arunmohan
12-19 11:00 AM
I just contributed through Paypal.
wallpaper 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid 7
amitjoey
06-16 11:56 AM
A Great Big Thank You to all of you who have been Contributing to enable IV to organize an event of this proportion.
Thank You IV for providing us with this platform to get our voices heard where it matters the most. Go IV!
The phenomenal experience of actually doing something positive to solve our problems is - but I am just acknowledging the great enthusiasm that was vibrating with our members - they realized the gravity of the situation, the opportunity that was within their grasp and wanted to make the best use of it. Hats off to you guys!!
IV realizes that our strength lies within our members and their dedication - both in terms of participation and funding. And if there is one thing that almost every single participant took home from the event is that - we still have a long way to go and we need far more support and participation. .
Thank You needhelp!, Devang, StarSun for summarizing the DC Experience. Each one of us that went to DC came back with a more positive outlook, the satisfaction of doing something good. I will write in detail my personal experience, but in a nutshell- The camaraderie, the enthusiasm and the tireless effort that some members put in is just commendable.
Thank You IV for providing us with this platform to get our voices heard where it matters the most. Go IV!
The phenomenal experience of actually doing something positive to solve our problems is - but I am just acknowledging the great enthusiasm that was vibrating with our members - they realized the gravity of the situation, the opportunity that was within their grasp and wanted to make the best use of it. Hats off to you guys!!
IV realizes that our strength lies within our members and their dedication - both in terms of participation and funding. And if there is one thing that almost every single participant took home from the event is that - we still have a long way to go and we need far more support and participation. .
Thank You needhelp!, Devang, StarSun for summarizing the DC Experience. Each one of us that went to DC came back with a more positive outlook, the satisfaction of doing something good. I will write in detail my personal experience, but in a nutshell- The camaraderie, the enthusiasm and the tireless effort that some members put in is just commendable.
akkakarla
09-08 03:39 PM
As someone said it is better to delete this thread. There is no constructive discussion here at all
2011 2010 Bmw Activehybrid 7 Front
DesiPardesi
07-17 07:04 PM
Even though most of other lawyers were skeptical about it. You guys did it.
I think IV Campaigns, Zoe's response and AILF's lawsuit are three main contributing factors in this success.
Congratulations!!
I think IV Campaigns, Zoe's response and AILF's lawsuit are three main contributing factors in this success.
Congratulations!!
more...
villamonte6100
08-10 10:01 AM
I'd be happy if I got a second opinion (my lawyer's is the first) on this issue:
I am ready to file for my AOS(I-485) for the second time based on my employers I-140 petition and would like someone (unitednations ?) to see if there are any possible gotchas.
Chronology
========
#1 May 2001 - Come to US on H1B (California) I-94 valid till Nov 2003
#2 Oct 2001 - Change employers and get a H1 transfer (California) New I-94 valid till Feb 2004
#3 Nov 2002 - Fall in love with an American girl
#4 Dec 2002 - Quit job and move to Michigan to be with girlfriend (Out of status)
#5 March 2003 - Find job in MI, employers lawyer botches my H1 transfer / extension (Out of status)
#6 October 2003 - Fall out with employer and quit.
#7 November 2003 - Marry girlfriend (Out of status)
#8 April 2004 - Wife files I-130/I-485/I-765 (AOS Pending status)
#9 April 2004 - Find a new employer "X" and start working for him
#10 June 2004 - Wife and I have irreconcilable differences and I separate, later file for divorce
#11 June 2004 - "X" petitions for new H1B for me for FY-2005 starting in Oct.
#12 July 2004 - leave US and go back to homeland, get new H1 visa stamped with expiration date of June 2007
#13 Sept. 2004 - Come back to the US with new H1 visa stamp and get new I-94 (exp. June 2007) -----> Fresh start, eh ?
