paskal
01-27 01:53 PM
The requirement for a transit visa to enter the UK is not a new requirement. They were introduced because a significant number of passengers decided to remain in the UK rather than simply transit.
Before they were introduced, passengers had the ability to remain in the UK for up to 24 hours, enter the UK, change airports etc (this is called TWOV or Transit Without Visa and still remains for applicable nationals).
The intent of the Transit Visa is to ensure that the passenger will be accepted by the third country.
There are still issues with passengers who hold transit visas with a stated intention of transitting the UK. Either they are not accepted by the transitting airline and are returned to the point of origin, or they simply claim "political assylum" when they land in the UK and then they become the responsibility of the British Government.
the previous transit visa was a reuqirement for those that wanted to leave the airport...hence the 24 hr period. i have no issue with that- just to clarify. i do appreciate what you point out - that people overstay.
the new avatar of the TV applies even to those that are simply changing gates- ie walking from one plane to another WITHOUT ever setting foot on UK soil. i know this because i have changed planes in LON in the past WITHOUT a transit visa. in some cases as the air india passengers have pointed out, you don't even change planes, you are offloaded and go through security, and then return to the same plane again...hey tell me why i should be harassed and pay 90 bucks X 3 for my family- not to mention traveling 300 miles because "personal appearance"s needed- just to climb back on the plane and continue a journey? how can i seek asylum or overstay without being on UK soil (the intl transit area in any airport before immigration is an intl zone) ?
as for the airline not accepting the passenger onwards, that is something all airlines determine at the point of departure these days, the americans do a pre screen at the airport to ensure no such hassles.
the previous version of the TV was perfectly fine, the current one, for me, is undue harassment, even if i have an AP i should go 300 miles to the nearest consulate to get one for the privilege of changing gates? sorry bud...don't see why. there are easier ways to go home, and if the ticket costs a 100 bucks more- hey that's just the TV fees anyway right?
Before they were introduced, passengers had the ability to remain in the UK for up to 24 hours, enter the UK, change airports etc (this is called TWOV or Transit Without Visa and still remains for applicable nationals).
The intent of the Transit Visa is to ensure that the passenger will be accepted by the third country.
There are still issues with passengers who hold transit visas with a stated intention of transitting the UK. Either they are not accepted by the transitting airline and are returned to the point of origin, or they simply claim "political assylum" when they land in the UK and then they become the responsibility of the British Government.
the previous transit visa was a reuqirement for those that wanted to leave the airport...hence the 24 hr period. i have no issue with that- just to clarify. i do appreciate what you point out - that people overstay.
the new avatar of the TV applies even to those that are simply changing gates- ie walking from one plane to another WITHOUT ever setting foot on UK soil. i know this because i have changed planes in LON in the past WITHOUT a transit visa. in some cases as the air india passengers have pointed out, you don't even change planes, you are offloaded and go through security, and then return to the same plane again...hey tell me why i should be harassed and pay 90 bucks X 3 for my family- not to mention traveling 300 miles because "personal appearance"s needed- just to climb back on the plane and continue a journey? how can i seek asylum or overstay without being on UK soil (the intl transit area in any airport before immigration is an intl zone) ?
as for the airline not accepting the passenger onwards, that is something all airlines determine at the point of departure these days, the americans do a pre screen at the airport to ensure no such hassles.
the previous version of the TV was perfectly fine, the current one, for me, is undue harassment, even if i have an AP i should go 300 miles to the nearest consulate to get one for the privilege of changing gates? sorry bud...don't see why. there are easier ways to go home, and if the ticket costs a 100 bucks more- hey that's just the TV fees anyway right?
wallpaper brown and ig sean my last
gccovet
08-07 02:43 PM
Dude,
Sunnysurya is busy trying to get people for the lawsuit. He will not reply to you.
According to IV Tracker, his EB2 PD is Nov 2005. He has filed in Nebraska.
Thanks
Calling all EB3-I with PD before Nov 2005. Please get 3 desi firm names from Sunny_Surya and start EB2 filing. Then port your PD's.
GCCovet
Sunnysurya is busy trying to get people for the lawsuit. He will not reply to you.
According to IV Tracker, his EB2 PD is Nov 2005. He has filed in Nebraska.
Thanks
Calling all EB3-I with PD before Nov 2005. Please get 3 desi firm names from Sunny_Surya and start EB2 filing. Then port your PD's.
GCCovet
suriajay12
03-13 07:41 AM
Could not find the link..Which page do I need to go on to vote.. I have searched about 500 pages.. Pls. advise..
RV
www.change.gov. You will see "Agenda" as one tab. In that you can post it under immigration. There is a button called "Send or submit your ideas".
The letter to send is in page 10 in this forum.
RV
www.change.gov. You will see "Agenda" as one tab. In that you can post it under immigration. There is a button called "Send or submit your ideas".
The letter to send is in page 10 in this forum.
