Aytes shows compassion - but no real solutions
Acting Deputy Director of USCIS, Mike Aytes, wrote on the Department of Homeland Security Blog today on a topic that the audience of the Endlesswait site is very interested in - Employment Based Immigration and the endless wait associated with it.
Aytes Blog Post on Employment Based Visa Wait Time
One one hand, I am very happy that Mike Aytes took the time to write that blog post. He is one of the most influential people in the USCIS that works on Employment Based immigration-related issues. Many would remember the famous Aytes Memos, especially the AC21 Aytes Memo from December 2005. Aytes understands the system and the limitations very well. AC21 makes life in the US POSSIBLE for immigrants in the waiting room.
Today’s post just repeats the same things that USCIS has been saying for the last year or so. Nothing new. It is good to see that the haven’t forgotten any of their promises and are working hard for us. Very much appreciated.
However, the core problem that over 700,000 people are waiting for Employment Based adjustment of status petitions and many of these will continue to wait for another 6-10 years, is not addressed. The numerical limit on immigrant visas imposed by the law (a century old one perhaps) is not going anywhere. Are there any plans to change that? I’ve never heard that in years. Are more visas likely to be available for employment based categories, based on the significantly higher demand for them over the past decade? If not, why? More information on WHY these numbers are so set in stone will be appreciated. Immigrants are a smart bunch. If you explain things to us and make the process transparent, we will work with it. Right now though, that’s hardly the case, which is why we end up feeling hopeless and exploited.
Readers - I recommend that you read the post at Aytes Blog Post on Employment Based Visa Wait Time and post comments. Don’t miss these opportunities to share your thoughts with the USCIS.
Thanks for the opportunity for dialogue Mr.Aytes, but you know that you are only fighting the symptoms with these measures.
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May 5th, 2009 at 7:52 am
I just read the blog post of Mr.Aytes that was referred in your message. I too am one of the unfortunate souls who are lost in the maze called “green card processing”.
There were a lot of responses and some of them contained really good suggestions on how to improve the process.
However what I found really troubling were the poor writing skills of some of the respondents.
When you call yourself a “high tech worker” or some one with skills that are in short supply in a well educated country like US you are expected to communicate with a certain level of competency in English. It becomes all the more necessary that you demonstrate good communication skills when you are discussing your immigration woes with an official of the USCIS.
May 5th, 2009 at 10:45 pm
I see your point. I agree that it would be nicer to see immigrants write and communicate better.
However, I do know several extremely talented and highly successful individuals who do not communicate too well in English. I have no doubt that they would be even more successful with better communication skills. I don’t think USCIS should care that much about applicants’ individual communication skills. I hope they are smart enough not to judge applicants based on a few lines of comments entered in the blog or a few answers in a visa interview.
May 7th, 2009 at 9:24 am
I posted a comment on Mr. Aytes blog but they did not publish it. I guess it was not of the taste of the readers.
We too are in the inferno of GC processing.
We were transferred from Europe by my former company in 2003 under a L visa and we started the process in July 2004 and have been for a year and half current on PD and Processing Queue and now experiencing retrogression, etc…
I think the system/process they created is totally erratic, if system/process there is, needless to say. USCIS is filled with incompetent contractors that just have a script to follow. If Mr. Aytes was my employee he would have been fired long ago.
One thing that came to my mind is the amount of money they are generating with legal immigration (us). Think about that 700′000 people pending, multiply by 305.00 USD for the Advance Parole and 340.00 USD for the work permit, plus all the processing fees and lawyer fees etc… Do the math if you have time…
And the other thing is that we are equal to US Citizens in terms of IRS, well in my case my salary is the double of the American average salary and I pay a large amount of taxes and consume American goods, and of course brought knowledge and money to this country, etc….
And regarding the poor quality of English, fortunately it has never been taken into account to become a permanent resident, thus there is no official language stipulated in the American Constitution, fortunately.
A Tax payer.
May 12th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
pedromc, You mention that your date was current for over 18 months…Did you consider the Mandamus?
http://www.endlesswait.com/green-card/what-to-do-if-the-immigration-services-is-not-making-a-decision-on-your-case/