#14 Nov 2004 - Divorce final
#15 Dec 2004 - "X" files Labor RIR EB3. PD is Dec 2004
#16 Dec 2005 - "X" files labor PERM EB2. PD is Dec 2005
#17 Feb 2006 - PERM labor EB2 approved
#18 March 2006 - Voluntarily went to local CIS office and withdrew old I-485. Proof of withdrawal obtained.
#19 June 2006 - EB2 I-140 filed with copy of labor (Still pending) Obtained receipt
#20 Oct 2006 - EB3 labor approved from backlog center
#21 May 2007 - File for 7th year H1B extension
#22 Jun 2007 - EB3 I-140 filed (Still pending). Obtained receipt
#23 Jul 2007 - H1B Extension approved (new I-94 with expiration of Jun 2008)
#24 Jul 2007 - Ready to file I-485 concurrent with EB3 I-140
Since 2004 I have maintained valid non-immigrant status (I think). Will I have any issues with accrual of out of status / unlawful stay based on my actions above ?
As you can see, mine is not a straightforward case.
The million dollar question : Based on my actions in steps #4 thru #10, is there a chance that my new I-485 will be adversely affected ? If so, is there anything that anyone can tell me to remedy/rectify the situation to avoid it ?
Thanks !
My case has some similarities, except marrying an American and divorce, but I was out of status for a long time and I thought there was no hope at all. One of my former clients offered me a job and sponsored my h1 of course. I went home and have my new h1 stamped and came back. I was out of status probably for more than two years. Now, I just got my receipt for July 2 485 application. My PD is April 2006. I'm read people are talking here that when you re-enter on a new h1, your previous out of status "status" will be irrelevant.
I am ready to file for my AOS(I-485) for the second time based on my employers I-140 petition and would like someone (unitednations ?) to see if there are any possible gotchas.
Chronology
========
#1 May 2001 - Come to US on H1B (California) I-94 valid till Nov 2003
#2 Oct 2001 - Change employers and get a H1 transfer (California) New I-94 valid till Feb 2004
#3 Nov 2002 - Fall in love with an American girl
#4 Dec 2002 - Quit job and move to Michigan to be with girlfriend (Out of status)
#5 March 2003 - Find job in MI, employers lawyer botches my H1 transfer / extension (Out of status)
#6 October 2003 - Fall out with employer and quit.
#7 November 2003 - Marry girlfriend (Out of status)
#8 April 2004 - Wife files I-130/I-485/I-765 (AOS Pending status)
#9 April 2004 - Find a new employer "X" and start working for him
#10 June 2004 - Wife and I have irreconcilable differences and I separate, later file for divorce
#11 June 2004 - "X" petitions for new H1B for me for FY-2005 starting in Oct.
#12 July 2004 - leave US and go back to homeland, get new H1 visa stamped with expiration date of June 2007
#13 Sept. 2004 - Come back to the US with new H1 visa stamp and get new I-94 (exp. June 2007) -----> Fresh start, eh ?
#14 Nov 2004 - Divorce final
#15 Dec 2004 - "X" files Labor RIR EB3. PD is Dec 2004
#16 Dec 2005 - "X" files labor PERM EB2. PD is Dec 2005
#17 Feb 2006 - PERM labor EB2 approved
#18 March 2006 - Voluntarily went to local CIS office and withdrew old I-485. Proof of withdrawal obtained.
#19 June 2006 - EB2 I-140 filed with copy of labor (Still pending) Obtained receipt
#20 Oct 2006 - EB3 labor approved from backlog center
#21 May 2007 - File for 7th year H1B extension
#22 Jun 2007 - EB3 I-140 filed (Still pending). Obtained receipt
#23 Jul 2007 - H1B Extension approved (new I-94 with expiration of Jun 2008)
#24 Jul 2007 - Ready to file I-485 concurrent with EB3 I-140
Since 2004 I have maintained valid non-immigrant status (I think). Will I have any issues with accrual of out of status / unlawful stay based on my actions above ?
As you can see, mine is not a straightforward case.
