Congress
This is a view from an attorney: It does not mean is true of false. Take it as is:
Many people who have had to deal with the Immigration and Naturalization
Service quickly discover that the INS is inefficient and unfair in its treatment
of aliens. The INS unreasonably delays the processing of many applications
such as application for naturalization and adjustment of status.
In their frustration, many applicants and their families seek assistance from
their Congressional Representatives and Senators. However, assistance
from congressional persons rarely produce any results. In fact, those who
seek assistance from Washington soon discover that their effort to expedite
their case has caused even longer delays.
Those who seek assistance from their Congressperson or Senator
mistakenly believe that the Congressperson or Senator personally contacts
the INS. If the Congressperson or Senator actually picked up the phone and
called Doris Meissner, the Commissioner for INS, then and only then could
you expect results to occur. However, the reality of how an elected official
handles a request for intervention with INS does not result in a personal
phone call to the INS Commissioner or anyone else.
When a request for intervention is received by the Congressperson's office, it
is actually a low level assistant who reads the letter. The request letter never
reaches the desk of the Congressperson. The assistant prepares a
memorandum that is attached to the request letter. The assistant then
forwards a memorandum to the INS. INS routes it to the Congressional
Liaison Unit. This unit then sends for the file. This usually takes a few
months for INS to find the file. Then the file sits in the Congressional Liaison
Unit for a few more months awaiting a clerk to review and respond. In the
meantime, the original unit such as the Examination Section can no longer
act on the file simply because it is at the Liaison Unit.
When the file is finally returned to the responsible unit for adjudication, it is
now placed at the bottom of the pile. I suspect that is the punishment for
having the nerve to complain in the first place. The Congressional INS Unit
responds with the usual excuses by stating that they are understaffed and
overworked but they are taking the matter very seriously, and if they can be
of any further assistance, please write them again about "this matter of
mutual concern." This useless response letter is then forwarded to the
applicant with a cover letter from the Congressperson's office stating that
they hope the letter is of some assistance to them. And, if they need any
more assistance, just let them know.
By this time reality is now setting-in. After a few more months have elapsed,
the alien finally hires an attorney who, hopefully, has the wherewithal to
force INS to adjudicate the case.
The Law Office of XXXX does not want this to happen to anyone.
That is why we don't waste time with needless bureaucratic inquiries. Our
reputation for aggressive representation results in most of our cases being
approved without the need for further action. In those occasions when our
clients' cases are unfairly delayed or not treated properly, we seek
immediate court intervention thereby forcing INS to act on our clients' cases.
The Law Office of XXXX is the leader in its field in this area of
law. We use our experience and resources to insure that the INS acts on
our clients' cases. Our law office obtains positive results for our clients
because we demand nothing less.
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