Which of you folks can do this.

G

Ganesh Ranganathan

Member
Looks like the folks in Bay Area have gathered some media coverage. More ammo to fight the Service Center.

http://news.kron4.com/cgi-bin/exter.../www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/news/5788419.htm

I contacted my local newspaper (Austin American Statesman) reporter to see if they will cover our plight a few weeks ago. The reporter told that he was busy covering war stories. Now that the war is over I am going to contact that person again.

If folks in other cities can do this we can drum up some media interest and start putting more pressure on TSC/Politicians etc.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I don't think media will bother to cover this. Especially when you want them to cover. And, in the present economic condition, it may work against any potential immigrants.
 
Another thought. I am convinced there is no real way to put pressure on TSC (we tried all the means..) except by sending some donations to them. Which may not put pressure but may evoke some empathy from them.
 
come on...

Discouraging some body who wants to speak out against injustice is cowardly. And the fear that tru speaking to a reporter will cause your GC not being approved, proves you have your head buried in sand. This is not driving crazy, this is standing for your rights.
Go ahead Tru...
 
Breaking the logjam

I am StuckInTexas too. As The other StuckInTexas posted above,
only way to break the I485 logjam is to gather money, and donate to Texas BCIS. I am thinking of $2 million+.
Can we start a fund generation campaign?

I propose the following steps:
0) Gather a group of responsible individuals. Applications to
this group includes resume, detailed background information,
and the role you would like to play.
1) Start a non-profit organization, and create some bylaws.
2) Start a simple Website
3) Open a bank account, as a trust account.
4) Get donations as checks or direct electronic transfer.
5) Promptly keep the donors informed about the money.
6) Post the progress in the Website.
7) When sufficient funds are collected, employ the services of
a famous law office, and try to donate the money to TSC.
8) If the donation is not accepted by TSC,
return the money back to the donars.

This is volunteer service and it is for a good cause. The service
would enhance your resume.

Minimum donation is $100. Maximum Donation is $200. Only guarantee is that TSC may open your case files sooner. TSC will
be asked to employ contractors and start processing I485
cases. No permanent federal employees should be hired on
a large scale with this money, since the life of this fund is unknown. A few permanent federal employees can be hired
to manage the I485 adjudication process and
act as final adjudicators. In the long run, BCIS should lobby for
a permanent increase in funds for immigration services.

Money can be collected for other service centers, if the funds
are opened to applicants at other service centers.

Once again, if we can organize the fund collection we can pull it off. Any volunteers? If ten people show interest, we can start
the required organizational activity soon. We will reveal our
addresses so that people can contact us.
 
vzexemp,

Appreciate your idea. I think most people will aggree to do so. But before our action, I think we need someones contact the TSC director to ask how to donate, how to make sure the fund will go to TSC directly, and whether or not TSC is able to accept funds from donators directly. Because TSC is a government agency, there is some prosedure of funding a government agencies we don't know. Otherwise, every effort of donation may be in vain. That's why we need to contact the director first. Could you or someones else do that?
 
Great idea. Follow through, and let us know when BCIS agrees to this suggestion and signs the contract terms and conditions... We'll be happy to donate/bribe $100-$200 towards our timely freedom.
 
had long discussion on money

Guys

We had long discussion on money. Do you think donating money will solve the problem? We are already paying them enough money for our ead renewals, 485 etc. but all that money is not being used for BCIS, all that money is being utilized for border and custom enforcement. We all know that.