The million dollar question : Based on my actions in steps #4 thru #10, is there a chance that my new I-485 will be adversely affected ? If so, is there anything that anyone can tell me to remedy/rectify the situation to avoid it ?
Thanks !
My case has some similarities, except marrying an American and divorce, but I was out of status for a long time and I thought there was no hope at all. One of my former clients offered me a job and sponsored my h1 of course. I went home and have my new h1 stamped and came back. I was out of status probably for more than two years. Now, I just got my receipt for July 2 485 application. My PD is April 2006. I'm read people are talking here that when you re-enter on a new h1, your previous out of status "status" will be irrelevant.
coopheal
04-14 11:57 AM
Bump
Please stop living in your make belief world. Wake up.
Please stop living in your make belief world. Wake up.
more...
pritesh80
05-16 11:04 AM
Received receipt notice on 30/04/2007 which mentioned RFE mailed on 30/04/2007, however till date the lawyers have received nothing, does it take that long for the RFE to reach the lawyers??? its already been 13 days...Please respond...
I am having a similar issue. They have mentioned that RFE mailed on 05/04/2007 (4th May). I still havent recieved any letter from them. Anyone else in my shoes?
I am having a similar issue. They have mentioned that RFE mailed on 05/04/2007 (4th May). I still havent recieved any letter from them. Anyone else in my shoes?
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santb1975
11-27 04:40 PM
Thanks a lot
Thanks for your response!
Thanks for your response!
more...
reedandbamboo
09-13 11:36 PM
1) Since the letter refers to "we" (the legal immigrants), should we be individually signing the letter?
2) Are we going to provide our mailing address as well as email IN THE EVENT that there will be a response to our questions?
3) What happens if there is no response?
4) In the letter, I said action must be taken in the remaining 15 days .. BUT HOW CAN ANYTHING BE DONE AS THE STANDARD RESPONSE IS "the annual quota is exhausted" ??? i.e., there are no more visas to allocate!!
2) Are we going to provide our mailing address as well as email IN THE EVENT that there will be a response to our questions?
3) What happens if there is no response?
4) In the letter, I said action must be taken in the remaining 15 days .. BUT HOW CAN ANYTHING BE DONE AS THE STANDARD RESPONSE IS "the annual quota is exhausted" ??? i.e., there are no more visas to allocate!!
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eb3retro
12-19 12:30 PM
Only 9% away from my first $500 contribution as part of the pledge..... this forum is so slow.... I thought that by today noon I have to shell out $500...but doesn't looks the case...
Oh I forgot ! This forum is used to slow processing ...let it be GC or Contribution..... doesn't surprises me..... Our fraternity is used to slow things just like GC .... come guys /gals ..... show some speed....
come on guys let us prove anurakt is wrong, may be our gc processing slow, but not our efforts to solve it. please pitch in. Contribute generously so that Anurakt spends his $500. Its still not noon in PST. Let us make this happen.
Oh I forgot ! This forum is used to slow processing ...let it be GC or Contribution..... doesn't surprises me..... Our fraternity is used to slow things just like GC .... come guys /gals ..... show some speed....
come on guys let us prove anurakt is wrong, may be our gc processing slow, but not our efforts to solve it. please pitch in. Contribute generously so that Anurakt spends his $500. Its still not noon in PST. Let us make this happen.
more...
Macaca
07-17 08:54 PM
Hello Macaca!!!! :D :D :D
Hello Pappu
Did you file in June or are you filable now?
Hello Pappu
Did you file in June or are you filable now?
hot 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid 7,
Naveen
03-06 03:40 PM
Good work. move me up to $100
more...
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lvgc
03-09 04:31 PM
Contributed $25 to the FOIA efforts. (Unique Transaction ID #6JK77604MG882923U)
In reference to: S-3NA946199E0787312
Contributed $475 so far to IV.
In reference to: S-3NA946199E0787312
Contributed $475 so far to IV.
