wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

To yourgo [18] PS - The US will be completing that fence and we will be getting rid of the anchor babies rules, among other policies. If you think Obama cares about illegals, when he and the Dems see that the cost to mainstream illegals will greatly out weigh the political benefits of such he will throw them under the bus as easily as he does lifelong personal friends - so get ready to roll, perhaps you will be lucky and miss the tires.

To yourgo [18] - First of all - how old are you? From what you wrote it seems that you are a 3rd grader picking a school yard fight. Trust me it’s a fight you couldn’t win physically or intellectually. "Fatso?" Ok, I can stand to lose a few pounds. I don't get into the field enough these days - too many desk assignments. I think I can still do a 6 minute mile if I’m being chased, but I usually do 8 minute miles for 5 miles 3x a week and 10 miles once a week. How about you?

As to immigration, millions of people around the world are on legal lists waiting to come to America. They are welcome, but the people who are here illegally are felons and need to be deported the same way that Hoover, Truman and Eisenhower deported millions of illegals in the past. The government needs to do this for three fundamental reasons (1) uphold the law, (2) protect citizen employment opportunities during a recession and (3) national security - including protecting against disease, drug dealers, sex traffickers and potential terrorists. I know that Barry Obama is very sympathetic to illegal aliens (LOL), but when this leftist coup is turned back in 2010 and 2012, it will be “adios amigos.”

I'm a sociology professor, specialized in immigration issues. My question to the new director would be whether this new "market-led" website intending to reach out to "clients" (immigrants) and being more transparent about USCIS will really mean honesty in regards to the classism, sexism and racism embedded in the immigration system of this country? As much as I hope and try to influence policy towards a more equal system that ceases to select immigrants by prioritizing richer, more educated, men, heterosexual, and white individuals, I have strong doubts that the new administration will take on this task. I was initially hopeful with Obama's immigration consulting group (Bill Ong Hing was part of it), but since Napolitano became the Secretary and the war on drugs in the Mexican border became the main issue, I stopped believing that this administration was going to push for a comprehensive reform that ends with the historical discriminatory character of the U.S. immigration system.

As a legal immigrant to the US and an Oncologist in a busy inner city hospital where MANY illegal immigrants are seen, I certainly hope that the "comprehensive" immigration reform will include health care coverage for illegal immigrants, either in a "don't ask, don't tell" fashion, or through quick legalization of their status. At this time, when it comes to treatment of chronic diseases (like many cancers), these people are the pariah of our society, falling through the cracks, although many have curable or treatable conditions. That leads to irreparable family tragedies with orphan minors and/or single parent families with limited or no support to fend for themselves and continue to navigate the shadows. I hear the loud voices in the Congress competing to say "NO" to any type of coverage for illegals, and I am ashamed that 60 years after WWII, the illegals are now the new undesirables, and treated similar to how jews or gipsies or homosexuals or other groups deemed in the wrong were seen or treated not too long ago. I certainly hope that President Obama will succeed, but am clearly aware of the serious obstacles his administration has to overcome.

Calls em as i sees em, you probably had no problem with all the lies Bush told you, you racist Virginian hillbilly. Obama is being more open than Bush ever was . Id rather keep all the immigrants in this country and get rid of all dumb ignorant republican's. Eat it. Fatso.

I am from Germany, writing from Austria. I worked in NYC's cultural sector legally for over five years. I have an advanced degree and saw no way of extending my legal stay in the US, after my two H1B Visa terms had expired. I moved back to Europe but regret that the US makes it so diffult for qualified, legal employees to stay in the US long term.

Really - Brian - really - you're not going to ask if out of status people are FELONS? Shame, shame, shame.

Question:

All illegal aliens have already broken federal law and are felons by unlawfully entering this country - Yes or No???

Please ask the question - its fundamental to the issue.

PS - the answer is of course yes - any other answer is a LIE (but then again lying is the leitmotif of this administration).

I haven't heard any evidence that this guest has any real knowledge of his own department. All general, press release answers.

It seems there is so much misinformation out there because immigrants are afraid to ask community groups for help for fear that they might be reported. Can you comment on the safety of reaching out to community-based organizations for the correct information rather than relaying on word of mouth from family members, friends, etc.?

Some people don't even have a chance to become citizens unless they are willing to cheat. What about the gay people that need to marry a gay friend because one of the few ways to become a citizen is to marry. They need to change that so that people can marry their actual partners.

Europe is adapting the immigration law that if you are working for a company. One would be eligible to become citizen in 5 years. Will US be more immigrant friendly in the future like Europe?

The caller is quite right. The current system of immigration and naturalization is so arduous and fraught with error (at every step a government bureaucrat can loose a vital piece of information or "make a mistake" and have you deported) that it incentivizes breaking the law by operating in the underground economy, away from government oversight. Also, it is very clear that Mr. Mayorkas is more interested in being a politician than understanding the "technical questions," behind his very complicated organization.

The Director referred the caller from Ghana to the USCIS customer service number for information on DV denials. Isn't it true that the "information officers" are out-sourced employees in a massive call center who are not trained in immigration law?

I work at a Social Services office(outside NYC) and give Family Assistance to many children of undocumented parents. The kids are eligible because they were born here but their parents aren't. It's already too expensive for them to become "legal", yet because of their status we cannot require them to look for work in order(and who would openly hire them) to support their family and not need welfare.

I can't believe they have the head of immigration on and HE told the guy from Ghana to call the 1-800 number! Bureaucracy at its best!

I had to update my green card because of a name change in 2006 and inlcuded in that was a fee for biometrics, I am told that if I want to apply for citizenship I have to pay the fee again. Why? My fingerprints, eyes, etc haven't changed and the informationa is already in the system? This fee is around $80 I believe.

I would like to know what can be done to address the entire process of filing family based petitions. It is very expensive and very confusing. We have spent thousands on plane trips, hotel stays and filling fees. In additon what is being done to reform the I-601 waiver process? the time frame is so long, and confusing...and arbitrary. I am currently awaiting a decision on my husbands return from Italy, I am six months pregnant, and alone with my five year old daughter here in New York. We depend on him physically and financially.

plus more training is needed.... the embassies give different info than the uscis people!

What platform does the USCIS have for listening to small immigration attorneys for technical suggestions on CIR?

Can you ask your guest about waiver reform----basically if an undocumented immigrant who are illegal b/c they overstayed a 3-month tourist visa, can gain legal status by marrying a citizen, but undocumented immigrants who came here by crossing the border (since 9/11) can't ---which is not only a unjustifiable double standard, but also has classist/racist implications (as those who given tourist visas tend to be richer and whiter.)
They claim the double standard is due to "security concerns" but all of the 9/11 terrorists came here on valid visas, not by risking their lives crossing the desert.

I am an immigration attorney. Now that it has been established that the many previous ICE raids during the Bush administration looking for terrorists largely resulted in a numbers game, resulted in arresting many, many NON-TERRORISTS, when are non-terrorist raids going to stop?

Hi,

Can you please ask your guest to comment on the recent immigration enforcement action on American Apparel in LA? Can we expect similar actions in the NYC area?

Let me just add that I don't support these actions, personally, but advocate a more humane approach to people who are just here working and historically have built NYC into what we are today.

Thanks!