unitednations
02-22 02:12 PM
To all Experts/Gurus, please advice on this issue.
I hold a H-1B status as well as I-485 Adjustment of Status Pending.
I am the primary applicant in this Eb-2 petition PD July 2006. I am with the same employer for the past four years and they are the sponsor of the green card petition as well.
I have got admit to PhD in EECS at MIT (Top program in US) and would like to pursue that option.
1. Can i continue full time PhD on my I-485 pending visa status? The PhD will be a natural progression of my current research job with my employer.
2. Do i need to change to a F-1 Visa? From what i understand, I think one cannot change from I-485 to F-1.
3. From what i understand, i can keep my I-485 pending status while doing full time study provided i have an offer from my current employer/other employer willing to hire me upon approval of the I-485. Is this correct?
4. Regarding the procedure to do this, do i need to get an offer in writing from my current employer/future employer before i start the full time study? Or do i need to get this written offer from the employer if and when i receive an RFE from USCIS?
5. Do i need to proactively invoke AC21 for doing this and let USCIS know?
6. How long do i need to stay with the employer once my I-485 is approved? I hear 6 months as a good period.
7. If the I-485 gets approved in the middle of a semester, how soon do i need to start working for the employer?
8. Any other creative ideas to sail through this like keep engagement with current employer say by consulting few hours a week etc.?
9. Do i have any realistic chance of I-485 approval before September 2009? From the recent infopass, i was told that name check, FP check, background check are done but my FP have expired. I was told that i will receive a FP notice but i don't know when.
These might have already been discussed in previous threads, but i would appreciate response from experts/gurus.
Thanks.
You can't change from 485 status to F-1 within the country. You can only change from non immigrant to another non immigrant visa within the country.
If you wanted to get on F-1; you would have to go for visa stamping and re-enter on F-1. However, consulate probably wouldn't give you F-1 since you have shown immigrant intent. Even if they somehow gave it to you; then uscis would deny your 485 eventually by entering on F-1 visa.
You can go full time to school while 485 is pending. You just have to be able to demonstrate that you have a permanent full time job waiting for you upon greencard approval (ie., AC21).
There was a legal case from a long time ago; where a person was getting sponsored for a particular position and he went to school full time for a totally irrelevant occupation to what he was getting sponsored for (he went to school to be a dentist). USCIS denied his case saying that they didn't believe his intent to go into the job since he was being trained/educated in a totally different field.
Long story short; was that it went to court and the candidate won...
If you want to put up with the inevitable hassles from uscis that you may get over doing this then go ahead. At the end you should prevail but USCIS likes for you to go through a bumpy road
I hold a H-1B status as well as I-485 Adjustment of Status Pending.
I am the primary applicant in this Eb-2 petition PD July 2006. I am with the same employer for the past four years and they are the sponsor of the green card petition as well.
I have got admit to PhD in EECS at MIT (Top program in US) and would like to pursue that option.
1. Can i continue full time PhD on my I-485 pending visa status? The PhD will be a natural progression of my current research job with my employer.
2. Do i need to change to a F-1 Visa? From what i understand, I think one cannot change from I-485 to F-1.
3. From what i understand, i can keep my I-485 pending status while doing full time study provided i have an offer from my current employer/other employer willing to hire me upon approval of the I-485. Is this correct?
4. Regarding the procedure to do this, do i need to get an offer in writing from my current employer/future employer before i start the full time study? Or do i need to get this written offer from the employer if and when i receive an RFE from USCIS?
5. Do i need to proactively invoke AC21 for doing this and let USCIS know?
6. How long do i need to stay with the employer once my I-485 is approved? I hear 6 months as a good period.
7. If the I-485 gets approved in the middle of a semester, how soon do i need to start working for the employer?
8. Any other creative ideas to sail through this like keep engagement with current employer say by consulting few hours a week etc.?
9. Do i have any realistic chance of I-485 approval before September 2009? From the recent infopass, i was told that name check, FP check, background check are done but my FP have expired. I was told that i will receive a FP notice but i don't know when.
These might have already been discussed in previous threads, but i would appreciate response from experts/gurus.
Thanks.
You can't change from 485 status to F-1 within the country. You can only change from non immigrant to another non immigrant visa within the country.
If you wanted to get on F-1; you would have to go for visa stamping and re-enter on F-1. However, consulate probably wouldn't give you F-1 since you have shown immigrant intent. Even if they somehow gave it to you; then uscis would deny your 485 eventually by entering on F-1 visa.
You can go full time to school while 485 is pending. You just have to be able to demonstrate that you have a permanent full time job waiting for you upon greencard approval (ie., AC21).
