Green card hopefuls to resort to Gandhigiri

[motowner]

Bole to.. USCIS ka director bimar hai.. usko phool bhejo sab... :D


Green card hopefuls to resort to Gandhigiri in US (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Green_card_hopefuls_to_resort_to_Gandhigiri/articleshow/2183334.cms)

7 Jul 2007, 0000 hrs IST Chidanand Rajghatta TNN

WASHINGTON: Hundreds of Indian high-skilled professionals in the US who have been on a roller coaster ride over the past month in their effort to get the green card will draw attention next week to their frustration -- with white flowers.

In a unique display of Gandhigiri -- a demonstratively peaceful Gandhian protest popularised in a recent Hindi movie -- scores of Indian H1-B visa holders who feel jilted by the abrupt changes in US immigration rules are planning to deluge US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Emilio Gonzalez with flowers on July 10.

Their peaceful venting stems from a June 12 USCIS notification that promised to fast track the green card process for tens of thousands of skilled foreign professionals and their spouses -- only to disappoint later. The announcement led to a stampede in countries such as India and China for obtaining birth certificates and other related documents needed for the process. Applicants spent thousands of dollars to meet the requirements and the deadline.

But on Monday, USCIS rolled back its notification, turning, according to the lobby group Immigration Voice, "a glimmer of hope into despair."

The idea of overwhelming the USCIS office in Washington DC with flowers arose from a fervid discussion on the bulletin boards of Immigration Voice where many skilled workers vent their frustration over the long drawn green card process. Although there were some dissenting voices which said such gestures would be wasted, proponents of this form of Gandhigiri said up to 200 people had signed by for the flowery protest.

According to some estimates from Immigration Voice and its supporters, the Green Card flap affects more than 100,000 skilled workers and their spouses and family in India. Each applicant for the fast tract process announced by USCIS last month is said to have spent upward of $ 2000 to submit documentation.

Except for the $ 325 filing fees which USCIS has said it will refund, the rest of the money, including towards attorney fees, medical exams, couriers etc is down the drain, several applicants said.

"I'd guess that with about 100,000 people filing along with at least one secondary applicant each, that's $ 400 million down the drain. That's not chump change," Vikas Chowdhry, an applicant who has been closely tracking the process, told ToI.

The bonanza for immigration lawyers and physicians who conduct medical fitness tests, who had a busier four weeks than normal, comes on top of millions of dollars of social security tax that the US government collects each year from temporary guest workers (including H1-B visa holders). These guest workers don't get a refund when they return home if they do not qualify or wish not to become permanent US residents.

The Indian government has been trying in vain to arrive at a 'totalisation agreement' with the US in this regard to refund the money. But Washington has been resisting it because without continuous contribution from new immigrants, the country's social security system would go bust.

The 'florid' protest aside, AILF, the litigation arm of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, is also considering filing a lawsuit against USCIS for possibly having violated federal regulations and precedents, apart from the personal trauma and stress caused to individuals.

[pakkidost]

I am sending a card too...GET WELL SOON MAMU.:D

[2gud]

Emillio Gonzalez seems to have one up his sleeve for the indian gandhigiri... he is smart enough to have already made an arrangement to forward the flowers to sick/wounded army personnel... tough to believe he will even remember this thing after a week.. so much for getting the word across...

of course, he knew people will be pissed after making them go through the whole ordeal, this act I am doubtful made him know that any better...

Link (http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=f4b3076eb0f93110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=1958b0aaa86fa010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD)

[rameshp]

Emillio Gonzalez seems to have one up his sleeve for the indian gandhigiri... he is smart enough to have already made an arrangement to forward the flowers to sick/wounded army personnel... tough to believe he will even remember this thing after a week.. so much for getting the word across...

of course, he knew people will be pissed after making them go through the whole ordeal, this act I am doubtful made him know that any better...

