change of address

[MS2003]

I lived in US for about 5 years, and I did receive my green card at my current address. Do I still need to complete AR-11 to notify INS? They should have my current address, right? Thanks for any comments.

[AmericanWannabe]

The law (INA-Immigration and Naturalization Atcs
or U.S.C. - United States Code) says writing is enough.
CFR (Codes of Federal Regulation) says you have to
use AR-11.

If the INS already has your current address, I doubt
it is still meanful to send them an AR-11. You are
already too late anyway if they really want to screw
you.

[MyWaitIsOver]

My 2 cents is better late than never. The law is clear: service centers having your address is not enough, the central HQ in DC needs to be told using AR-11. Several lawyer sites also say just go ahead and send your AR-11 for the latest change.

[AmericanWannabe]

If this is true:

Why don't we send our comments during this 60-day
comment period.

Of course, for those of us who send AR-11, we should
lobby for strict enforcement of this law but also lobby
for pardon of all old violations before 2001





http://www.bayarea.com/mld/bayarea/3714233.htm


U.S. to require noncitizens to report their addresses
By FRANK DAVIES and CASSIO FURTADO
Knight Ridder Newspapers

WASHINGTON - The Justice Department announced Monday it intends to use criminal penalties against
immigrants and foreign visitors who fail to notify the government of a change of address within 10
days.

Attorney General John Ashcroft said the move would help secure U.S. borders by making it easier to
track noncitizens. The 10-day notice requirement has long been on the books but is widely ignored
and rarely enforced.

"By clarifying the existing requirement that noncitizens report their address to the Immigration
and Naturalization Service, we are able to increase our ability to locate quickly an alien if
removal proceedings must be initiated," said Ashcroft.

The INS plans to enforce the regulation after a 60-day comment period. The action affects all legal
permanent residents, (immigrants who are not citizens) - at least 11 million people, according to
an INS spokeswoman - and visitors and students who stay in the United States more than 30 days.


It's unclear how many of them are untraceable now, but the INS clearly perceives a problem.

"The INS does not have current address information for many noncitizens who have entered the United
States, whether as temporary visitors, applicants for asylum or for other purposes," said a Justice
Department statement.

Immigration advocates denounced the plan as heavy-handed and unworkable, saying the INS will not be
able to handle the paperwork.

"It's sheer fantasy to think the INS can handle the avalanche of information under this mandate,"
said Angela Kelley, deputy director of the Washington-based National Immigration Forum. "This
initiative is going to leave a pervasive feeling in immigrant communities that they're all under
suspicion."

Bush administration officials said the initiative was intended to make it easier to track down
visitors and other immigrants who enter the nation legally but later arouse suspicion.


It was unclear whether the measure would have allowed for better tracking of the terrorists in the
Sept. 11 attacks. They moved frequently without reporting it and many had overstayed their visas.
On the other hand, two who were on the CIA's "watch list" of suspected terrorists would have been
easy to find. They listed their addresses and phone numbers in the San Diego phone book.

Because the regulation will affect all immigrants who are not citizens, some advocacy groups
worried that the INS might use it to deport law-abiding immigrants merely suspected of terrorist
connections.

"The people who are going to be caught up in (the regulation) are people who haven't done anything
wrong," said Cecilia Munoz, a spokeswoman for the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic advocacy
group in Washington.

Judy Golub, a lawyer with the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said the regulation would
lead to more litigation, with immigrants and the INS blaming each other for losing paperwork.

Golub is advising all immigrants to send change-of-address notices by certified mail.


Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said he hoped the
proposed rule wouldn't target Muslims unfairly.

"If laws are enforced across the board and without any bias, we have no problem," Hooper said.

Kelley of the Immigration Forum said immigrants would fear harsh enforcement for a minor offense.

"You could find yourself seeing jail time or proceeding toward deportation for the equivalent of
not turning in a library book on time," she said.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on July 10 that the INS is seeking to deport Thar
Abdeljaber, a 30-year-old Palestinian who is a legal immigrant, for his admitted failure to provide
the INS with his new address after he left South Florida in 1999.

Abdeljaber was stopped in March in Raleigh, N.C., for driving four miles over the speed limit.
Police officers found several thousand dollars and a map of North Carolina with red circles drawn
around some cities.


Abdeljaber told them he drew circles around places with flea markets and "swap meets and Mexican
stores," an INS report says.

Relatives said Abdeljaber traveled to those cities to resell electronic equipment he bought through
the mail.

He is not charged with any other crime.

[s-gc]

should each memeber of the family file a seperate AR-11. I guess you ned to, just want to confirm.

[MS2003]

Yes, each member needs to file AR-11 form

[swsrus]

http://www.shusterman.com/cgi-bin/ex...2301cci3.shtml

The last few lines made interesting reading:

'................
Angleo Paparelli, an Irvine immigration lawyer, said he has heard many stories about people filing the change of address form but the information never making it on to their file.

Paparelli said this is a reasonable idea if the INS will only enforce going forward and not just to look for past violations, "If not, I can see it being a vehicle for selective enforcement."

Justice Department spokesman Mark Carallo said that's not the intent. "This is not retroactive," he said
'.

If this news item is to be believed, the words 'This is not retroactive' coming from a DOJ spokesperson may provide some relief.