There was a legal case from a long time ago; where a person was getting sponsored for a particular position and he went to school full time for a totally irrelevant occupation to what he was getting sponsored for (he went to school to be a dentist). USCIS denied his case saying that they didn't believe his intent to go into the job since he was being trained/educated in a totally different field.
Long story short; was that it went to court and the candidate won...
If you want to put up with the inevitable hassles from uscis that you may get over doing this then go ahead. At the end you should prevail but USCIS likes for you to go through a bumpy road
wallpaper fuck yeah Ian Watkins amp;
webm
03-06 02:39 PM
yes EB3 India. I think when I look back, its just a matter of luck. Once it was RFE, second time I got a second finger printing and third time they just did'nt pick it up. But USCIS has been very promptful in approving my EADs and AP. I could be very well one of the oldest processing case sitting in the TSC shelf.
(1700 days)
We wish you get your GC soon.!!:)
(1700 days)
We wish you get your GC soon.!!:)
abimanyu
09-11 07:10 AM
My significant other's labor processing begain in DEC 2002, the application was made in Jan 2003, and it reached the Dallas BEC on July 2003, here labor was certified on Aug 2006, and we received notice from the lawyers day before yesterday. Now the next wait begins, for PD to become current.
It took 3 years for the 1st stage processing, maybe it will take another 6 years to complete the 2nd and 3rd stage processing. If this trend continues I might be ready to retire by the time the GC arrives.:)
After reading this, I was not sure whether that 140K included the Labour backlogs. I know the BECs have been a lot more active lately and have been pumping out approvals/denials more rapidly.
If infact 140K backlogs do include them, then perhaps that would be a good thing, since atleast then we can perhaps begin to get our arms around this and understand how long our waits will actually be.
One thing is for sure they have definitely stepped up the speed of things at the USCIS with other filings after retrogression hit.
It took 3 years for the 1st stage processing, maybe it will take another 6 years to complete the 2nd and 3rd stage processing. If this trend continues I might be ready to retire by the time the GC arrives.:)
After reading this, I was not sure whether that 140K included the Labour backlogs. I know the BECs have been a lot more active lately and have been pumping out approvals/denials more rapidly.
If infact 140K backlogs do include them, then perhaps that would be a good thing, since atleast then we can perhaps begin to get our arms around this and understand how long our waits will actually be.
One thing is for sure they have definitely stepped up the speed of things at the USCIS with other filings after retrogression hit.
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kaisersose
07-27 02:37 PM
Hi All,
Has anybody used this Freedom of Information Act to obtain the information. I was going over the Form G-639 and it looks like they are asking for couple of information which I don't have and I am not sure if my employer will provide (Thats the sole reason why I want to use this act).The form is asking for the Alien Registration # and Petition #. I dont have them. Also for the information needed to search what needs to be mentioned if I need to get a copy of my Labour certification (Not sure If I could get that ) and my I-140 related documents say (Receipt Notice/Approval Notice). Any advise/input on this is highly appreciated.
Thanks.
You really do not need your labor certificate. You do not need the A# as it is optional. Leave it blank.
You however need to have the 140 petition number. Ask your employer for the number. Tel him you would like to have it for tracking purposes.
Has anybody used this Freedom of Information Act to obtain the information. I was going over the Form G-639 and it looks like they are asking for couple of information which I don't have and I am not sure if my employer will provide (Thats the sole reason why I want to use this act).The form is asking for the Alien Registration # and Petition #. I dont have them. Also for the information needed to search what needs to be mentioned if I need to get a copy of my Labour certification (Not sure If I could get that ) and my I-140 related documents say (Receipt Notice/Approval Notice). Any advise/input on this is highly appreciated.
Thanks.
You really do not need your labor certificate. You do not need the A# as it is optional. Leave it blank.
You however need to have the 140 petition number. Ask your employer for the number. Tel him you would like to have it for tracking purposes.
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immuser
12-09 11:15 PM
Not really .... My brother worked in India for 3 years and worked here in US for 5 years before moving back to India and he is earning good too.
Salary for any job depends on lot of factors. How one negotiates is a key factor.
_________________
Not a legal advice.
I am skeptical about these high salaries. Companies have range for each position. good negotiation may get you the higher end but you can not go from 25L to 45L by negotiating.
The media there (and ppl too) like to talk about high salaries. This facebook article shows ppl obsession on the topic and a whole article about one studen't offer is ridiculous and vulgar in a way .
Salary for any job depends on lot of factors. How one negotiates is a key factor.
_________________
Not a legal advice.
I am skeptical about these high salaries. Companies have range for each position. good negotiation may get you the higher end but you can not go from 25L to 45L by negotiating.