Link (http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=f4b3076eb0f93110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=1958b0aaa86fa010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD)
Doesnt matter where the flowers go to! (its actually a good gesture by USCIS too to redirect these flowers to injured soldiers instead of just dumping them!). The point has been made and noted!

Look at the US media stories on this so far:

Reuters Article (http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN1035511020070710?feedType=RSS&rpc=22&sp=true)
Washington Post Article (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/10/AR2007071002055.html)
New York Times Article (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/11/us/11visa.html)

More media articles will be popping up on this issue in the coming days.

I think people at Immigration Voice (http://immigrationvoice.org/index.php) have done a wonderful job. They got their point across, raised awareness about the plight of LEGAL immigrants and all this so elegantly without causing disturbance/inconvience to anyone else! Such a sensible yet worthy protest!:up::up:

[rameshp]

Emillio Gonzalez seems to have one up his sleeve for the indian gandhigiri... he is smart enough to have already made an arrangement to forward the flowers to sick/wounded army personnel... tough to believe he will even remember this thing after a week.. so much for getting the word across...
A post at Immigration Voice forum in a thread on this issue:


Seek_Gc (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/member.php?u=122)
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 1

If we compaign and let media know that these flowers were sent to Gonzales for the job not well done .if he is forwarding them to solidiers does it mean he is saying those solidiers has done poor job too .

i think this will make him eat his own words

http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showpost.php?p=105940&postcount=299

LOL! well said!:D

[2gud]

Washington Post Article (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/10/AR2007071002055.html)
(http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/11/us/11visa.html)

Do read the comments on that article. US is no more a haven for immigrants. Many of the hopefuls will never get to see the green cards, thanks to sharp hikes in H1B in the past. The sooner they realize this the better, lest they lose heavily battling a sit0ation which they themselves have created (by bargaining only for increase h1b, instead of green cards during 2000). Hoping for green card is just gambling with your future and some willb never get to see it.

[2gud]

The misused H1B program is not going to help the case of green card applicants as that is the visa on which they have come on and not on an immigrant visa.. what with videos such as this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCbFEgFajGU&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fblog%2Evdare%2Ecom%2Farchives%2F2007%2F06%2F19%2Fcohen%2Dgrigsby%2Dyoutubevideo%2Davailable%2F) and this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqGBIHmv7jo&mode=related&search=)...

Sorry to sound discouraging, that is not my intention... but going by the rate at which H1-Bs have been sanctioned in the past and present and overall cap of 140K green cards with country based quotas with employment based green cards only 10% of the total cap, i.e., 14000 / year, and indian quota among them will be still smaller... So I believe some of the green card hopefuls will never get to see them, and for most not in the near future i.e., < 3 yrs

[pakkidost]

I dont want to hurt anybody here but I really do not understand the madness over GC...like if somebody has to go back to India it is like end of life or something..what the hell yaar...these are the people who bring real shame to India when they act in such way and show the world what idiots they are...India is not a hell or nor the conditions there are unbearable or there are no jobs...then why this madness?

[aashoo]

I dont want to hurt anybody here but I really do not understand the madness over GC...like if somebody has to go back to India it is like end of life or something..what the hell yaar...these are the people who bring real shame to India when they act in such way and show the world what idiots they are...India is not a hell or nor the conditions there are unbearable or there are no jobs...then why this madness?
you are away from india and you dont know about heat and electricity there, I was there last fall (sept-oct in delhi) sweating like hell and couldn't download a complete movie from torrent site due to repeated power failure at the internet service provider. :mad:

[motowner]

I dont want to hurt anybody here but I really do not understand the madness over GC...like if somebody has to go back to India it is like end of life or something..what the hell yaar...these are the people who bring real shame to India when they act in such way and show the world what idiots they are...India is not a hell or nor the conditions there are unbearable or there are no jobs...then why this madness?

No its not the end of life if a person has to go back to India. But its a matter of personal choice. If a person wants to go back out of their own choice, its a different matter. But if you are forced to go back because someone else is not doing their job right, then that person has every right to protest.

