Illegal immigrants: A fact check on their place in health reform

Reuters did a "fact box" on illegal immigrants and President Obama's health care reform push.

Among the findings: "There were 46.3 million people without health insurance in the United States in 2008 from 45.7 million a year earlier, according to the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey released on Thursday."

"Some 44.7 percent of non-citizen immigrants were uninsured in 2008. Among native-born citizens, the figure stood at 12.9 percent in 2008."

"There is no widely accepted national estimate of the annual cost of healthcare for illegal immigrants, partly because hospitals do not collect immigration figures."

"The Federation for American Immigration Reform, which advocates a temporary moratorium on most immigration, puts the cost at $10.7 billion and calls the estimate conservative" (Bigg, 9/13).

PolitiFact's "Truth-O-Meter," which ruled Rep. Joe Wilson wrong when he called President Obama's a liar on immigrants and health reform, weighed in on the GOP's follow-up: "The Republican conference ... says, 'Fact: Nothing in any of the Democrat bills would require individuals to verify their citizenship or identity prior to receiving taxpayer-subsidized benefits, making the president's promise one that the legislation itself does not keep.' We dug into the facts and found the Republicans were partly right and gave them a Half True" (Jacobson, 9/10) .

Immigration Q&A (II)

by Immigrationfaq

Residency in the us question!! PLEASE HELP!?
if someone had there green card in the united states that would entitle them to be a resident but if they were to want to live in a different country could they get a visa in a different country and keep there resideny in the united states or is there a rule to keep your residency in the us...

travelling with expired green card?
Can my husband travel if his green card expired? It expired in December. We sent in to renew it last September. I thought it was supposed to take 6-9 months to get the new green card.does anyone know how long it takes? We bought are tickets already for the end of July and i just need to make sure we can...

Time for immigration process?
Can anyone tell me that how much time is required for the completion of immigration process from Pakistan to Canada,for a skilled-worker immigration(as a Pharmacist)?Experienced person can get 10 for answer

Did you hear about the new immigration overhaul?
seems like congress wil want to make illegal aliens pat fines,make trips home,a longer waiting peroid and hefty fines for employers that break the law.what i can believe is that yahoo reporters say that a majority of citizens approve of illegals staying and becoming citizens.do you bealive that poll? i would think that probably 99% of americans would...

Legal immigration; are you anti or pro and why ? (read details below)?
Thanks for taking time to answer this question, please elaborate your answer and explain in details, I appreciate your time and sharing your points of view.note: if you are a racist, using the harsh language, want to insult an indivudual or a group of people, get the hell out of my...

Why can't we close our borders to prevent illegal immigration?
Is it really that hard to keep people out of your house that you don't want there? I don't have any problem with immigration. I do have a problem with an opportunist walking through my back door just because I stepped out the front door to set out the trash or check my mail. Speaking figuratively.

I want a temporary job in south korea?
does anyone know how i may be able to apply for a temporary job in south korea. I've been here for about one and half a month now. and i need to raise money so i could pay for the airfare back to the philippines. my tourist visa will expire soon and i dont want to stay here...

If I have a Green Card, have a home in New Jersey, but am in college at MA, do I count as a MA Resident?
My family lives in New Jersey, but I attend college in Massachusetts. Do I constitute a legal resident of MA or only in NJ?
(to be continued)

Immigration Q&A (I)

by Immigrationfaq

What's your opinion on the INS raid on the chicken processing plant in Ohio ?...Why go after the illegals who
are working and just trying to care for their families?...My opinion is that the efforts should be more focused on the street thug illegal...that's my opinion,,,what is yours?

What will Bush do to us today?
Great, he is in Mexico today. How do you suppose he is selling us out today. We should have built that darn wall.

I'm holding a contest.?
I'm looking for the best reason why I should make an appearance at your states anti immigration march. Winner gets to pay for a plane ticket for me to attend your states march.

Would you consider this an amnesty?
You break into a Best Buy store that is closed for the night. You unload all of the merchandise, truckload after truckload, until the store is cleaned out. You are later caught. You are told to pay a fine of $5, after which you are scot free.Using the logic of the left, this would not be an...

if you already have lived in the US for 20 yrs, and try to get residency, can you be deported??
my girlfriend's dad has lived in the US for about 20 yrs, yesterday he had an appointment to get his residency but instead he got deported. can they do that? can he ever come back and live here again? i need your help please! my girlfriend...

Do the people* or the electorial college truly represent the passage into the office of the president by the?
most popular electorial candidate? *including voting us citizens who are legal immigrants

So how come all the other countries aren't racist?
So every single country in the world has laws on immigration saying you cannot just come and go without registering. Why is it no one cares that 99.9% of the world enforces the laws but only America is racist for wanting to enforce ours?Really not trying to be offensive I just don't like being called racist...

Workers sue U.S. factory after immigration raid what do you think?
Tue May 15, 2007 5:42PM EDTBy Jason SzepBOSTON (Reuters) - Workers including 361 illegal immigrants were cheated of hundreds of thousands of dollars in overtime pay at a factory at the center of a high-profile raid in Massachusetts, according to a lawsuit filed on Tuesday.The class-action lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Boston on...