2011 NEW VIDEO- BIG SEAN ft.
ujjwal_p
09-23 04:22 PM
I guess we'll need to ADD to that number:
1. BEC stuck folks who could not file in July 07
2. PERM approvals starting August 07
to the 47,728. Plus multiply by 2.1( for dependents ). That'll give the total VISA numbers required for this category to make it Current.
If I have to guess-- (1) would be very less, may be 100-200 max
(2) around 5000 ( just a PUMA)
So, there are about 53000 EB2 I applications. and 2.1 * 53000 = 111300.
If we can create 111300, EB2 I visas then it'll be CURRENT. easy:)
They haven't mentioned there whether dependents are included or not. So multiplying by 2.1 is probably not correct nor wrong at this point. I would think dependents are included in this. Everybody needs to file an I-485 I presume and they are just counting the pending ones.
1. BEC stuck folks who could not file in July 07
2. PERM approvals starting August 07
to the 47,728. Plus multiply by 2.1( for dependents ). That'll give the total VISA numbers required for this category to make it Current.
If I have to guess-- (1) would be very less, may be 100-200 max
(2) around 5000 ( just a PUMA)
So, there are about 53000 EB2 I applications. and 2.1 * 53000 = 111300.
If we can create 111300, EB2 I visas then it'll be CURRENT. easy:)
They haven't mentioned there whether dependents are included or not. So multiplying by 2.1 is probably not correct nor wrong at this point. I would think dependents are included in this. Everybody needs to file an I-485 I presume and they are just counting the pending ones.
more...
virginia_desi
01-31 09:07 AM
Dear Vamsi, SVK, NK, Shahuja, Abuddyz, and all eligible visa aspirants:
I just got an email from the Chennai consulate, 29th day from the interview, stating the visa was stamped today:
"Thank you for your e-mail.
Our records show that your visa was issued today, January 31. You
should be receiving your passport/visa soon.
Visa Information Unit
American Consulate General
Chennai 600006, India
Telephone: 91 44 2857 4242
Fax: 91 44 2811 2027
Website: http://chennai.usconsulate.gov"
This means there is light at the end of the tunnel. Please have faith in your abilities, and in your God. You will hear back soon.
Moral of the story: "Never use a Consulate in India for visa re-validation again."
Please learn from this story, and never again trust Consulates in India for extension purposes.
God bless you all.:)
How do you know that experience in Canada or Mexico will be any different from experience in India? It can be only better at a consulate that hasn't yet implemented PIMS, which I don't think there are any at this point. At least you are at home with family. I think the worst is to be stuck in Canada or Mexico for a month. I think the moral of the story is to use AP whenever possible.
I just got an email from the Chennai consulate, 29th day from the interview, stating the visa was stamped today:
"Thank you for your e-mail.
Our records show that your visa was issued today, January 31. You
should be receiving your passport/visa soon.
Visa Information Unit
American Consulate General
Chennai 600006, India
Telephone: 91 44 2857 4242
Fax: 91 44 2811 2027
Website: http://chennai.usconsulate.gov"
This means there is light at the end of the tunnel. Please have faith in your abilities, and in your God. You will hear back soon.
Moral of the story: "Never use a Consulate in India for visa re-validation again."
Please learn from this story, and never again trust Consulates in India for extension purposes.
God bless you all.:)
How do you know that experience in Canada or Mexico will be any different from experience in India? It can be only better at a consulate that hasn't yet implemented PIMS, which I don't think there are any at this point. At least you are at home with family. I think the worst is to be stuck in Canada or Mexico for a month. I think the moral of the story is to use AP whenever possible.
eagerr2i
07-09 07:07 PM
I would donate blood if there was any left after my blood sucker employer sucked me dry!:D
I fell off my chair laughing when I read your post.. Man, you are hilarious. You should start doing a comedy show.
I fell off my chair laughing when I read your post.. Man, you are hilarious. You should start doing a comedy show.
more...
optimystic
03-26 02:57 PM
I dont know of any link to a particular publication, but I thought it was a common knowledge that the whole point of labor certification process, is for the DOL to monitor that a potential US worker (I thought it meant US Citizen but may be not), is not being displaced by a foreign worker. To be clear here though, the DOL does not prevent an employer from going ahead and sponsoring an H1B and hiring a foreign employee. But DOL is legally directed to reject such labor applications.
Though this is applicable only for H1B hiring and subsequent filing of GC process for such an employee, I am wondering whether there is any loophole in DOL's directives that might provide a cover for employers to enquire whether a propective employee is US Citizens are not.... Especailly in the PERM process don't they have to do active recruiting efforts and gather statiscis that they tried to hire US citizens ..?? How can an employer gather statistics if they didn't ask for work authorization related details....?
May be due to possible loopholes in such laws...they are able to take it a step further and enquiring about the kind of work authorization a candidate possesses!
One can argue that an EAD guy has crossed such DOL directed verifications and legally aquired work permit. But a 'once approved 140' is not a gaurantee...right....it can get an RFE and rejected...Mostly for Employers ability to pay, but isn't it also for malpractice during PERM recruiting efforts...?
