points system do you know how many points I'd have? Thirty-three! My brother would have even less because he never finished his college degree and he does low-paid clerical work... he doesn't particularly WANT to move to the US but if he was to change his mind the points system means I can kiss seeing him again goodbye forever instead of just for ten years or so.

A major reason I came to the US instead of my fiance moving to Australia was the fact that Australia uses a points system for immigrants and John couldn't scrape up enough points to qualify to get in unless we were already married and I was sponsoring him (and since I don't work I was and am ineligable to be a sponsor...) Australia's excuse for being so hard on potential immigrants is the expense of maintaining their social welfare system and the limited resources of a very dry and isolated country... I don't see what America's excuse is at all.

[Yodrak 7]

Kajikit,

I'm from a well-off country, college-educated and an English-speaker from birth, and if I had to get through under the points system do you know how many points I'd have? Thirty-three! My brother would have even less because he never finished his college degree and he does low-paid clerical work... he doesn't particularly WANT to move to the US but if he was to change his mind the points system means I can kiss seeing him again goodbye forever instead of just for ten years or so.

Forever? Neither of you could visit the other?

A major reason I came to the US instead of my fiance moving to Australia was the fact that Australia uses a points system for immigrants and John couldn't scrape up enough points to qualify to get in unless we were already married and I was sponsoring him (and since I don't work I was and am ineligable to be a sponsor...) Australia's excuse for being so hard on potential immigrants is the expense of maintaining their social welfare system and the limited resources of a very dry and isolated country... I don't see what America's excuse is at all.

The expense of maintaining the social welfare system, which is why your husband had to sponsor you.

Yodrak

Edited June 5, 2007 by Yodrak

[Kez/JWolf 6]

I am an only child and I hope to be able to sponsor my parents to move here once I am a citizen.... I could not just turn my back on my parents in their final days.... I would like them to be comfortable and have me around them all the time not just for 6 weeks twice a year...

Some of you have said that it should be down to the other family members to look after elderly parents but what if there is no other family.... should I beexpected to give up my home and my life here in the US to move back to my parents so that they can have the care that they should have and are not left to die alone????

Kez

[mawilson 2,133]

Forever? Neither of you could visit the other?

Yodrak,

Not when a return ticket costs $2,500.

mawilson