The media there (and ppl too) like to talk about high salaries. This facebook article shows ppl obsession on the topic and a whole article about one studen't offer is ridiculous and vulgar in a way .
cjain
10-30 05:49 PM
is it from the receipt date or notice date?
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upuaut
10-16 03:11 AM
a dogs print is just three circles on one side and an oblong funny shape on the other. Just make one.
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MissionImpossibleGC
08-23 03:33 PM
I lost the hope of GC after working 10 years in US because my GC is not approving.
Is it possible to file case against my employer and ask to return money that they deduct from me for GC and the % that they earned from me in last 8 years. I joined my employer for smooth GC process but even my I140 is not approved. My labor went to backlog. Once labor approved than I140 is pending for last 30 months. USCIS is trying to find out that my company is legitimate or not.
Do not argue how I know that I140 is pending because of company. Please let what is process to inform USCIS about my employer. My company files GC so that no one should leave the company. Employer gives hope about GC but I140 never approves. What all evidence I have to collect so that I can prove against my employer. Please suggest.
Is it possible to file case against my employer and ask to return money that they deduct from me for GC and the % that they earned from me in last 8 years. I joined my employer for smooth GC process but even my I140 is not approved. My labor went to backlog. Once labor approved than I140 is pending for last 30 months. USCIS is trying to find out that my company is legitimate or not.
Do not argue how I know that I140 is pending because of company. Please let what is process to inform USCIS about my employer. My company files GC so that no one should leave the company. Employer gives hope about GC but I140 never approves. What all evidence I have to collect so that I can prove against my employer. Please suggest.
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ruby
08-17 06:11 PM
In July as all the PD were current layers said that if they try to port the PD from EB ( which was Sep 2003) to EB2 ( with PD Oct 2004) USCIS will reject the case with reasoning that every thing is current so there is no need for PD porting.
Now as EB-3 become �unavailable with Sep Visa news, it seems I can not port that PD to EB2. as memo says EB2 PD should be current , which is not ( EB2 PD is Oct 2004) :confused:
Now as EB-3 become �unavailable with Sep Visa news, it seems I can not port that PD to EB2. as memo says EB2 PD should be current , which is not ( EB2 PD is Oct 2004) :confused:
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prasadn
09-02 07:03 PM
I went to border and security deffered inspection site at Raliegh NC from this url
http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/toolbox/contacts/deferred_inspection/deferred_inspection_sites.ctt/deferred_inspection_sites.pdf.
The Immigration Officer said to me I 94 can be given only till visa date.He said that you can stay as long as you want in US as you have 797 valid after your H1 stamp date.He said everything is fine not to worry.What shall i do now? I am confused.Can some one point me to site or link on USCIS which states this law.Can some attorneys point this link.
Interpretation of such a situation varies by CBP location/officer that you talk to. If they issue you a new I-94 I'd say you are lucky. We had deal with a similar situation about 6 months ago. Our lawyer clearly said "last action" always overrides I-797 and that one cannot work beyond the I-94 date. We crossed into Mexico by walk and walked back in with a new I-94. That way no ambiguity and peace of mind.
Hope this helps.
http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/toolbox/contacts/deferred_inspection/deferred_inspection_sites.ctt/deferred_inspection_sites.pdf.
The Immigration Officer said to me I 94 can be given only till visa date.He said that you can stay as long as you want in US as you have 797 valid after your H1 stamp date.He said everything is fine not to worry.What shall i do now? I am confused.Can some one point me to site or link on USCIS which states this law.Can some attorneys point this link.
Interpretation of such a situation varies by CBP location/officer that you talk to. If they issue you a new I-94 I'd say you are lucky. We had deal with a similar situation about 6 months ago. Our lawyer clearly said "last action" always overrides I-797 and that one cannot work beyond the I-94 date. We crossed into Mexico by walk and walked back in with a new I-94. That way no ambiguity and peace of mind.
Hope this helps.
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coolpal
03-27 12:33 PM
Hi,
I have posted a couple of times regarding my earlier situation in other threads, but I decided to create a new thread since I haven't seen a similar case before. Here's my situation:
I was working for company A (consulting firm) on h1B since Oct 2005 and also have an approved Labor and 140 from A. I have applied for 485 in Jul 2007, and have valid EADs and APs (and extensions), but I wanted to maintain h1b status, since I have only used 3 years so far and I am the primary applicant, and my wife gave up her approved labor and h1b to work on EAD she got as a secondary applicant to my 485... so I really wanted to stay on H1B for that "Just in case" situation... I know I am paranoid ;)
So I applied for h1 extension in June 2008 with company A, but it was pending forever... contacted USCIS once in Nov 2008, but nothing happened... I got suspicious of the company's record since I was told that comp-A was under review by USCIS for excessive h1 usage, so I decided to transfer my h1b to Company B in Dec 2008 and invoked AC21 (sent the letter)... my original h1b has expired by then and so did my I-94, but since my h1 extension was still pending, I was told it would be ok.