My point being, an EAD guy is not 100% cleared of the potential fact that he could be displacing an US citizen. And that puts him under the purview of possible screening by an employer (trying or facading to trying to stick to DOL rules) and being compared to an available US citizen with equal qualifications....does it not? And by virtue of that, gives the employer to ask if a candidate is EAD or not...
May be the policy of 'innocent until proven guilty' applies here and a work permit of an EAD guy to be treated legally as such and be not doubted. But I am digressing....
Though this is applicable only for H1B hiring and subsequent filing of GC process for such an employee, I am wondering whether there is any loophole in DOL's directives that might provide a cover for employers to enquire whether a propective employee is US Citizens are not.... Especailly in the PERM process don't they have to do active recruiting efforts and gather statiscis that they tried to hire US citizens ..?? How can an employer gather statistics if they didn't ask for work authorization related details....?
May be due to possible loopholes in such laws...they are able to take it a step further and enquiring about the kind of work authorization a candidate possesses!
One can argue that an EAD guy has crossed such DOL directed verifications and legally aquired work permit. But a 'once approved 140' is not a gaurantee...right....it can get an RFE and rejected...Mostly for Employers ability to pay, but isn't it also for malpractice during PERM recruiting efforts...?
My point being, an EAD guy is not 100% cleared of the potential fact that he could be displacing an US citizen. And that puts him under the purview of possible screening by an employer (trying or facading to trying to stick to DOL rules) and being compared to an available US citizen with equal qualifications....does it not? And by virtue of that, gives the employer to ask if a candidate is EAD or not...
May be the policy of 'innocent until proven guilty' applies here and a work permit of an EAD guy to be treated legally as such and be not doubted. But I am digressing....
2010 Big Sean “My Last” Video
Caliber
10-07 01:37 PM
The USCIS calls this efficiency. I wish these folks to be on the receiving end of their own treatment in their next life.
Dear Alterego,
What do you think we are? We were INS officers in our past lifes and troubled all these Chinese and Italian immigrants. That is the reason, why we are born to take back what we gave them in past life.
Dear Alterego,
What do you think we are? We were INS officers in our past lifes and troubled all these Chinese and Italian immigrants. That is the reason, why we are born to take back what we gave them in past life.
more...
jonty_11
09-11 03:38 PM
the Oct VB was expected gaffe by USCIS/DOS...they dont know what the hell they are doing..so continue this effort andmake more VISAS available which will make them work rather than just sit on their u know what...
Keep calling....
Keep calling....
hair Big Sean#39;s quot;My Lastquot; video
nkavjs
09-25 09:45 AM
Type in congressman your city name in google or yahoo search. It will give you various names for your senator and congressmen. Call them and give them your name FN LN, DOB, Alien number and fedex / delivery tracking mnumber. They will call you back with relevant information.
Goodluck
this is a draft I used to email my inquiries. Hope this helps.
------------------
Regarding: Inquiry/status for I-485 AOS application sent to USCIS, Nebraska Service Center on July 2nd 2007 [FedEx Tracking No. xxxx - Recd. by Mr. J. Barrett NSC At 10.25am on July 2nd]
Dear Mr. Assistant Chief,
My Adjustment of status application [I-485,I-765 and I-131] based on EB3 RIR category, was delivered to Department of Homeland Security, USCIS, Nebraska Service Center, Lincoln, NE on July 2nd 2007. It was received in the mailroom at 10.25am (reference : FedEx tracking number xxxxx).
USCIS website says NSC are working with August 2007 received AOS applications. However, I haven't heard any sort of communication pertaining to my pending application with USCIS. USCIS Customer Service would not pull up my application information in the system yet. Seems like USCIS is either not following the First in First out (FIFO) process for sure or the figures are misleading.
Details as provided below:
Name of Applicant: Name xxx
�A� Number of Applicant: A 088 xxx xxx
Date of Birth: xxx
FedEx Tracking No: (whatever is your tracking number)
I would greatly appreciate if your office can help me to track and process my AOS application delivered to NSC on July 2nd 2007. Please feel free to contact me at (xxx) xxxx for any additional information.
Thanks and Best Regards,
Goodluck
this is a draft I used to email my inquiries. Hope this helps.
------------------
Regarding: Inquiry/status for I-485 AOS application sent to USCIS, Nebraska Service Center on July 2nd 2007 [FedEx Tracking No. xxxx - Recd. by Mr. J. Barrett NSC At 10.25am on July 2nd]
Dear Mr. Assistant Chief,
My Adjustment of status application [I-485,I-765 and I-131] based on EB3 RIR category, was delivered to Department of Homeland Security, USCIS, Nebraska Service Center, Lincoln, NE on July 2nd 2007. It was received in the mailroom at 10.25am (reference : FedEx tracking number xxxxx).
