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The economic barriers of immigrating to the U.S. and becoming a citizen just got a whole lot higher.
New fees went into effect yesterday to help the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) pay for its operations. The cost for registering for permanent residence or adjusting one's status skyrocketed more than 186% to $930, more than the per capita GDP of 22 countries. Applying for naturalization rose more than 80% to $595 and the petition fee for a foreign relative exploded almost 87% to $355.
A 1988 law passed by Congress mandated that the USCIS pay for its services solely with the fees it collects from applicants. The backlog of applicants has left immigration officials with little choice but to raise the fees, yet those fees are now beyond exorbitant for people with little money to squander on American bureaucracy. As a New York Times editorial puts it, "With one hand, Lady Liberty lifts her lamp beside the golden door. With the other, she roots around in an immigrant's wallet, plucking out bills." Jeanne Butterfield, executive director of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, aptly remarks, "'I don't think the cost of overhauling the bureaucracy should be on the backs of prospective immigrants.''
This new "tax" on those trying to achieve the "American Dream," trying to build a better life for their family and children, is a regressive tax bordering on nativism. It is throwing up obstacles to one of the most economically vulnerable groups, trying to ensure that they don't succeed. It is another example of the U.S. government taking advantage of a marginalized group with little voice and power.
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Given how much American citizenship is *worth*, I'm surprised we don't charge more.
Also, we currently have a relative glut of unskilled labor, especially if we legalize the current illegal immigrants through some form of amnesty program.
What we want to be attracting is more *skilled* labor - I'd start by absolutely removing any cap on H1B visas.
To the extent that higher fees are biased in favor of attracting the immigrants we benefit more from, it makes sense.
New York-based immigration attorneys announce the launch of a U.S. immigration law resource
website; assists aliens in becoming green card holders and U.S. citizens and fights deportation.
New York-based Immigration Lawyers Law Offices of
Marina Shepelsky, P.C. (www.eusvisa.com) is pleased to announce the launch of its U.S. Immigration
Law resource website Link. This revolutionary website will offer U.S. Immigration Law
articles, useful attorney advice, forms for various immigration needs, “How To” advisories, the latest
news by U.S.C.I.S. and comments by immigration lawyers, case studies, testimonials, practical advice,
user-friendly site navigation and much much more.
The main focus of Link is to provide users with educational information about the U.S.
immigration system and help aliens accomplish their dream of becoming U.S. residents.
Law Offices of Marina Shepelsky, P.C. offers services for immigrants across the United States' legal
matters such as immigration court representation, asylum, deportation defense, green card petitions
through family members, adjustment of status, abused spouse petitions, family and employment-based
immigration, fiancee K-1 visas, spousal K-3 visas, H-1B visas, extraordinary ability visas, and motions
and appeals to the Board of Immigration Appeals.
Law Offices of Marina Shepelsky, P.C. are experts in working with USCIS centers, Immigration Courts,
and U.S. Consulates worldwide.
At Law Offices of Marina Shepelsky, P.C., all cases are handled by knowledgeable experienced
immigration attorneys dedicated to the exclusive practice of immigration law. Each client is treated with
careful individualized attention and respect.
Link attorneys believe that immigration clients deserve professional, respectful treatment
and apply their up-to-date experience and knowledge of the myraid of immigration laws and related
caselaw to each case.
No case is too small for Law Offices of Marina Shepelsky, P.C. and each case deserves attention and
careful consideration. Link attorneys and staff take the time to develop a strategy for success in
every case and explain this strategy in detail to the clients, so the firm and the client work as a team.
Link attorneys create a step-by-step plan for each case and make sure each client
understands both the “big picture” and the minute details.
Law Offices of Marina Shepelsky, P.C. is a multi-lingual firm. For the clients' convenience, Law Offices
of Marina Shepelsky, P.C. and Link attorneys and staff speak Russian, Ukrainian, Polish,
Moldavian, and Romanian languages.
Law Offices of Marina Shepelsky, P.C. and Link proudly serve immigration clients in all
states across the U.S. and abroad.
Link welcomes calls and emails from all over the world and serves immigration law needs
for clients of every background. Link