I dont think these people have brought any shame to India by protesting against a stupid act of USICIS. On the contrary, I think it would have been shameful if they had not voiced their dissatisfaction. They were made to scramble to get their paperwork ready and then their hopes were shattered. I think the protest should have been stronger. I hope for the applicants that they file the class-action lawsuit.

[razzrhino]

Bole to.. USCIS ka director bimar hai.. usko phool bhejo sab... :D



Ya send flaaawars.. How GAY!!!!

[echarcha]

We desis, those who have voting rights in USA and those who will get them soon are stupid at politics!

We come from a land which can teach the world a thing or two about politics and yet we behave like naive idiots here.

WHo cares if Democrats or Republicans are good or bad. We should always have a strong vote bank which should never indicate which side we will vote. We should always say - We vote based on issues and for those who will care for our needs! Use the usual 'oh I am a issue based voter' mantra.

This way we can ensure that both Dems and Reps look to us as one powerful lobby.

The problem is that most of us immediately kiss ass of Democrats and this signals to Republicans that Indians are a Dem vote bank. Currently Reps are in power so they care two hoots.

Maybe I am wrong, but VOTE BANK politics works!! Even the MExicans know it and it works for them. Yet, we are stupid to believe in any party here.

Folks, Dems or Reps, or Congress or BJP - all are the same. VOTE BANK politics works.

Any Senator or Congressman will listen to us if we can say - Look here Mr. Bob, we can assure you 100000 votes but you need to first get us this! Mexicans are pretty smart as they vote collectively for a candidate, where as we suddenly want to have real politics and clean politics. Politics is all shit and dirty.. We have to think of it as just like our home politics in India.

Anyway... unless we lobby and show a vote bank, Indians will never be taken seriously beyong IT and high tech.

[BKN]

I dont want to hurt anybody here but I really do not understand the madness over GC...like if somebody has to go back to India it is like end of life or something..what the hell yaar...these are the people who bring real shame to India when they act in such way and show the world what idiots they are...India is not a hell or nor the conditions there are unbearable or there are no jobs...then why this madness?

Pakki..here is the deal in case U R in USA,

I offer U an equivalent Job in India- and also for Yr Hubby if U R married!!!

Will U move to India????

Don't bother to answer this Question if Yr Answer is NO, We understand!!!!

[pakkidost]

Oh YES!!!!!! I am ready to leave at THIS MOMENT. I had no intention or wish to move back to US. I am here because of my hubby's job and he is equally eager to move back. If you have any serious job proposal for him PLZ LET US KNOW.

[GunsNRoses]

The problem is that most of us immediately kiss ass of Democrats and this signals to Republicans that Indians are a Dem vote bank. Currently Reps are in power so they care two hoots.
Quite a few Indian-origin people are Republicans. For instance, Dinesh D'Souza, who's a well known Republican commentator. Then there's is Dr. Zach Zachariah, the president of the Bush-Cheney Campaign Finance. Incidentally, Dr. Zach and his brother Mammen are listed as the biggest individual donors to the Republican party. Dr. Raghavendra Vijayanagar of Tampa and Dr. Akshay Desai of St. Petersburg head the Indian American Republican Council. Yours truly tends to swing Republican here as well.

Actually, no Democrat or Republican specifically did anything to cater to Indian origin voters, because the desi crowd is a bit invisible to their radars and weren't thought to constitute a vote-bank. The last election showed that the desi-crowd are a minor force to be reckoned with though. I heard that most of the Indian-origin folks in Virginia tend to be Republican as well, but Mr. Allen's "macaca" comment was enough to turn even the hard-core Republicans into voting for Mr. Allen's opponent, and you all know the results.