USCIS website says NSC are working with August 2007 received AOS applications. However, I haven't heard any sort of communication pertaining to my pending application with USCIS. USCIS Customer Service would not pull up my application information in the system yet. Seems like USCIS is either not following the First in First out (FIFO) process for sure or the figures are misleading.
Details as provided below:
Name of Applicant: Name xxx
�A� Number of Applicant: A 088 xxx xxx
Date of Birth: xxx
FedEx Tracking No: (whatever is your tracking number)
I would greatly appreciate if your office can help me to track and process my AOS application delivered to NSC on July 2nd 2007. Please feel free to contact me at (xxx) xxxx for any additional information.
Thanks and Best Regards,
more...
jasmin45
07-13 07:24 AM
The whole controversy involving Lou Dobbs and leprosy started with a “60 Minutes” segment a few weeks ago.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/30/business/30leonside.html
Robert Caplin for The New York Times
Lou Dobbs was at the anchor desk for CNN’s 2006 election coverage.
Related Articles
Immigrants and Prison (May 30, 2007)
Bush Takes On Conservatives Over Immigration (May 30, 2007)
Reader Responses (May 30, 2007)
Episodes of "Lou Dobbs Tonight"
"60 Minutes" of May 6, 2007 Leprosy Statistics The segment was a profile of Mr. Dobbs, and while doing background research for it, a “60 Minutes” producer came across a 2005 news report from Mr. Dobbs’s CNN program on contagious diseases. In the report, one of Mr. Dobbs’s correspondents said there had been 7,000 cases of leprosy in this country over the previous three years, far more than in the past.
When Lesley Stahl of “60 Minutes” sat down to interview Mr. Dobbs on camera, she mentioned the report and told him that there didn’t seem to be much evidence for it.
“Well, I can tell you this,” he replied. “If we reported it, it’s a fact.”
With that Orwellian chestnut, Mr. Dobbs escalated the leprosy dispute into a full-scale media brouhaha. The next night, back on his own program, the same CNN correspondent who had done the earlier report, Christine Romans, repeated the 7,000 number, and Mr. Dobbs added that, if anything, it was probably an underestimate. A week later, the Southern Poverty Law Center — the civil rights group that has long been critical of Mr. Dobbs — took out advertisements in The New York Times and USA Today demanding that CNN run a correction.
Finally, Mr. Dobbs played host to two top officials from the law center on his program, “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” where he called their accusations outrageous and they called him wrong, unfair and “one of the most popular people on the white supremacist Web sites.”
We’ll get to the merits of the charges and countercharges shortly, but first it’s worth considering why, beyond entertainment value, all this matters. Over the last few years, Lou Dobbs has transformed himself into arguably this country’s foremost populist. It’s an odd role, given that he spent the 1980s and ’90s buttering up chief executives on CNN, but he’s now playing it very successfully. He has become a voice for the real economic anxiety felt by many Americans.
The audience for his program has grown 72 percent since 2003, and CBS — yes, the same network that broadcasts “60 Minutes” — just hired him as a commentator on “The Early Show.” Many elites, as Mr. Dobbs likes to call them, despise him, but others see him as a hero. His latest book, “War on the Middle Class,” was a best seller and received a sympathetic review in this newspaper. Mario Cuomo has said Mr. Dobbs is “addicted to economic truth.”
Mr. Dobbs argues that the middle class has many enemies: corporate lobbyists, greedy executives, wimpy journalists, corrupt politicians. But none play a bigger role than illegal immigrants. As he sees it, they are stealing our jobs, depressing our wages and even endangering our lives.
That’s where leprosy comes in.
“The invasion of illegal aliens is threatening the health of many Americans,” Mr. Dobbs said on his April 14, 2005, program. From there, he introduced his original report that mentioned leprosy, the flesh-destroying disease — technically known as Hansen’s disease — that has inspired fear for centuries.
According to a woman CNN identified as a medical lawyer named Dr. Madeleine Cosman, leprosy was on the march. As Ms. Romans, the CNN correspondent, relayed: “There were about 900 cases of leprosy for 40 years. There have been 7,000 in the past three years.”
“Incredible,” Mr. Dobbs replied.
Mr. Dobbs and Ms. Romans engaged in a nearly identical conversation a few weeks ago, when he was defending himself the night after the “60 Minutes” segment. “Suddenly, in the past three years, America has more than 7,000 cases of leprosy,” she said, again attributing the number to Ms. Cosman.
To sort through all this, I called James L. Krahenbuhl, the director of the National Hansen’s Disease Program, an arm of the federal government. Leprosy in the United States is indeed largely a disease of immigrants who have come from Asia and Latin America. And the official leprosy statistics do show about 7,000 diagnosed cases — but that’s over the last 30 years, not the last three.
The peak year was 1983, when there were 456 cases. After that, reported cases dropped steadily, falling to just 76 in 2000. Last year, there were 137.
“It is not a public health problem — that’s the bottom line,” Mr. Krahenbuhl told me. “You’ve got a country of 300 million people. This is not something for the public to get alarmed about.” Much about the disease remains unknown, but researchers think people get it through prolonged close contact with someone who already has it.