In jan, USCIS sent an RFE for my transfer case requesting for various things like all my W2s since I started my h1b, EVLs from my client and Vendor, contracts between Client, Vendor and my Employer (B) etc., we also included my Paystubs for the last 6+ months and also for all of 2006 etc., and responded to the RFE in Feb, and it was again pending till mid March, when USCIS sent a similar RFE for my original extension case to company A. I no longer work with them, so I expect them to revoke my h1 petition.. so just to be safe, I applied for premium processing for my h1 transfer on Mar 13th and I got a second RFE on 3/19, which we got this week. This time USCIS sent something like this...
What is the status of your original h1 extension? (I thought they would know ;)), and since your I-94 has expired, we might have to transfer your case for Consular processing.. if we decide to do so, what is your choice for the consulate?
My lawyer said, they'll respond to the RFE explaining the current status, and also try to explain that I was in status all the time and request for COS instead of Consular Processing, but she says we have to let them know of the consulate in case they decide to transfer it over... and recommends that I chose Chennai (since company B is registered as BEP at Chennai).. she also said, since I have a valid EAD, I can choose to work on EAD if they decide to transfer my case to CP... and when I am ready to travel, I can go to Chennai to get my visa stamped and come back in H1b.
Is it true that I could do something like that? I thought once I use EAD, there's no going back. Someone please shed some light on this.
I have come to US for Masters and have worked on CPT and OPT for about 1.5 years before I got onto H1B. I was always paid well more than the LCA wage, and am currently being paid more than my approved labor wage. I have no problem in proving my legal status here, but as you can understand, I am worried and paranoid to go for stamping in these difficult times.. I am afraid they might come up with some reason to deny my entry/visa like 'there are so many citizens without job' etc.,
Any productive feedback is highly appreciated...
pal :)
I have posted a couple of times regarding my earlier situation in other threads, but I decided to create a new thread since I haven't seen a similar case before. Here's my situation:
I was working for company A (consulting firm) on h1B since Oct 2005 and also have an approved Labor and 140 from A. I have applied for 485 in Jul 2007, and have valid EADs and APs (and extensions), but I wanted to maintain h1b status, since I have only used 3 years so far and I am the primary applicant, and my wife gave up her approved labor and h1b to work on EAD she got as a secondary applicant to my 485... so I really wanted to stay on H1B for that "Just in case" situation... I know I am paranoid ;)
So I applied for h1 extension in June 2008 with company A, but it was pending forever... contacted USCIS once in Nov 2008, but nothing happened... I got suspicious of the company's record since I was told that comp-A was under review by USCIS for excessive h1 usage, so I decided to transfer my h1b to Company B in Dec 2008 and invoked AC21 (sent the letter)... my original h1b has expired by then and so did my I-94, but since my h1 extension was still pending, I was told it would be ok.
In jan, USCIS sent an RFE for my transfer case requesting for various things like all my W2s since I started my h1b, EVLs from my client and Vendor, contracts between Client, Vendor and my Employer (B) etc., we also included my Paystubs for the last 6+ months and also for all of 2006 etc., and responded to the RFE in Feb, and it was again pending till mid March, when USCIS sent a similar RFE for my original extension case to company A. I no longer work with them, so I expect them to revoke my h1 petition.. so just to be safe, I applied for premium processing for my h1 transfer on Mar 13th and I got a second RFE on 3/19, which we got this week. This time USCIS sent something like this...
What is the status of your original h1 extension? (I thought they would know ;)), and since your I-94 has expired, we might have to transfer your case for Consular processing.. if we decide to do so, what is your choice for the consulate?
My lawyer said, they'll respond to the RFE explaining the current status, and also try to explain that I was in status all the time and request for COS instead of Consular Processing, but she says we have to let them know of the consulate in case they decide to transfer it over... and recommends that I chose Chennai (since company B is registered as BEP at Chennai).. she also said, since I have a valid EAD, I can choose to work on EAD if they decide to transfer my case to CP... and when I am ready to travel, I can go to Chennai to get my visa stamped and come back in H1b.
Is it true that I could do something like that? I thought once I use EAD, there's no going back. Someone please shed some light on this.