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reedandbamboo
09-14 11:43 AM
Here is a comprehensive listing of the contact information for the persons/organizations of import:
1) Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman
ATTN: Recommendations
United States Department of Homeland Security
Mail Stop 1225
Washington, D.C. 20528-1225
Email: cisombudsman@dhs.gov
2) USCIS Acting Director Jonathan Scharfen (NO MAILING ADDRESS AVAILABLE, possibly we just use the generic service centers mailing address, PLEASE SEE (4) below)
3) USCIS Acting Deputy Director, Michael Aytes (NO MAILING ADDRESS AVAILABLE, use mailing address in (4) below)
For (2) and (3) above:
USCIS Ph: 1-800-375-5283
E-mail: uscis.webmaster@dhs.gov (apparently this email is only for the USCIS website feedback)
4) USCIS Service Centers (NSC, TSC, etc) Customer Feedback:
Assistant Chief
Internal Security and Investigative Operations
USCIS, 111 Massachusetts Ave, NW
Suite 7000
Washington, DC 20529
email: USCIS-COMPLAINT@DHS.GOV
5) Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren
Chair - Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security and International Law
http://lofgren.house.gov/emailform.shtml
District Office
635 North 1st Street, Suite B
San Jose, CA 95112
Telephone (408) 271-8700
If you send Congresswoman Lofgren an email, you have to be a constituent of the California 16th Congressional District to receive a response. You can send her an email through a link on her website (see URL above).
6) Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
http://www.house.gov/pelosi/contact/contact.html
District Office - 450 Golden Gate Ave. - 14th Floor - San Francisco, CA 94102 - (415) 556-4862
7) President Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Fax: 202-456-2461
1) Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman
ATTN: Recommendations
United States Department of Homeland Security
Mail Stop 1225
Washington, D.C. 20528-1225
Email: cisombudsman@dhs.gov
2) USCIS Acting Director Jonathan Scharfen (NO MAILING ADDRESS AVAILABLE, possibly we just use the generic service centers mailing address, PLEASE SEE (4) below)
3) USCIS Acting Deputy Director, Michael Aytes (NO MAILING ADDRESS AVAILABLE, use mailing address in (4) below)
For (2) and (3) above:
USCIS Ph: 1-800-375-5283
E-mail: uscis.webmaster@dhs.gov (apparently this email is only for the USCIS website feedback)
4) USCIS Service Centers (NSC, TSC, etc) Customer Feedback:
Assistant Chief
Internal Security and Investigative Operations
USCIS, 111 Massachusetts Ave, NW
Suite 7000
Washington, DC 20529
email: USCIS-COMPLAINT@DHS.GOV
5) Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren
Chair - Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security and International Law
http://lofgren.house.gov/emailform.shtml
District Office
635 North 1st Street, Suite B
San Jose, CA 95112
Telephone (408) 271-8700
If you send Congresswoman Lofgren an email, you have to be a constituent of the California 16th Congressional District to receive a response. You can send her an email through a link on her website (see URL above).
6) Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
http://www.house.gov/pelosi/contact/contact.html
District Office - 450 Golden Gate Ave. - 14th Floor - San Francisco, CA 94102 - (415) 556-4862
7) President Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Fax: 202-456-2461
more...
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gctest
10-02 02:06 PM
EB2 india/china... see this..
http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showthread.php?t=21828
and then see this
http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showthread.php?t=21833
ab bajao ghanti... aur chup chap baithe raho
(translation: sit there like a paraplegic in the line and do nothing ... while a massive line jumping is in process... you will keep seeing while all these EB3 "bodyshopped consultants" will continue to slowly port their PDs and get approved ahead of you.. EB2 I/C is in for a really really long wait.
Honestly, these consultants don't even have an H1B worthy job: its not a permanent job offer. They don't get paid fulltime. Let alone their eligibility for a GC ....what a scam!