Can the taxpayers really afford amnesty? Remember the cost of German unification!?
The unification of Germany almost bankrupt Germany. And they were family members. Whereas illegal aliens are criminals of the lowest kind.Can we, the taxpayers, really afford the costs associated with Amnesty?And the "up to $5,000.00" fine mantra is just political lies. No one pays the maximum immigration fine now, so...

I need a temporary work in south korea?
is there someone you know i can work for, even as a nanny or a private english tutor in south korea? I have been here for one and a half month now, my tourist visa will expire soon and i dont to stay here illegally. I need to raise money so i could pay for the airfare back...
(to be continued)

Emigration to the USA, Want a Green Card For Talent?

by Groshan Fabiola

Emigration - moving from one country to another - can radically change a person's life. Of course, the more developed the country of your choice is, the more difficult is to emigrate there. Developed countries build barriers to unregulated immigration and attempt to search for skills and talent among the crowds desiring to immigrate.

This article is for people who seek emigration to America which is among the countries with the most strict and difficult immigration laws. There are four ways to obtain a green card - a status of a permanent resident alien in the USA. One can immigrate on the basis of (a) family relations; (b) employment/professional skills; (c) by winning in a Diversity Lottery; or (d) by obtaining a status of refugee/political asylum. There are thousands and thousands US law firms working in the area of immigration. We - a law group of Milgrom & Associates - work on all kinds of immigration cases. But our primary area is helping those whose goal is emigration on the basis of their unique professional skills and talent. And in this area we perform certain services that, as far as we know, are not offered by any other American attorney or law firm.

Let's say you are a foreign inventor and have a new invention you want to patent in the USA, or if you are a programmer, wrote a new computer program, and want to protect and register your copyright in the USA, or you are a composer who wrote a symphony which needs protection in the USA... In other words, if you (a) don't live in the US, (b) created something valuable and (c) want to protect your intellectual property rights in America - we can help you in doing that. Some other law firms offer such services, too.

Let's further say that after taking steps to protect and register your rights you believe that there is a demand for your creation in America. Then we can assist in monetization of your intellectual property. We can search for a company interested in licensing, manufacturing, marketing and selling your invention, for example. Or look for buyers for your computer program. Or find performers for your symphony. And when those interested parties are found we will conduct negotiations with them, draft an agreement on your behalf, and otherwise protect your interests. Very few - if any - law firms in the US offer this kind of services to their foreign clients. Finally, if your creation is commercially successful in America and emigration to the United States is your goal; we can help you and your family to get green cards - on the basis of that commercial success. As far as we know, nobody in the US offers all of the above as one package. These legal services offered by our firm are unique. Also we assist foreign talents and professionally successful people from all walks of life - science, literature/theater/music, business, sports, and industry - in obtaining green cards. We help them and their families in their emigration to the US.

Emigration to the US on the basis of professional achievements, getting green card for talent is not an easy task. We will assist you in navigation of stormy emigration waters and bring your family ship into a safe harbor.

About the Author
For more resources about Emigration to

How To Become A US Citizen the Quick & Easy Way

by Linda Florentine

There is so much misinformation floating around about how to become a US citizen that it's enough to make one sick. So this article is going to give you the straight facts directly from the mouth of the US government itself. Yes, some of this stuff is open to interpretation, but most of it is pretty straight forward. Hopefully, this article will give you a solid idea of what is required.

For starters, you must be living in the United States currently and living there for some period of time. How much time? Unfortunately, that's one of the gray areas the nobody can give a definitive answer to. But trust me, it better be for at least a year or more.

You must also have residence in a USCIS district when filing. USCIS stands for United States Citizenship and Immigration. In other words, if you are living in an area of the US that doesn't have one of these districts, you can't file for citizenship. You must be able to read, write and speak English. This is straight forward and there is no room for compromise here. If you can't read, write and speak English, you have to learn. As to the proficiency, that's one of the gray areas.

You must also have a knowledge and understanding of US history and government. This is probably one of the most difficult parts of the exam for becoming a citizen. You'd be surprised how many people born in this country who don't know anything about our government.

The next requirement is that you are of good moral character. Yes, they can refuse your citizenship if they believe you are immoral.

Finally, you have to believe in the principles of the US Constitution and have a favorable disposition towards the United States. And trust me on this, they will investigate you, your family and everybody you know in order to determine whether or not you're loyal to this country.

In my signature, is a review of a great resource that will absolutely prepare you for becoming a US citizen. I strongly advise you take a look at it.

About the Author
Visit http://easynaturalizationreview.blogspot.com to read my review of this great resource and discover more about the Citizenship Process.

English and French Tests When Immigrating to Canada

by Amy Nutt

When immigrating to a foreign country, one is faced with new customs and languages. In Canada, new immigrants applying as a "skilled immigrant" are required to pass either an English or French language test. French tests are mandatory for those immigrating to the province of Quebec. Learning to speak and read English is essential and mandatory in Canada because businesses and services are provided using the English language. This includes such areas as hospitals, retail businesses, emergency services, etc.