[dollyg]

Oh YES!!!!!! I am ready to leave at THIS MOMENT. I had no intention or wish to move back to US. I am here because of my hubby's job and he is equally eager to move back. If you have any serious job proposal for him PLZ LET US KNOW.
i dont mean to offend....but if you and ur husband are both so eager to move, why are u still here...whats stopping you? job prospects in india are hot right now....most decently experienced people have 2 -3 offers from good co's on an average there these days...r u trying or just wishing?:o

[pakkidost]

We are desperately trying. We are hopeful taht we will be back by April.

The only constraint is we want to move to our home city. Because his parents are there and we bought a huge new house there so have no wish to move to Pune or Banglore. So we are just keeping ur fingures crossed. Pray for us and I will pray for your GC. Win win.

[dollyg]

We are desperately trying. We are hopeful taht we will be back by April.

The only constraint is we want to move to our home city. Because his parents are there and we bought a huge new house there so have no wish to move to Pune or Banglore. So we are just keeping ur fingures crossed. Pray for us and I will pray for your GC. Win win.
all the best! aise we are ok either way :up:

[BKN]

We are desperately trying. We are hopeful taht we will be back by April.

The only constraint is we want to move to our home city. Because his parents are there and we bought a huge new house there so have no wish to move to Pune or Banglore. So we are just keeping ur fingures crossed. Pray for us and I will pray for your GC. Win win.
what city and what is expected field of work????
Now don't tell me that Yr Hubby is on L1 VISA from those TCS/Info/HCl etc...

[aashoo]

We are desperately trying. We are hopeful taht we will be back by April.

The only constraint is we want to move to our home city. Because his parents are there and we bought a huge new house there so have no wish to move to Pune or Banglore. So we are just keeping ur fingures crossed. Pray for us and I will pray for your GC. Win win.


hum bajaaron ki baat mat poochho ji

aaj poochh hi li :cool:

[aashoo]

So we are just keeping ur fingures crossed.
:) :) ..........................................

ours are already crossed for something else dear

[dollyg]

hum bajaaron ki baat mat poochho ji

aaj poochh hi li :cool:
bajaaron ki (markets ki) :rotfl: :rotfl:

[dirty]

Thats a sophisticated way of protesting. Such a cotrast to the way illegal immigrants protested.

Waving mexican flag and yelling

' vee are umericaan tooo'

[krishnan]

Anyway... unless we lobby and show a vote bank, Indians will never be taken seriously beyong IT and high tech.

U mean shameless and self-respectless Indians like u have to be taken seriously...

People become senti , shameless and rueful because ANOTHER country does not want them...?

What is the difference between unwanted Bangladeshis in Mumbai and you guys in the US..

[rameshp]

U mean shameless and self-respectless Indians like u have to be taken seriously...

People become senti , shameless and rueful because ANOTHER country does not want them...?

What is the difference between unwanted Bangladeshis in Mumbai and you guys in the US..

wait a minute! werent you the same guy who tried to get a H1 visa, got rejected and is now trying again?? so an outsider's point of view, it seems like you are that 'shameless, self-respectless Indians'.:p:D Boy, you are such a bloody hypocrite!:clap:

[AmthaLal]

wait a minute! werent you the same guy who tried to get a H1 visa, got rejected and is now trying again?? so an outsider's point of view, it seems like you are that 'shameless, self-respectless Indians'.:p:D Boy, you are such a bloody hypocrite!:clap:



Dude you beat me to this.....:D



Yaar its like khatte angoor.:p

[2gud]

so an outsider's point of view, it seems like you are that 'shameless, self-respectless Indian
add speechless to it, speechless as to why only he is not getting a US visa :D
and worthless, for getting rejected so many times that he has to come here every time and show how scornful he is to others

krish "sour grapes" nan, have some peace with yourself.. you won't get peace and content in life by taking your ire on others who are not as lazy and dumbheaded as you are and know what they want from their lives...

prove your worth to yourself before judging others...

I haven't seen as blatant a hypocrite as you are... in fact, you are hypocrisy personfied... :down::down:

[krishnan]

add speechless to it, speechless

the normally 'speechfull' echarcha has become speechless after my post.