I have come to US for Masters and have worked on CPT and OPT for about 1.5 years before I got onto H1B. I was always paid well more than the LCA wage, and am currently being paid more than my approved labor wage. I have no problem in proving my legal status here, but as you can understand, I am worried and paranoid to go for stamping in these difficult times.. I am afraid they might come up with some reason to deny my entry/visa like 'there are so many citizens without job' etc.,
Any productive feedback is highly appreciated...
pal :)
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anilsal
03-14 04:52 PM
is appreciated at IV. This is in addition to any other contributions (either time or money) to IV. :)
I meant "Recurring monthly Contribution" :)
I meant "Recurring monthly Contribution" :)
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rennieallen
11-04 10:41 AM
Its better to keep your mouth Shut and let others think you are a fool, rather than opening your mouth and confirming all doubts ...
That'd be "removing all doubts" ...
That'd be "removing all doubts" ...
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sunofeast_gc
01-14 01:38 AM
I work for company A (Big American company), my EB3 LC and I-140 is approved (PD March 2003). I am in 7th year of my H1b and 2 months ago I got 3 years extension of my H1b visa based on approved LC and I-140.
I got a offer from company B (small American company) and C ( Indian consulting company). I am thinking to join company B they are ready to apply my case in EB2 category but I am not sure about the job security in company B, so I want to apply H1 extension through both Company B and C .
I have two questions:
1) Can I get extension of 3 years from both company B and C based on my EB3 LC and I-140 Approval from Company A.
2) If I join company B now, can I join company C in future incase something wrong goes with company B.
Any help will be highly appreciated.
Thanks,
I got a offer from company B (small American company) and C ( Indian consulting company). I am thinking to join company B they are ready to apply my case in EB2 category but I am not sure about the job security in company B, so I want to apply H1 extension through both Company B and C .
I have two questions:
1) Can I get extension of 3 years from both company B and C based on my EB3 LC and I-140 Approval from Company A.
2) If I join company B now, can I join company C in future incase something wrong goes with company B.
Any help will be highly appreciated.
Thanks,
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invincibleasian
02-06 05:09 PM
I dont have EAD so I cannot comment!
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Leo07
07-24 04:49 PM
It's a good time. Sooner than Later...
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lost
01-27 02:07 PM
We need to have a massive participation for our question to get noticed........and today is already Thrusday!
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GodHelpUs
03-21 10:48 AM
I am really shocked on looking at this article.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/nyregion/21immigrant.html?hp
An Agent, a Green Card, and a Demand for Sex
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By NINA BERNSTEIN
Published: March 21, 2008
No problems so far, the immigration agent told the American citizen and his 22-year-old Colombian wife at her green card interview in December. After he stapled one of their wedding photos to her application for legal permanent residency, he had just one more question: What was her cellphone number?
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Uli Seit for The New York Times
Isaac R. Baichu, 46, an adjudicator for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, was arrested after he met with a green card applicant at the Flagship Restaurant, a diner in Queens. He is charged with coercing oral sex from her.
Audio A Secret Recording
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Uli Seit for The New York Times
The Flagship Restaurant, where Mr. Baichu met with a green card applicant.
The calls from the agent started three days later. He hinted, she said, at his power to derail her life and deport her relatives, alluding to a brush she had with the law before her marriage. He summoned her to a private meeting. And at noon on Dec. 21, in a parked car on Queens Boulevard, he named his price � not realizing that she was recording everything on the cellphone in her purse.
�I want sex,� he said on the recording. �One or two times. That�s all. You get your green card. You won�t have to see me anymore.�
She reluctantly agreed to a future meeting. But when she tried to leave his car, he demanded oral sex �now,� to �know that you�re serious.� And despite her protests, she said, he got his way.
The 16-minute recording, which the woman first took to The New York Times and then to the Queens district attorney, suggests the vast power of low-level immigration law enforcers, and a growing desperation on the part of immigrants seeking legal status. The aftermath, which included the arrest of an immigration agent last week, underscores the difficulty and danger of making a complaint, even in the rare case when abuse of power may have been caught on tape.
No one knows how widespread sexual blackmail is, but the case echoes other instances of sexual coercion that have surfaced in recent years, including agents criminally charged in Atlanta, Miami and Santa Ana, Calif. And it raises broader questions about the system�s vulnerability to corruption at a time when millions of noncitizens live in a kind of legal no-man�s land, increasingly fearful of seeking the law�s protection.
The agent arrested last week, Isaac R. Baichu, 46, himself an immigrant from Guyana, handled some 8,000 green card applications during his three years as an adjudicator in the Garden City, N.Y., office of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, part of the federal Department of Homeland Security. He pleaded not guilty to felony and misdemeanor charges of coercing the young woman to perform oral sex, and of promising to help her secure immigration papers in exchange for further sexual favors. If convicted, he will face up to seven years in prison.
His agency has suspended him with pay, and the inspector general of Homeland Security is reviewing his other cases, a spokesman said Wednesday. Prosecutors, who say they recorded a meeting between Mr. Baichu and the woman on March 11 at which he made similar demands for sex, urge any other victims to come forward.