I agree with tru. Tru: I will approach Dallas Morning News. Remember Gandhi started his freedom movement not in India but in Africa where he was immigrant (on visa) like you and me. A coward can not have his prayers answered. I read the other day that

"Silence is not golden, Silence is poison. It is defeat." - Daisaku Ikeda

Jai
 
Why not contact CNN

Why not we attempt to contact CNN or washington Post or both? May be they may listen to our problems.
If scott petersosn, or harmless white powder in a post office can become a national news, may be we may become too.
any suggestions?
 
reply to criticisms

MeandTSC, StuckinTexas, vzexemp, BlameTSC, ayansgp: Because of premium processing BCIS has collected $35 million more than they had anticipated for a total of $115 million. If none of those surplus money were put into action and has gone into Border security etc. what makes you think that these contributions of yours will. But it sure is worth a try. Anything is worth a try rather than just sitting and praying that TSC will wake up.

http://news.kron4.com/cgi-bin/exter.../www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/news/5788419.htm

In this news coverage a theory is that
"According to my sources, with the new merger in immigration offices and all this security, things have become very tough for immigrants," said Robert Lemus, an immigration counselor at Catholic Charities of the East Bay. "Sometimes you think (the slowdown) is intentional because they don't want immigrants in the U.S."

If this is true then you have to keep on waiting and waiting for your approval. If you folks are prepared to do that that is fine.

On the other hand think about this. You have lived in this country for several years as a very law abiding moral citizen paying taxes. Is it wrong to question the authorities as to why TSC has not done anything when other centers are buzzing. If so what justification is there for you to keep paying money to the government (taxes, EAD, 485 fees etc.)

From the other angle if you are afraid of the repercussions of publishing a story like this in a news paper.
Here are the pros and cons
Pro: More people become aware of the problem. We can us this media coverage as a leverage with the politicians to make something happen at TSC. There are several million immigrants in this country and if the media portrays that the current government is anti immigrant then you know what would happen in terms of next year election, fund raising etc.
Cons as you have mentioned it:
1) It might work against us: In what way are you worse off than the current situation where nothing has happened in TSC whereas other centers have kept processing.
2) Media will not bother to cover this: Certainly one did (the one I posted above). The reporter I spoke to Austin told me that he will contact me after he finishes covering the war stories (that was several weeks ago) so I did not see any negative reaction from the media about this. Of course we cannot expect all newspapers to take this on right away but a few a sure to do it.

Having said all these. I am going to move forward with contacting my local media regardless of any criticisms I might get.
 
Tru, I really appreciate your spirit!!

I do really appreciate your spirit.

Could you please tell me how to approach rhe local news agency?
Through their web site or do we have other options?

I am also ready to donate, if it helps us
 
plastic card

I went to the website and they typically have email addresses or telephone numbers of reporters you can contact. And I called a number, got transferred several times until I came to the correct reporter who covers immigration stuff.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Media blitz and other options.

tru and others who are favouring the media approach..

Let us all understand and appreciate that we are all working for our common cause and are together in all our approaches.

Also, please be clear that we are not discouraging any approach. We are just voicing our opinion. In fact we will also try to contact the media and see how it goes.

But the key point we are trying to make is, will the media coverage however widespread it is, awaken the TSC. Already like you said, there are some stories in the press. Also we are not sure, if this becomes a widely known issue in the public, what kind of opinion you may get from the citizens in this kind of economic and social (terrorism etc..) climate. But let me hasten to add, that all the responses may not be negative. But the outcome cannot be predicted.

In the case of pure "Donation" approach, it is just another approach and no guarantees, we are just trying to appeal to some of the basic human psycholgical elements of empathy and appreciation for human suffering and a willingness to help and care for others plight.

So the amount of money raised is not the point. Neither is the genuine use (whether Border patrol get it or what...) it will be put to. The only point we are saying is we are helpless and we need someone to appreciate it and help us and we are kind of showing our peaceful protest by "Donating".

Also, keep in mind this is an approach which may or may not lead to any results. But neither did the other approaches till now.

To all who want to take a more confrontational approach, I personally feel there is no use. Just because we are not, does not mean we are weak. Just because we are taking a more conciliatory approach, does not mean it will not work.

So let us all try different means and not preclude one in favour of another.

Pray that some approach will finally work.
 
reply

Well said StuckinTexas. With several such approaches someone is bound to listen and we will benefit from it. So let us welcome all approaches to wake up TSC.
 
