The BBC reported on the immigration raids that occurred recently.

Seven people have been arrested in raids by UK Border Agency officers on restaurants and takeaways in County Durham and Tyneside. In one Indian restaurant in Durham three Bangladeshi men were found working illegally while in a Chinese takeaway two more people were arrested.

Three further arrests were made in another Indian restaurant and a fish and chip shop in Wallsend.

An agency spokesman said the raids followed tip-offs from the public.

Many nurses hoping to move to the US will now have to wait around three years to gain their US visa, as opposed to the two months they needed to wait previously, as US immigration clears its backlog of EB-3 visa applications.

Foreign nurses are being told not to lose faith that they will be granted a US work visa, despite a current freeze on work permits for nurses from certain countries.

This is why I always reiterate, defrauding the federal government is not only felonious it's foolish. Desperate people wanting to make a buck and thinking that entering into a sham marriage will be the answer may be in for a big surprise. Entering into fraudulent marriages for immigration purposes give the rest of the legitimate cases a bad rep and unfair to those that have taken legal steps to ensure they are reunited with their loved ones.

RYAN NICKLAUS WILLIAMS, 28, of Puyallup, Washington was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 37 days in jail with credit for time served, 100 hours of community service, four months of electronic home monitoring, and three years of supervised release for the crime of Conspiracy to Commit Visa Fraud. In sentencing WILLIAMS, U.S. District Judge Ronald B. Leighton noted that the visa fraud conspiracy was a “very serious offense” that had a profound effect on legitimate visa seekers.

Multiple media outlets are reporting that Thailand plans to waive visa fees for tourists.

Sounds interesting but do you think that will really encourage people to come to Thailand? How about making the government more stable and taking measures to prevent another hostile airport takeover?

This article by my vigilant colleague, Brent Renison, has a poignant message regarding the rigid immigration system and its archaic interpretation of a spouse. I was inspired by Brent and went on to represent two widows who were entangled in this immigration mess, and while one was successful, the other is part of Brent's class action. Here's the article and link.

On November 23, 2008, CBS “60 Minutes” exposed the Widow Penalty to a national audience in a segment hosted by Bob Simon entitled “For Better or For Worse – A Loss of Love and Country.” This letter is written to the Obama-Biden Transition Team in an effort to educate the incoming Administration about the Widow Penalty, and to urge its end through administrative interpretation and through legislation. There is a way to ameliorate the Widow Penalty through a simple administrative policy change – to recognize that once an application for benefits is lawfully filed, the death of the petitioning relative does not automatically strip the survivor of the status of a spouse. There is also a way to help thoseSurviving Spouses Against Deportation Urges An End To The Widow Penalty who intended to file an application, but who did not have an opportunity to do so before an untimely death – through legislation.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has the experience and diplomacy to make immigration reform a top priority. This is certainly a practical and reasonable move in the right direction in the Obama administration. Here's the article from Bloomberg on January 15th. 

Janet Napolitano, President-elect Barack Obama's choice for homeland security secretary, told a congressional panel this morning that fixing the "broken" U.S. immigration system would be a priority. As governor of Arizona, a border state, Napolitano called for the National Guard to help secure the Mexican border and she billed the federal government for state services used by illegal immigrants. "I have walked, flown over, and ridden horseback along our southwest border," Napolitano told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee's hearing on her nomination. "I appreciate its vastness, as well as the grave consequences of our broken system," she said.

 

Q: I am a United States citizen. I petitioned for my husband and brought him here from abroad. After three years of marriage and just seven weeks after immigrating, he abandoned me and asked for a divorce. It is clear to me that he married me only to get his green card. Can I get my husband deported?

A: At this point, you can't do much to affect your husband's immigration status. Because you thought the marriage was genuine, it would be almost impossible for you to prove fraud. And because you were married more than two years on the day he became a permanent resident, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services won't be checking to see how your marriage worked out. Move on with your life. Trying to get revenge won't help.

Foreign nationals planning to travel to the United States for short-term visits for business or tourism under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) must register as soon as possible for travel clearance through the online Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). Beginning January 12, 2009, VWP travelers will be required to register and get ESTA clearance before boarding a carrier bound for the United States. Travelers should submit their applications well in advance of travel, and no later than 72 hours before departing for the United States.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service also signed with IBM to streamline their immigration processing system, it's not surprising that the UK was also on board.  USCIS was signed with IBM in November 2008.

Will my visa be delayed during the holiday season? Is there anything I can do?

As the end of the year approaches, companies seeking work permits, residence permits or visas for foreign nationals who will begin their assignments in early 2009 should anticipate processing delays during the holiday season in December and January. Many consular posts as well as labor and immigration authorities operate with a reduced staff or close their offices during the holiday season while applications for work visas and permits generally increase during this period.