What about the increase over the last six years, to 137 cases from 76? Is that significant?
“No,” Mr. Krahenbuhl said. It could be a statistical fluctuation, or it could be a result of better data collection in recent years. In any event, the 137 reported cases last year were fewer than in any year from 1975 to 1996.
So Mr. Dobbs was flat-out wrong. And when I spoke to him yesterday, he admitted as much, sort of. I read him Ms. Romans’s comment — the one with the word “suddenly” in it — and he replied, “I think that is wrong.” He then went on to say that as far as he was concerned, he had corrected the mistake by later broadcasting another report, on the same night as his on-air confrontation with the Southern Poverty Law Center officials. This report mentioned that leprosy had peaked in 1983.
Of course, he has never acknowledged on the air that his program presented false information twice. Instead, he lambasted the officials from the law center for saying he had. Even yesterday, he spent much of our conversation emphasizing that there really were 7,000 cases in the leprosy registry, the government’s 30-year database. Mr. Dobbs is trying to have it both ways.
I have been somewhat taken aback about how shameless he has been during the whole dispute, so I spent some time reading transcripts from old episodes of “Lou Dobbs Tonight.” The way he handled leprosy, it turns out, is not all that unusual.
For one thing, Mr. Dobbs has a somewhat flexible relationship with reality. He has said, for example, that one-third of the inmates in the federal prison system are illegal immigrants. That’s wrong, too. According to the Justice Department, 6 percent of prisoners in this country are noncitizens (compared with 7 percent of the population). For a variety of reasons, the crime rate is actually lower among immigrants than natives.
Second, Mr. Dobbs really does give airtime to white supremacy sympathizers. Ms. Cosman, who is now deceased, was a lawyer and Renaissance studies scholar, never a medical doctor or a leprosy expert. She gave speeches in which she said that Mexican immigrants had a habit of molesting children. Back in their home villages, she would explain, rape was not as serious a crime as cow stealing. The Southern Poverty Law Center keeps a list of other such guests from “Lou Dobbs Tonight.”
Finally, Mr. Dobbs is fond of darkly hinting that this country is under attack. He suggested last week that the new immigration bill in Congress could be the first step toward a new nation — a “North American union” — that combines the United States, Canada and Mexico. On other occasions, his program has described a supposed Mexican plot to reclaim the Southwest. In one such report, one of his correspondents referred to a Utah visit by Vicente Fox, then Mexico’s president, as a “Mexican military incursion.”
When I asked Mr. Dobbs about this yesterday, he said, “You’ve raised this to a level that frankly I find offensive.”
The most common complaint about him, at least from other journalists, is that his program combines factual reporting with editorializing. But I think this misses the point. Americans, as a rule, are smart enough to handle a program that mixes opinion and facts. The problem with Mr. Dobbs is that he mixes opinion and untruths. He is the heir to the nativist tradition that has long used fiction and conspiracy theories as a weapon against the Irish, the Italians, the Chinese, the Jews and, now, the Mexicans.
There is no denying that this country’s immigration system is broken. But it defies belief — and a whole lot of economic research — to suggest that the problems of the middle class stem from illegal immigrants. Those immigrants, remember, are largely non-English speakers without a high school diploma. They have probably hurt the wages of native-born high school dropouts and made everyone else better off.
More to the point, if Mr. Dobbs’s arguments were really so good, don’t you think he would be able to stick to the facts? And if CNN were serious about being “the most trusted name in news,” as it claims to be, don’t you think it would be big enough to issue an actual correction?
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/30/business/30leonside.html
Robert Caplin for The New York Times
Lou Dobbs was at the anchor desk for CNN’s 2006 election coverage.
Related Articles
Immigrants and Prison (May 30, 2007)
Bush Takes On Conservatives Over Immigration (May 30, 2007)
Reader Responses (May 30, 2007)
Episodes of "Lou Dobbs Tonight"
"60 Minutes" of May 6, 2007 Leprosy Statistics The segment was a profile of Mr. Dobbs, and while doing background research for it, a “60 Minutes” producer came across a 2005 news report from Mr. Dobbs’s CNN program on contagious diseases. In the report, one of Mr. Dobbs’s correspondents said there had been 7,000 cases of leprosy in this country over the previous three years, far more than in the past.
When Lesley Stahl of “60 Minutes” sat down to interview Mr. Dobbs on camera, she mentioned the report and told him that there didn’t seem to be much evidence for it.
“Well, I can tell you this,” he replied. “If we reported it, it’s a fact.”
With that Orwellian chestnut, Mr. Dobbs escalated the leprosy dispute into a full-scale media brouhaha. The next night, back on his own program, the same CNN correspondent who had done the earlier report, Christine Romans, repeated the 7,000 number, and Mr. Dobbs added that, if anything, it was probably an underestimate. A week later, the Southern Poverty Law Center — the civil rights group that has long been critical of Mr. Dobbs — took out advertisements in The New York Times and USA Today demanding that CNN run a correction.