We need to let uscis know and audit all current and past approved cases from these consultants)
FYI ...With support from a few people .. we are in the process of filing a Direct injunction for stoppage and immediate audit of interfiled/approved cases. But more support would be appreciated.
http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showthread.php?t=21828
and then see this
http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showthread.php?t=21833
ab bajao ghanti... aur chup chap baithe raho
(translation: sit there like a paraplegic in the line and do nothing ... while a massive line jumping is in process... you will keep seeing while all these EB3 "bodyshopped consultants" will continue to slowly port their PDs and get approved ahead of you.. EB2 I/C is in for a really really long wait.
Honestly, these consultants don't even have an H1B worthy job: its not a permanent job offer. They don't get paid fulltime. Let alone their eligibility for a GC ....what a scam!
We need to let uscis know and audit all current and past approved cases from these consultants)
FYI ...With support from a few people .. we are in the process of filing a Direct injunction for stoppage and immediate audit of interfiled/approved cases. But more support would be appreciated.
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rcr_bulk
08-11 10:20 AM
Visa Bulletin September 2009 (http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bulletin_4558.html)
more...
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pappu
12-19 11:43 AM
Good !!
bijalrs has contributed
Still I need four more first time contributing members.
Thank you everyone.
bijalrs has contributed
Still I need four more first time contributing members.
Thank you everyone.
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smc
09-08 02:31 PM
Sherman;
Loser is spelt L-O-S-E-R (not looser).
Its a pity your grandparents or whoever came here on the Mayflower did not teach you proper English.
(Not that they taught you much of anything else either).
See you in DC.
Loser is spelt L-O-S-E-R (not looser).
Its a pity your grandparents or whoever came here on the Mayflower did not teach you proper English.
(Not that they taught you much of anything else either).
See you in DC.
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ak_2006
06-10 12:22 PM
I am extending my donations for one more year. It�s almost a year I signed up for monthly contribution.
I could not go to DC ..but I will continue my support through funding. I sent mails to local senators.
Kudos to everyone who participated in the DC advocacy event. Core IV is really deserved to be appreciated from bottom of our hearts.
I could not go to DC ..but I will continue my support through funding. I sent mails to local senators.
Kudos to everyone who participated in the DC advocacy event. Core IV is really deserved to be appreciated from bottom of our hearts.
priyankaatta
07-17 09:03 PM
First they ignore you,
then they laugh at you,
then they fight you,
then you win...
Mahatma Gandhi
then they laugh at you,
then they fight you,
then you win...
Mahatma Gandhi
logiclife
06-17 02:20 PM
Be Unreasonable & a cause of progress, not just a beneficiary.
Hello everyone,
I will explain the title of this thread in a minute (the unreasonable part) but before that I would like to share my experience in DC last week during, before and after lobby days.
A few weeks ago, when Aman called me to join him in lobby days, just like many others, I was having a difficult time scheduling vacation days off from work. I somehow convinced my boss to let me take those days off and finish the work in the weekend prior to June.
The Airport pickup:
When I reached the Airport, Aman and Pratik were there to pick me up. And this is where it got funny and really hilarious. The car was a compact rental car and it was full of printers, laptops and folders -- all in preparation of lobby day. There was barely enough place to sit in the car. After shutting all the doors tight (we really had to compress the luggage and force the door shut) we started driving towards the hotel. And the dome light would not shut off. So everyone outside can see a car full of luggage, printers and people packed like a can of sardines. Fortunately Aman knew the way to the Hotel and we could go there without having to stop for directions.
Preparation and training on Sunday:
Sunday was hectic, busy, tiring and very very interesting. I met a lot of new people on Sunday who had come to DC for the first time. And it felt really really good to reconnect with people who we had met earlier in 2007 rally in DC and the earlier rally in San Jose in July. Just felt like I had met my friends from college with whom I spend 4 years. The kind of relationship and chemistry that we have is impossible to describe in words. Crisis and calamity have a way of creating bonds that last a lifetime. We all may get green-cards in next 1 year or maybe 10 years. But I will remember the people I met in DC twice and in San Jose for the rest of my life. And I am sure others feel the same way. These are the people who were sitting on the laptop scheduling lawmaker meetings and connecting members to appointments till 4:00 AM on Monday morning and then back to work by 8:00 AM. We ate whatever was ordered or whatever we found in the hotel. There were people printing business cards in one corner. Others were printing the drop-off material for lawmakers, preparing neat folders for meetings. There was training and mock-meetings going on in another corner for people who had never been to the Capitol Hill before. There was so much purpose and so much goal-oriented motivation in the room, I felt really glad to have not missed this even one out of 3 times we done this both in DC and in San Jose.