Money, not sex, is the more common currency of corruption in immigration, but according to Congressional testimony in 2006 by Michael Maxwell, former director of the agency�s internal investigations, more than 3,000 backlogged complaints of employee misconduct had gone uninvestigated for lack of staff, including 528 involving criminal allegations.
The agency says it has tripled its investigative staff since then, and counts only 165 serious complaints pending. But it stopped posting an e-mail address and phone number for such complaints last year, said Jan Lane, chief of security and integrity, because it lacks the staff to cull the thousands of mostly irrelevant messages that resulted. Immigrants, she advised, should report wrongdoing to any law enforcement agency they trust.
The young woman in Queens, whose name is being withheld because the authorities consider her the victim of a sex crime, did not even tell her husband what had happened. Two weeks after the meeting in the car, finding no way to make a confidential complaint to the immigration agency and afraid to go to the police, she and two older female relatives took the recording to The Times.
Reasons to Worry
A slim, shy woman who looks like a teenager, she said she had spent recent months baby-sitting for relatives in Queens, crying over the deaths of her two brothers back in Cali, Colombia, and longing for the right stamp in her passport � one that would let her return to the United States if she visited her family.
She came to the United States on a tourist visa in 2004 and overstayed. When she married an American citizen a year ago, the law allowed her to apply to �adjust� her illegal status. But unless her green card application was approved, she could not visit her parents or her brothers� graves and then legally re-enter the United States. And if her application was denied, she would face deportation.
She had another reason to be fearful, and not only for herself. About 15 months ago, she said, an acquaintance hired her and two female relatives in New York to carry $12,000 in cash to the bank. The three women, all living in the country illegally, were arrested on the street by customs officers apparently acting on a tip in a money-laundering investigation. After determining that the women had no useful information, the officers released them.
But the closed investigation file had showed up in the computer when she applied for a green card, Mr. Baichu told her in December; until he obtained the file and dealt with it, her application would not be approved. If she defied him, she feared, he could summon immigration enforcement agents to take her relatives to detention.
So instead of calling the police, she turned on the video recorder in her cellphone, put the phone in her purse and walked to meet the agent. Two family members said they watched anxiously from their parked car as she disappeared behind the tinted windows of his red Lexus.
�We were worried that the guy would take off, take her away and do something to her,� the woman�s widowed sister-in-law said in Spanish.
As the recorder captured the agent�s words and a lilting Guyanese accent, he laid out his terms in an easy, almost paternal style. He would not ask too much, he said: sex �once or twice,� visits to his home in the Bronx, perhaps a link to other Colombians who needed his help with their immigration problems.
In shaky English, the woman expressed reluctance, and questioned how she could be sure he would keep his word.
�If I do it, it�s like very hard for me, because I have my husband, and I really fall in love with him,� she said.
The agent insisted that she had to trust him. �I wouldn�t ask you to do something for me if I can�t do something for you, right?� he said, and reasoned, �Nobody going to help you for nothing,� noting that she had no money.
He described himself as the single father of a 10-year-old daughter, telling her, �I need love, too,� and predicting, �You will get to like me because I�m a nice guy.�
Repeatedly, she responded �O.K.,� without conviction. At one point he thanked her for showing up, saying, �I know you feel very scared.�
Finally, she tried to leave. �Let me go because I tell my husband I come home,� she said.
His reply, the recording shows, was a blunt demand for oral sex.
�Right now? No!� she protested. �No, no, right now I can�t.�
He insisted, cajoled, even empathized. �I came from a different country, too,� he said. �I got my green card just like you.�
Then, she said, he grabbed her. During the speechless minute that follows on the recording, she said she yielded to his demand out of fear that he would use his authority against her.
How Much Corruption?
The charges against Mr. Baichu, who became a United States citizen in 1991 and earns roughly $50,000 a year, appear to be part of a larger pattern, according to government records and interviews.
Mr. Maxwell, the immigration agency�s former chief investigator, told Congress in 2006 that internal corruption was �rampant,� and that employees faced constant temptations to commit crime.
�It is only a small step from granting a discretionary waiver of an eligibility rule to asking for a favor or taking a bribe in exchange for granting that waiver,� he contended. �Once an employee learns he can get away with low-level corruption and still advance up the ranks, he or she becomes more brazen.�
�Despite our best efforts there are always people ready to use their position for personal gain or personal pleasure,� said Chris Bentley, a spokesman for Citizenship and Immigration Services. �Our responsibility is to ferret them out.�
When the Queens woman came to The Times with her recording on Jan. 3, she was afraid of retaliation from the agent, and uncertain about making a criminal complaint, though she had an appointment the next day at the Queens district attorney�s office.