[krantikari]

the normally 'speechfull' echarcha has become speechless after my post.

What happened dude? Did they tell you never to apply for US visa again? Don't tell me... let me guess...... they told... "Don't call us... We'll call you? Right?"

How long have you been waiting for their call? :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

[love_to_surf]

What is the difference between unwanted Bangladeshis in Mumbai and you guys in the US..


:) Hi Krishnan.........I just wonder what is that in you mind against Indians staying in USA? Why don't you start one new brand thread and write all your thoughts/feelings....Inspite of remarks from all other members you are keeping so cool...that surprises me.Please do speak-out...also update us on what your job situation now.

[echarcha]

U mean shameless and self-respectless Indians like u have to be taken seriously...

People become senti , shameless and rueful because ANOTHER country does not want them...?

What is the difference between unwanted Bangladeshis in Mumbai and you guys in the US..

Hmm... I was not available to visit echarcha and reply to your posts... I was busy fucking your wife and daughter.. Oh what fun!!!

They both told me you were out getting sodomised by your father and your building watchman!!

Hey your daughter really is tight man.. Oh.. I had to finish almost half a tube of AstroGlide personal lubricant jelly.. How she squirmed and squealed and yelled - "More More More.. Oh eCharcha you are a 100 times better than my daddy and grandfather!! "

Oh she was sweet...

So what were you saying faggot?? Aah immigration!?? Hmm.. Sorry I was busy fucking your wife and daughter and hence no time to worry about these issues...

[echarcha]

the normally 'speechfull' echarcha has become speechless after my post.

Hmm... I was not available to visit echarcha and reply to your posts... I was busy fucking your wife and daughter.. Oh what fun!!!

They both told me you were out getting sodomised by your father and your building watchman!!

Hey your daughter really is tight man.. Oh.. I had to finish almost half a tube of AstroGlide personal lubricant jelly.. How she squirmed and squealed and yelled - "More More More.. Oh eCharcha you are a 100 times better than my daddy and grandfather!! "

Oh she was sweet...

So what were you saying faggot?? Aah immigration!?? Hmm.. Sorry I was busy fucking your wife and daughter and hence no time to worry about these issues...

[BKN]

Hmm... I was not available to visit echarcha and reply to your posts... I was busy fucking your wife and daughter.. Oh what fun!!!

.
AB bachhi ki Jaan loge kya????

Bande ki le lo - Bachhi ko jaane do

[echarcha]

AB bachhi ki Jaan loge kya????

Bande ki le lo - Bachhi ko jaane do

BKN,
Please search for threads by this character. He came here asking for help in quitting his job. He wanted to get a H1 visa. All of us helped him.

Then he comes back with a different tune and I am fine with it, but he decides to attack me personally for God knows what.

So, as a rule I have - If you attack me personally for no rhyme or reason then I will answer you back in a language which is reserved for such gutter scum whore childs!

[BKN]

BKN,
Please search for threads by this character. He came here asking for help in quitting his job. He wanted to get a H1 visa. All of us helped him.

Then he comes back with a different tune and I am fine with it, but he decides to attack me personally for God knows what.

So, as a rule I have - If you attack me personally for no rhyme or reason then I will answer you back in a language which is reserved for such gutter scum whore childs!

My bad,

Koi Purani Ranjish????

I mean from Back home??? U never know!!!

[echarcha]

My bad,

Koi Purani Ranjish????

I mean from Back home??? U never know!!!
We used to have a few characters here, who thankfully got the message, and they quit.

See BKN, I am not perfect. I have flaws too. I have some beliefs which are not common with you, yet I will not attack you personally for not believing what I believe in. You and I sparr verbally so many times, but thats it. I dont say things about your life or your choices.

This guy, I dont know who it is. I did not even bother to look up IP logs becaue I dont care. I know how to treat morons.