The next two days:
Over the next two days, I went to about 7 meetings in the House and Senate side and had very very interesting experiences, mostly positive. I cannot share the details of the response for each office as this is a public forum, but I can tell you that having been to DC about 6 times now since 2006, there are Hill Staffers who know many of us and even remember our names. Our conversations do not begin with introductions, but where we left off in our last meeting. More than 60-70% of the offices of Congressmen and Senators know about Immigration Voice and know about the issue. Some offices may have newer staff and not know, and that's where education helps.
Every single day consisted of going to the Hill from the situation room, (I mostly took a cab, I am lazy that way even if its only 4 blocks), coming back, getting some work done, going back to the Hill, accompanying someone if they are alone in the meetings (it helps to have 2 or more IV members go to a meeting). We worked till 11 PM mostly, and got about 4-5 hours of sleep each night. And that is true for everyone who was there. EVERY SINGLE one. Walking between the office buildings (and they are big) and walking a few times back to the Hotel also made some of us realize (like me) that how out of shape we are physically :):)
And now to the UNreasonables:
The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.
George Bernard Shaw
Irish dramatist & socialist (1856 - 1950)
Every single person who came to DC this time or the time before, or who came to San Jose rally has been told by friends, family and colleagues "Why are you going to DC, let others go, take care of yourself, all problems get fixed eventually, Congress will take care of it".
They sound very reasonable or try to convince you that they are the reasonable ones and you are being unreasonable by going to the Capitol and working on your cause.
The truth is...yes, we may be. But we are the ones who will eventually make a difference. If you read the quote from George Bernard Shaw, you will realize that the reasonable men and women will sit around and talk about us, save their time for family and leisure and comply themselves to the system. They will comply themselves to a system that keeps in hanging without a green card for 20 years. They will never be capable of ushering progress.
The unreasonable ones, the ones like us, who contribute to this cause in various forms, are the gifted ones. We are the lucky ones. For we have the wisdom and the strength to do the unreasonable and get the world to comply to our point of view.
And flower campaign, the DC rally -- that got bulletin reversed in 2007,
the popularity of removing per-country ceilings in the offices that exist today and didnt exist before --
All this a work of men and women like us who are unreasonably resilient, who will not listen to the advise of reasonable men who sit on the sidelines and refresh the Visa Bulletin page every first friday of every month 20 times a day.
But to those who get it...I have one more quote for you, a final one, I promise:
"If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves."
Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931)
I wish the problem of greencard backlogs get cleared soon, but if it doesnt, I will do this a 100 times again and with same or more passion, determination and purpose. Our energy and determination would outlast and outlive the intertia of Congress.
Hello everyone,
I will explain the title of this thread in a minute (the unreasonable part) but before that I would like to share my experience in DC last week during, before and after lobby days.
A few weeks ago, when Aman called me to join him in lobby days, just like many others, I was having a difficult time scheduling vacation days off from work. I somehow convinced my boss to let me take those days off and finish the work in the weekend prior to June.
The Airport pickup:
When I reached the Airport, Aman and Pratik were there to pick me up. And this is where it got funny and really hilarious. The car was a compact rental car and it was full of printers, laptops and folders -- all in preparation of lobby day. There was barely enough place to sit in the car. After shutting all the doors tight (we really had to compress the luggage and force the door shut) we started driving towards the hotel. And the dome light would not shut off. So everyone outside can see a car full of luggage, printers and people packed like a can of sardines. Fortunately Aman knew the way to the Hotel and we could go there without having to stop for directions.