Mr. Baichu was arrested as he emerged from the diner and headed to his car, wearing much gold and diamond jewelry, prosecutors said. Later released on $15,000 bail, Mr. Baichu referred calls for comment to his lawyer, Sally Attia, who said he did not have authority to grant or deny green card petitions without his supervisor�s approval.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/nyregion/21immigrant.html?hp
An Agent, a Green Card, and a Demand for Sex
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By NINA BERNSTEIN
Published: March 21, 2008
No problems so far, the immigration agent told the American citizen and his 22-year-old Colombian wife at her green card interview in December. After he stapled one of their wedding photos to her application for legal permanent residency, he had just one more question: What was her cellphone number?
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Uli Seit for The New York Times
Isaac R. Baichu, 46, an adjudicator for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, was arrested after he met with a green card applicant at the Flagship Restaurant, a diner in Queens. He is charged with coercing oral sex from her.
Audio A Secret Recording
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Uli Seit for The New York Times
The Flagship Restaurant, where Mr. Baichu met with a green card applicant.
The calls from the agent started three days later. He hinted, she said, at his power to derail her life and deport her relatives, alluding to a brush she had with the law before her marriage. He summoned her to a private meeting. And at noon on Dec. 21, in a parked car on Queens Boulevard, he named his price � not realizing that she was recording everything on the cellphone in her purse.
�I want sex,� he said on the recording. �One or two times. That�s all. You get your green card. You won�t have to see me anymore.�
She reluctantly agreed to a future meeting. But when she tried to leave his car, he demanded oral sex �now,� to �know that you�re serious.� And despite her protests, she said, he got his way.
The 16-minute recording, which the woman first took to The New York Times and then to the Queens district attorney, suggests the vast power of low-level immigration law enforcers, and a growing desperation on the part of immigrants seeking legal status. The aftermath, which included the arrest of an immigration agent last week, underscores the difficulty and danger of making a complaint, even in the rare case when abuse of power may have been caught on tape.
No one knows how widespread sexual blackmail is, but the case echoes other instances of sexual coercion that have surfaced in recent years, including agents criminally charged in Atlanta, Miami and Santa Ana, Calif. And it raises broader questions about the system�s vulnerability to corruption at a time when millions of noncitizens live in a kind of legal no-man�s land, increasingly fearful of seeking the law�s protection.
The agent arrested last week, Isaac R. Baichu, 46, himself an immigrant from Guyana, handled some 8,000 green card applications during his three years as an adjudicator in the Garden City, N.Y., office of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, part of the federal Department of Homeland Security. He pleaded not guilty to felony and misdemeanor charges of coercing the young woman to perform oral sex, and of promising to help her secure immigration papers in exchange for further sexual favors. If convicted, he will face up to seven years in prison.
His agency has suspended him with pay, and the inspector general of Homeland Security is reviewing his other cases, a spokesman said Wednesday. Prosecutors, who say they recorded a meeting between Mr. Baichu and the woman on March 11 at which he made similar demands for sex, urge any other victims to come forward.
Money, not sex, is the more common currency of corruption in immigration, but according to Congressional testimony in 2006 by Michael Maxwell, former director of the agency�s internal investigations, more than 3,000 backlogged complaints of employee misconduct had gone uninvestigated for lack of staff, including 528 involving criminal allegations.
The agency says it has tripled its investigative staff since then, and counts only 165 serious complaints pending. But it stopped posting an e-mail address and phone number for such complaints last year, said Jan Lane, chief of security and integrity, because it lacks the staff to cull the thousands of mostly irrelevant messages that resulted. Immigrants, she advised, should report wrongdoing to any law enforcement agency they trust.
The young woman in Queens, whose name is being withheld because the authorities consider her the victim of a sex crime, did not even tell her husband what had happened. Two weeks after the meeting in the car, finding no way to make a confidential complaint to the immigration agency and afraid to go to the police, she and two older female relatives took the recording to The Times.
Reasons to Worry
A slim, shy woman who looks like a teenager, she said she had spent recent months baby-sitting for relatives in Queens, crying over the deaths of her two brothers back in Cali, Colombia, and longing for the right stamp in her passport � one that would let her return to the United States if she visited her family.
She came to the United States on a tourist visa in 2004 and overstayed. When she married an American citizen a year ago, the law allowed her to apply to �adjust� her illegal status. But unless her green card application was approved, she could not visit her parents or her brothers� graves and then legally re-enter the United States. And if her application was denied, she would face deportation.