Consider a productive approach

It is true that donating money to the government and asking
it to spend it for a specific cause is difficult. Donating money
to government is normally unheard of, except in the case of rich
nations condescendingly donating money to poor nations and
few other exceptional cases.

Yet in the case TSC servicing I485 adjudications there seems
to be two or three crucial factors...
1) TSC is really scarred of making another mistake in adjudication.
2) TSC is really short of money, and it is taking fact (1) as the
excuse to cause delays.
3) TSC has some other strategic reason, and it is mainly related to
money and power play and its current approach is a means to
increase funding and to minimize adjudication mistakes.
TSC is trying to figure out if the free-market will take of the immigrant problem, among other things.

The only meaningful way to resolve the logjam is to take a non-
confrontational approach and obtain extra funding. The folks
at murthy.com are trying the congressional lobbying approach.
It will necessarily have a longer time horizon and feelings of
too many folks hostile toward immigration will interfere with it.

If the potential immigrant community exercises its monetary
muscle, and announces a large fund availability, the money will
do the rest of the talking. It is not a bribe, since nothing will
or should happen under the table.

It is evident the funding constraint is the major issue,
and TSC is playing its cards by making I485 a really low priority
job.

The non-profit trust initiative is the most meaningful approach,
if the money can be accepted by TSC.

Does anyone know if a government agency can accept donations
to improve its services?
 
reply

Your point
Yet in the case TSC servicing I485 adjudications there seems
to be two or three crucial factors...
1) TSC is really scarred of making another mistake in adjudication.
2) TSC is really short of money, and it is taking fact (1) as the
excuse to cause delays.
3) TSC has some other strategic reason, and it is mainly related to
money and power play and its current approach is a means to
increase funding and to minimize adjudication mistakes.
TSC is trying to figure out if the free-market will take of the immigrant problem, among other things.


Comments on your points
Point 1) Now that they have several security checks in place they can point fingers at the process (not that it would help a lot but…at least they have something). Does this mean that TSC will never again adjudicate?
2) I have a hard time buying into this, especially after hearing from the other boards that VSC, NSC and even CSC have hired new adjudicators and are in the process of training them. If the other centers can do it, why not TSC.
3) As the time goes by without any action from TSC I am getting convinced of this. Like you mentioned “immigrant problem”. If the economy continues to be like this and if TSC does not adjudicate then the free market will definitely have some effect on the folks who are waiting.

Your point:
The only meaningful way to resolve the logjam is to take a non-
confrontational approach and obtain extra funding.

I agree with this partially. To me confrontational means blocking TSC/BCIS folks from doing their work, doing other disruptive (demonstrating and causing problems) acts that would cause problems to other folks. What I disagree is that funding is not the only non-confrontational method but A non-confrontational method, petition, contacting media, and several others which I don’t know about are other ways.

I wish you luck in the funding efforts, it is for the benefit for all of us.
 
I would like to be the first...

I would like to be the first to Pledge $101 (some of you may realize the symbolism of the extra $1 "chanda")

I am all for this idea. Heck, if INS said we will double your 485 fees to process your application in a timely fashion, I would have gladly paid the extra amount.
 
Join The Donation Effort

Good,
Hold the money. I will work out the plan to gather the
funds. I am appearing as vzexemp and as vvrajan and posting
various comments. In a few days, I will let you all know
what to do.

Regarding other approaches... any sort of publicity will be
taken as criticism of TSC's efforts, and the power play will
only increase... Lack of funds seems to be most important issue
as Ms. Murthy &Co. seem to indicate. It is obvious that
government is diverting the services fees to border control
activities and such..
 
Reply to tru

TSC does not take up the I485 cases, since it is certain that
it will commit a mistake and take a rap again...
Remember that many terrrorists participating in the WTC
incidents were from TSC region, TSC took a rap for granting GC to
a 'terrrorist' last year... Since then we have not heard much
from TSC.. However, a lot of money can sway the situation
in our favor..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top