Finally, Mr. Dobbs played host to two top officials from the law center on his program, “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” where he called their accusations outrageous and they called him wrong, unfair and “one of the most popular people on the white supremacist Web sites.”
We’ll get to the merits of the charges and countercharges shortly, but first it’s worth considering why, beyond entertainment value, all this matters. Over the last few years, Lou Dobbs has transformed himself into arguably this country’s foremost populist. It’s an odd role, given that he spent the 1980s and ’90s buttering up chief executives on CNN, but he’s now playing it very successfully. He has become a voice for the real economic anxiety felt by many Americans.
The audience for his program has grown 72 percent since 2003, and CBS — yes, the same network that broadcasts “60 Minutes” — just hired him as a commentator on “The Early Show.” Many elites, as Mr. Dobbs likes to call them, despise him, but others see him as a hero. His latest book, “War on the Middle Class,” was a best seller and received a sympathetic review in this newspaper. Mario Cuomo has said Mr. Dobbs is “addicted to economic truth.”
Mr. Dobbs argues that the middle class has many enemies: corporate lobbyists, greedy executives, wimpy journalists, corrupt politicians. But none play a bigger role than illegal immigrants. As he sees it, they are stealing our jobs, depressing our wages and even endangering our lives.
That’s where leprosy comes in.
“The invasion of illegal aliens is threatening the health of many Americans,” Mr. Dobbs said on his April 14, 2005, program. From there, he introduced his original report that mentioned leprosy, the flesh-destroying disease — technically known as Hansen’s disease — that has inspired fear for centuries.
According to a woman CNN identified as a medical lawyer named Dr. Madeleine Cosman, leprosy was on the march. As Ms. Romans, the CNN correspondent, relayed: “There were about 900 cases of leprosy for 40 years. There have been 7,000 in the past three years.”
“Incredible,” Mr. Dobbs replied.
Mr. Dobbs and Ms. Romans engaged in a nearly identical conversation a few weeks ago, when he was defending himself the night after the “60 Minutes” segment. “Suddenly, in the past three years, America has more than 7,000 cases of leprosy,” she said, again attributing the number to Ms. Cosman.
To sort through all this, I called James L. Krahenbuhl, the director of the National Hansen’s Disease Program, an arm of the federal government. Leprosy in the United States is indeed largely a disease of immigrants who have come from Asia and Latin America. And the official leprosy statistics do show about 7,000 diagnosed cases — but that’s over the last 30 years, not the last three.
The peak year was 1983, when there were 456 cases. After that, reported cases dropped steadily, falling to just 76 in 2000. Last year, there were 137.
“It is not a public health problem — that’s the bottom line,” Mr. Krahenbuhl told me. “You’ve got a country of 300 million people. This is not something for the public to get alarmed about.” Much about the disease remains unknown, but researchers think people get it through prolonged close contact with someone who already has it.
What about the increase over the last six years, to 137 cases from 76? Is that significant?
“No,” Mr. Krahenbuhl said. It could be a statistical fluctuation, or it could be a result of better data collection in recent years. In any event, the 137 reported cases last year were fewer than in any year from 1975 to 1996.
So Mr. Dobbs was flat-out wrong. And when I spoke to him yesterday, he admitted as much, sort of. I read him Ms. Romans’s comment — the one with the word “suddenly” in it — and he replied, “I think that is wrong.” He then went on to say that as far as he was concerned, he had corrected the mistake by later broadcasting another report, on the same night as his on-air confrontation with the Southern Poverty Law Center officials. This report mentioned that leprosy had peaked in 1983.
Of course, he has never acknowledged on the air that his program presented false information twice. Instead, he lambasted the officials from the law center for saying he had. Even yesterday, he spent much of our conversation emphasizing that there really were 7,000 cases in the leprosy registry, the government’s 30-year database. Mr. Dobbs is trying to have it both ways.
I have been somewhat taken aback about how shameless he has been during the whole dispute, so I spent some time reading transcripts from old episodes of “Lou Dobbs Tonight.” The way he handled leprosy, it turns out, is not all that unusual.
For one thing, Mr. Dobbs has a somewhat flexible relationship with reality. He has said, for example, that one-third of the inmates in the federal prison system are illegal immigrants. That’s wrong, too. According to the Justice Department, 6 percent of prisoners in this country are noncitizens (compared with 7 percent of the population). For a variety of reasons, the crime rate is actually lower among immigrants than natives.
Second, Mr. Dobbs really does give airtime to white supremacy sympathizers. Ms. Cosman, who is now deceased, was a lawyer and Renaissance studies scholar, never a medical doctor or a leprosy expert. She gave speeches in which she said that Mexican immigrants had a habit of molesting children. Back in their home villages, she would explain, rape was not as serious a crime as cow stealing. The Southern Poverty Law Center keeps a list of other such guests from “Lou Dobbs Tonight.”