Preparation and training on Sunday:
Sunday was hectic, busy, tiring and very very interesting. I met a lot of new people on Sunday who had come to DC for the first time. And it felt really really good to reconnect with people who we had met earlier in 2007 rally in DC and the earlier rally in San Jose in July. Just felt like I had met my friends from college with whom I spend 4 years. The kind of relationship and chemistry that we have is impossible to describe in words. Crisis and calamity have a way of creating bonds that last a lifetime. We all may get green-cards in next 1 year or maybe 10 years. But I will remember the people I met in DC twice and in San Jose for the rest of my life. And I am sure others feel the same way. These are the people who were sitting on the laptop scheduling lawmaker meetings and connecting members to appointments till 4:00 AM on Monday morning and then back to work by 8:00 AM. We ate whatever was ordered or whatever we found in the hotel. There were people printing business cards in one corner. Others were printing the drop-off material for lawmakers, preparing neat folders for meetings. There was training and mock-meetings going on in another corner for people who had never been to the Capitol Hill before. There was so much purpose and so much goal-oriented motivation in the room, I felt really glad to have not missed this even one out of 3 times we done this both in DC and in San Jose.
The next two days:
Over the next two days, I went to about 7 meetings in the House and Senate side and had very very interesting experiences, mostly positive. I cannot share the details of the response for each office as this is a public forum, but I can tell you that having been to DC about 6 times now since 2006, there are Hill Staffers who know many of us and even remember our names. Our conversations do not begin with introductions, but where we left off in our last meeting. More than 60-70% of the offices of Congressmen and Senators know about Immigration Voice and know about the issue. Some offices may have newer staff and not know, and that's where education helps.
Every single day consisted of going to the Hill from the situation room, (I mostly took a cab, I am lazy that way even if its only 4 blocks), coming back, getting some work done, going back to the Hill, accompanying someone if they are alone in the meetings (it helps to have 2 or more IV members go to a meeting). We worked till 11 PM mostly, and got about 4-5 hours of sleep each night. And that is true for everyone who was there. EVERY SINGLE one. Walking between the office buildings (and they are big) and walking a few times back to the Hotel also made some of us realize (like me) that how out of shape we are physically :):)
And now to the UNreasonables:
The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.
George Bernard Shaw
Irish dramatist & socialist (1856 - 1950)
Every single person who came to DC this time or the time before, or who came to San Jose rally has been told by friends, family and colleagues "Why are you going to DC, let others go, take care of yourself, all problems get fixed eventually, Congress will take care of it".
They sound very reasonable or try to convince you that they are the reasonable ones and you are being unreasonable by going to the Capitol and working on your cause.
The truth is...yes, we may be. But we are the ones who will eventually make a difference. If you read the quote from George Bernard Shaw, you will realize that the reasonable men and women will sit around and talk about us, save their time for family and leisure and comply themselves to the system. They will comply themselves to a system that keeps in hanging without a green card for 20 years. They will never be capable of ushering progress.
The unreasonable ones, the ones like us, who contribute to this cause in various forms, are the gifted ones. We are the lucky ones. For we have the wisdom and the strength to do the unreasonable and get the world to comply to our point of view.
And flower campaign, the DC rally -- that got bulletin reversed in 2007,
the popularity of removing per-country ceilings in the offices that exist today and didnt exist before --
All this a work of men and women like us who are unreasonably resilient, who will not listen to the advise of reasonable men who sit on the sidelines and refresh the Visa Bulletin page every first friday of every month 20 times a day.
But to those who get it...I have one more quote for you, a final one, I promise:
"If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves."
Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931)
I wish the problem of greencard backlogs get cleared soon, but if it doesnt, I will do this a 100 times again and with same or more passion, determination and purpose. Our energy and determination would outlast and outlive the intertia of Congress.
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