She had another reason to be fearful, and not only for herself. About 15 months ago, she said, an acquaintance hired her and two female relatives in New York to carry $12,000 in cash to the bank. The three women, all living in the country illegally, were arrested on the street by customs officers apparently acting on a tip in a money-laundering investigation. After determining that the women had no useful information, the officers released them.
But the closed investigation file had showed up in the computer when she applied for a green card, Mr. Baichu told her in December; until he obtained the file and dealt with it, her application would not be approved. If she defied him, she feared, he could summon immigration enforcement agents to take her relatives to detention.
So instead of calling the police, she turned on the video recorder in her cellphone, put the phone in her purse and walked to meet the agent. Two family members said they watched anxiously from their parked car as she disappeared behind the tinted windows of his red Lexus.
�We were worried that the guy would take off, take her away and do something to her,� the woman�s widowed sister-in-law said in Spanish.
As the recorder captured the agent�s words and a lilting Guyanese accent, he laid out his terms in an easy, almost paternal style. He would not ask too much, he said: sex �once or twice,� visits to his home in the Bronx, perhaps a link to other Colombians who needed his help with their immigration problems.
In shaky English, the woman expressed reluctance, and questioned how she could be sure he would keep his word.
�If I do it, it�s like very hard for me, because I have my husband, and I really fall in love with him,� she said.
The agent insisted that she had to trust him. �I wouldn�t ask you to do something for me if I can�t do something for you, right?� he said, and reasoned, �Nobody going to help you for nothing,� noting that she had no money.
He described himself as the single father of a 10-year-old daughter, telling her, �I need love, too,� and predicting, �You will get to like me because I�m a nice guy.�
Repeatedly, she responded �O.K.,� without conviction. At one point he thanked her for showing up, saying, �I know you feel very scared.�
Finally, she tried to leave. �Let me go because I tell my husband I come home,� she said.
His reply, the recording shows, was a blunt demand for oral sex.
�Right now? No!� she protested. �No, no, right now I can�t.�
He insisted, cajoled, even empathized. �I came from a different country, too,� he said. �I got my green card just like you.�
Then, she said, he grabbed her. During the speechless minute that follows on the recording, she said she yielded to his demand out of fear that he would use his authority against her.
How Much Corruption?
The charges against Mr. Baichu, who became a United States citizen in 1991 and earns roughly $50,000 a year, appear to be part of a larger pattern, according to government records and interviews.
Mr. Maxwell, the immigration agency�s former chief investigator, told Congress in 2006 that internal corruption was �rampant,� and that employees faced constant temptations to commit crime.
�It is only a small step from granting a discretionary waiver of an eligibility rule to asking for a favor or taking a bribe in exchange for granting that waiver,� he contended. �Once an employee learns he can get away with low-level corruption and still advance up the ranks, he or she becomes more brazen.�
�Despite our best efforts there are always people ready to use their position for personal gain or personal pleasure,� said Chris Bentley, a spokesman for Citizenship and Immigration Services. �Our responsibility is to ferret them out.�
When the Queens woman came to The Times with her recording on Jan. 3, she was afraid of retaliation from the agent, and uncertain about making a criminal complaint, though she had an appointment the next day at the Queens district attorney�s office.
Mr. Baichu was arrested as he emerged from the diner and headed to his car, wearing much gold and diamond jewelry, prosecutors said. Later released on $15,000 bail, Mr. Baichu referred calls for comment to his lawyer, Sally Attia, who said he did not have authority to grant or deny green card petitions without his supervisor�s approval.
hairstyles Lost Prophets (Ian Watkins) by
tp976
12-31 01:53 PM
No FP notice either. Check signatue for more details.
sept 11 notice date, EAD approved for spouse and me. case transferred to TSC, no FP yet
sept 11 notice date, EAD approved for spouse and me. case transferred to TSC, no FP yet
RDB
08-28 02:39 PM
Dude, if your profile is genuine, that does indicate something - my PD is also Nov. 2005, EB3-I. Both of us got 1 year EAD instead of 2.......hmm.....my attorney called USCIS and according to the attorney they (USCIS rep) couldn't tell them the reason for 1 year EAD.......asked me to do infopass!
mate i am in the same boat as you. but I personally don't think anything can be done to change that. It is completely based on IO's judgement when approving application.
mate i am in the same boat as you. but I personally don't think anything can be done to change that. It is completely based on IO's judgement when approving application.
chanduv23
04-23 09:17 AM
If you find this on your 140 approval notice
Notice Type: Approval Notice
Section: Mern of Profession w/Adv Deg,or
of Excentn'l Abllitv
Sec .203.(b) (2)
Then it is EB2.
Notice Type: Approval Notice
Section: Mern of Profession w/Adv Deg,or
of Excentn'l Abllitv
Sec .203.(b) (2)
Then it is EB2.
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