Finally, Mr. Dobbs is fond of darkly hinting that this country is under attack. He suggested last week that the new immigration bill in Congress could be the first step toward a new nation — a “North American union” — that combines the United States, Canada and Mexico. On other occasions, his program has described a supposed Mexican plot to reclaim the Southwest. In one such report, one of his correspondents referred to a Utah visit by Vicente Fox, then Mexico’s president, as a “Mexican military incursion.”
When I asked Mr. Dobbs about this yesterday, he said, “You’ve raised this to a level that frankly I find offensive.”
The most common complaint about him, at least from other journalists, is that his program combines factual reporting with editorializing. But I think this misses the point. Americans, as a rule, are smart enough to handle a program that mixes opinion and facts. The problem with Mr. Dobbs is that he mixes opinion and untruths. He is the heir to the nativist tradition that has long used fiction and conspiracy theories as a weapon against the Irish, the Italians, the Chinese, the Jews and, now, the Mexicans.
There is no denying that this country’s immigration system is broken. But it defies belief — and a whole lot of economic research — to suggest that the problems of the middle class stem from illegal immigrants. Those immigrants, remember, are largely non-English speakers without a high school diploma. They have probably hurt the wages of native-born high school dropouts and made everyone else better off.
More to the point, if Mr. Dobbs’s arguments were really so good, don’t you think he would be able to stick to the facts? And if CNN were serious about being “the most trusted name in news,” as it claims to be, don’t you think it would be big enough to issue an actual correction?
hot Big Sean – My Last Artwork
kumarc123
08-07 11:52 AM
Man...looks like you will turn anti-immigrant once you get US citizenship.
Whats your real problem?
HAHa:)
Good one
Whats your real problem?
HAHa:)
Good one
more...
house Pictures: Big Sean amp; Chris
hopefullegalimmigrant
02-22 07:12 AM
I had my H1/4 (wife) stamping 2 days ago at Mumbai. No issues what so ever at Stamping. My discussion with the officer was cordial and friendly.
Went in at 9:00 and out by 10:00. Received stamped PP next day.
All docs OK. No job change after H1 transfer 3 years ago
All those going for H1 stamp do NOT worry. Not sure how one gets PIMS but this is just my account
Went in at 9:00 and out by 10:00. Received stamped PP next day.
All docs OK. No job change after H1 transfer 3 years ago
All those going for H1 stamp do NOT worry. Not sure how one gets PIMS but this is just my account
tattoo BIG SEAN FT. CHRIS BROWN: quot;MY
pbuckeye
04-01 04:09 PM
This is not I-485 and its a CP case...
Thanks. That was an obvious oversight indeed.
Thanks. That was an obvious oversight indeed.
more...
pictures Official video for Big Sean#39;s
bazuka6
10-29 11:21 PM
From IV: IV commends the initiative taken by it's members nk2006, pd_recpaturing, ItsNotfunny and others. As these members have observed, we all know that any one who has filed for AOS/I-485 can potentially be hit with this issue, especially in the current job market situations. If you believe in the old adage prevention is better than cure, this is an action item you have to subscribe to. It will be only a matter of time the number of such denials is going to spike.
In recent weeks there has been a spate of I485 denials by USCIS in the AC21 cases. In most of these cases, the underlying I-140 has been revoked by previous employer. But AC21 regulations and related memo�s require that I485�s should not be denied based on that � provided I485 has been pending for more than 180 days and the applicant has changed to a new job that is same or similar. USCIS has been rejecting cases without even issuing a NOID � again required by AC21 regulations. So USCIS is not following AC21 regulations and related field memo�s for whatever the reasons.
Obviously this will have a very bad impact on us � in addition to tremendous amount of stress it can have very bad economic implications including loss of job. In the current economic conditions we cannot afford to lose the job change flexibility provided by AC21 regulations. IV has started a campaign to fight this.
After a brief campaign to write to Ombudsman, it has been decided to intensify this campaign and write to various officials in USCIS hierarchy. IV core members have been actively involved in coming up with a strategy and are actively supporting this effort. By sending large number of letters we can draw their attention to this issue and resolve as quickly as possible. There are other strategies that are being discussed and will be underway soon to tackle this issue. This is the first and the most important step up on which other steps depend.
I request all the members to start sending the following 4 letters. For your convenience the letters have been completely written including addresses to be sent � all you have to do is download following 4 google documents � add the date, your name and address � and send it to the address provided on each letter.
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcqssdt7_1d3mzhr6c
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcqssdt7_2fp3nrhvb
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcqssdt7_3d8h2x7dr
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcqssdt7_4fxnvq9tw
To reiterate: You have to send 4 letters � these letters can be downloaded at the above URL�s. Edit the document to add current date, name, address etc. and mail it (regular mail). After doing that, please update the poll so we know how many letters are being sent.
To get more background on this issue and see what has been done so far, please see these two threads: http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showthread.php?t=22052;
http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showthread.php?t=21716
To achieve positive results we need to send these letters in large numbers - please send them today and let everyone else be aware of this effort. Thank you.
