Closing USCIS International Offices Will Leave US Citizens, Abroad Without Help

Written by Angelica Duron

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ international field offices provide critical services to Americans living abroad, as well as refugees and other immigrants. But in a supposed effort to cut costs, the Trump administration plans to close all 23 offices that span 21 countries by the end of 2019.

These offices are a lifeline for those living abroad who need to access the complex U.S. immigration system. They offer help with immigration applications that could otherwise face serious processing delays. In some cases, without the help of the offices, these applications could be stalled for over a year. 

Some of the services USCIS’ offices provide include: 

• Facilitating international adoptions.
• Assisting military families stationed abroad with applying for U.S. citizenship.
• Reuniting American citizens with dying family members that live in the United States. The U.S. citizen may need to travel with a foreign national spouse and require expedited paperwork.
• Issuing travel documents.
• Interviewing and assisting those applying for refugee status in the United States.
• Providing immigration expertise to federal entities and foreign governments.

In an internal agency memo last month, USCIS Director Lee Francis Cissna informed employees of the planned closures. The agency argues the move will reduce the backlog of immigration cases in the United States. Officials hope to lower the number of pending asylum applications in particular. 

USCIS claims it will save millions of dollars by shifting its international offices’ duties to its domestic offices and the State Department. But the plan to close international USCIS offices faces opposition from Congress. 

61 Congressmembers sent a letter earlier this month to ask for funding that would keep the offices open. It points out this is an ill-considered and underhanded attempt to decrease immigration. 

The planned closure of international offices is not unique in that respect. The Trump administration’s 2020 budget proposal significantly reduces State Department funds for humanitarian aid and all but eliminates a bureau that assists refugees. It also diverts USCIS’ regular application fees to the nation’s deficit, rather than to fund the agency itself. 

By closing USCIS offices abroad and decreasing funding for other agencies, it is becoming more difficult to navigate the immigration system. This leaves U.S. citizens, our military members, and others living abroad without accessible help. 

 

 

Source: www.immigrationimpact.com  

https://www.inmigracionyvisas.com/a4137-Closing-USCIS-International-Offices-Will.html

Massacre at Pittsburgh Synagogue Tied to Anti-Refugee Sentiment

Written by Mary Giovagnoli

In a world of instantaneous news, the nation learned of the attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue on Saturday in Pittsburgh almost in real time. As the details emerged, we discovered that 11 Jewish worshippers had been murdered by Robert Bowers, a self-described anti-Semite with a hatred for Jews, refugees, and immigrants.

Shortly before embarking on his murderous actions, Bowers allegedly posted on an alt-right social media site about his anger toward the refugee support group HIAS, formerly known as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. HIAS is one of the nine national agencies that helps to resettle refugees in the United States and serves refugees of all faiths and nationalities. 

The shooter believes the Jewish nonprofit was helping transport members of the Central American migrant caravan into the United States, repeatedly referring to the caravan as “invaders” who want to “kill us.” 

Bowers was also agitated when HIAS organized refugee welcoming events at Jewish congregations around the country. He shared a list of these congregations on his social media accounts, thanking HIAS for providing a list of targets. 

This attack on Jewish worshippers in a place of sanctuary is gut-wrenching and the most recent of many mass killings this yearalone. His act was fueled by a toxic mix of hate speech, creeping anti-Semitism, and a growing intolerance of the foreign-born. 

Unfortunately, these dark ideas have always been lurking in the hearts of some, but people are becoming bolder in their hatred, encouraged by a president who repeatedly crosses the lines of decency when it suits his political ambitions. 

Refugees and immigrants are cast as dangers and national security threats, not because it is the truth, but because they are convenient scapegoats. They are easy to blame for political problems that have deep economic and social causes but have little to do with immigration. 

But convenient rhetoric has consequences. Bowers’ hatred is a product of our culture and our tolerance for hateful speech. Not just hate speech by its legal definition—but hateful speech, in which we cheer on and vote for politicians who advocate violenceagainst their opponents, fabricate conspiracies at the drop of a hat, turn victims into enemies, and attack entire groups of people. 

No one can say what caused Bowers to pull the trigger and end innocent lives, but no one can deny that today’s America is becoming a breeding ground for extremist acts. 

This must stop. A return to honest, candid, but respectful political discourse is a necessity. Policies that encourage diversity and trust should be the norm. 

In that spirit, we must open our country again to refugees—people who are fleeing hate and violence—because it is in that act of love that we lose our fear. 

Each of us must pledge to do more to ensure that there will never be another worship service that ends in tragedy. As Mark Hetfield, president and CEO of HIAS noted, “Everybody has to be engaged in calling out hate.” 

Source: www.immigrationimpact.com

http://www.inmigracionyvisas.com/a3938-Massacre-against-refugees-and-immigrants.html