Request to core/web site admin: can you please add a link to this thread on the IV main page to get better coverage to this campaign - thanks.
Please change Dear Madam to Dear Ms. Velarde....
Madam can be taken out of context (esp in Washington ;) )
I mailed all 4 after changes
In recent weeks there has been a spate of I485 denials by USCIS in the AC21 cases. In most of these cases, the underlying I-140 has been revoked by previous employer. But AC21 regulations and related memo�s require that I485�s should not be denied based on that � provided I485 has been pending for more than 180 days and the applicant has changed to a new job that is same or similar. USCIS has been rejecting cases without even issuing a NOID � again required by AC21 regulations. So USCIS is not following AC21 regulations and related field memo�s for whatever the reasons.
Obviously this will have a very bad impact on us � in addition to tremendous amount of stress it can have very bad economic implications including loss of job. In the current economic conditions we cannot afford to lose the job change flexibility provided by AC21 regulations. IV has started a campaign to fight this.
After a brief campaign to write to Ombudsman, it has been decided to intensify this campaign and write to various officials in USCIS hierarchy. IV core members have been actively involved in coming up with a strategy and are actively supporting this effort. By sending large number of letters we can draw their attention to this issue and resolve as quickly as possible. There are other strategies that are being discussed and will be underway soon to tackle this issue. This is the first and the most important step up on which other steps depend.
I request all the members to start sending the following 4 letters. For your convenience the letters have been completely written including addresses to be sent � all you have to do is download following 4 google documents � add the date, your name and address � and send it to the address provided on each letter.
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcqssdt7_1d3mzhr6c
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcqssdt7_2fp3nrhvb
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcqssdt7_3d8h2x7dr
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcqssdt7_4fxnvq9tw
To reiterate: You have to send 4 letters � these letters can be downloaded at the above URL�s. Edit the document to add current date, name, address etc. and mail it (regular mail). After doing that, please update the poll so we know how many letters are being sent.
To get more background on this issue and see what has been done so far, please see these two threads: http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showthread.php?t=22052;
http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showthread.php?t=21716
To achieve positive results we need to send these letters in large numbers - please send them today and let everyone else be aware of this effort. Thank you.
Request to core/web site admin: can you please add a link to this thread on the IV main page to get better coverage to this campaign - thanks.
Please change Dear Madam to Dear Ms. Velarde....
Madam can be taken out of context (esp in Washington ;) )
I mailed all 4 after changes
dresses Update on Big Sean My Last
jonty_11
06-29 03:59 PM
if this rumor is true....then DAMN this GC.....!!!!!!!!!!!
more...
makeup G.O.O.D. Music signee Big Sean
abuddyz
01-29 10:41 PM
My H1b1 extension petition was approved in October first week.
hmm.. so this is very recent approval (just 3 months back). i know there are cases which are approved long back and they are also stuck in PIMS but we don't know their service center.. in your case we know that WAC with october 2007 approval is getting stuck..
is there any one with WAC receipt number and approval after October 2007?? if there is anyone please post your details...
hmm.. so this is very recent approval (just 3 months back). i know there are cases which are approved long back and they are also stuck in PIMS but we don't know their service center.. in your case we know that WAC with october 2007 approval is getting stuck..
is there any one with WAC receipt number and approval after October 2007?? if there is anyone please post your details...
girlfriend Big Sean#39;s quot;My Lastquot; Video
vgayalu
10-05 12:53 PM
For me and my spouse got Magic mails as ordered for cards one hour back.
Still waiting for my Daughter.
This is my 11 th year in USA.
Good luck for all. Thanks for IV and IVians support.
Still waiting for my Daughter.
This is my 11 th year in USA.
Good luck for all. Thanks for IV and IVians support.
hairstyles Big Sean has released the
sayantan76
01-24 08:56 PM
Indians do not need a visa to go to Hong Kong also and these days Singapore for those in transit (upto 96 hrs).
dont forget nepal and bhutan
dont forget nepal and bhutan
AreWeThereYet
09-10 09:49 AM
still waiting
Your date is current next month too. I am sure you will hear the good news soon.
Your date is current next month too. I am sure you will hear the good news soon.
bayarea07
09-12 06:43 PM
I agree that we have many silent well wishers and this is our last chance though we have oppositions by Number USA and Programmers guidl but colletively we are more strong then them
Who in America cares to go on their site and send a fax or call senators, only the ones who are suffering like us cares to do that
let's keep trying....last ball main sixer lag sakta hai ;)
we have US (IV), competeUSA and many silent well wishers
So, DO NOT LOSE HOPE....:)
lets keep our focus on doing the right thing - call lawmakers
Who in America cares to go on their site and send a fax or call senators, only the ones who are suffering like us cares to do that
let's keep trying....last ball main sixer lag sakta hai ;)
we have US (IV), competeUSA and many silent well wishers
So, DO NOT LOSE HOPE....:)
lets keep our focus on doing the right thing - call lawmakers