Skilled workers are chosen as permanent residents of Canada on the basis of their education, work experience, knowledge of English and/or French, work experience, age, whether they have arranged employment in Canada, number of dependents, and other factors that prove that they have the ability to maintain economical stability. The province of Quebec is responsible for selecting its own skilled workers.

When immigrating to Canada, you are required to prove your English language skills by taking a language proficiency test that is approved by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). By taking the IELTS Test (International English Language Testing System) new immigrants will see how many points they will receive for the language section of the test. If the score in the language test is between 7.0 and 9.0, then four immigration points are awarded for that part of the test. Immigration points are awarded for each individual part and then totaled.

If the score is within 5.0 to 6.9, two immigration points are awarded. If the score is less than 5.0, no immigration points are awarded for that section. The test is designed for people who intend to study or work where English is the communication language.

The IELTS is used all over the world to measure the ability of a person to communicate in English. IELTS measures the ability to communicate in English in the four language skills that includes listening, reading, writing, and speaking. More than 6,000 education institutions, government agencies, faculties, and professional organizations recognize IELTS scores as an honest assessment of one's ability to communicate in English. As one of the fastest growing English language tests in the world, the IELTS is taken every year by millions of people across 120 countries.

Canadian tests are placed in two categories that include:

Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Test-General: Assesses proficiency levels of general reading and writing skills. Results are accepted by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) for immigration points. It is also appropriate for certain post-secondary and employment training programs where practical reading and writing skills are required.

The Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Test-Academic: Assesses proficiency of beginning college or university-level reading and writing. The test is made up of four subtests that include: sentence structure, reading comprehension, English usage, and essay writing. Results are used for university or college programs where a higher level of English communication and composition skills are required.

The process of taking the English language tests involves the following steps:

- Make arrangements with an approved testing organization - Pay for the cost of testing. - Include the results of your test with the immigration application. - The CIC will use the test results as proof of your language skills. - Language test results are valid for one year from the date that the test was taken.

The rules for applying for immigration as a skilled worker to Canada can change, so before you apply, make sure you check the current application procedures and most recent selection standards. Once you have all your papers in order, you can prepare for your new life in a warm and welcoming country.

About the Author
Learn English with qualified teachers at home, office or any other place with our free English lessons and our free web 2.0 language translator software.

Discover How To Become A US Citizen. Easy Or Difficault?

by Sally Saunder

Life is so full of those funny things that just make you chuckle. US citizenship is one of them. There are some people in the US who have been born here who deserve to be citizens about as much as a chimp deserves to be made CEO of Microsoft. And then there are those, fine upstanding people with good heads on their shoulders, who can't become citizens because of one thing or another.

You can maintain "continuous presence" in the United States and preserve your permanent resident status by not remaining outside the United States for more than one year, or by obtaining advance approval from Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for your absence by filing Form N-470 with CIS before leaving. A break in residence of more than one year, without advance approval of Form N-470, means you must start your five-year term of physical presence in the United States again.

Minors with at least one U.S. citizen parent may be naturalized upon the application of the U.S. citizen parent. INA § 322, 8 U.S.C. § 1433. This includes adopted children.

You may file your application for citizenship (CIS Form N-400, please see our "Forms Download" page on our main web site page near the bottom) up to three months before you meet the residence eligibility requirements referred to above.

You may be found not to possess "good moral character" if you were convicted of murder, an "aggravated felony," as defined by federal immigration law, a crime of "moral turpitude," a controlled substance crime (but not for simple possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana), if you gave false testimony to obtain immigration benefits, failed to provide child support, committed adultery or were involved in prostitution, or failed to register for Selective Service if you are between the ages of 18 and 25. CIS has paid greater attention to the offense of driving under the influence of alcohol or other substances, particularly to multiple offenses by the same applicant where the latest offense is considered a felony by state law, and is scrutinizing domestic violence or spousal abuse cases very carefully. This is certainly not meant to be an exhaustive list of things that can cause problems with the naturalization processes of CIS.

You will be required to take a literacy test to assess your knowledge of the English language, unless you are:

1. Unable to comply due to a documented disability; 2. Are more than 50 years old and have lived in the United States for 20 years or more as a permanent resident alien; 3. Are more than 55 years old and have lived in the United States for 15 years or more as a permanent resident alien.

You will be required to take a test of your knowledge of U.S. history and government unless you are:

1. Unable to comply due to a documented disability; 2. Are 65 years old or older and have been a permanent resident alien for more than 20 years.

If you fail the tests, you will be given a second opportunity to pass the tests within 90 days.

CIS officers are required to make a decision concerning your naturalization within 120 days after your interview, or the examiner may ask you to sign a waiver of this requirement. Most will. If your application is denied, you may appeal to another CIS officer within the same district office. The new CIS officer will have 180 days from the date of the filing of your appeal to make a decision. If you application is again denied, or if there is no decision within the 180 days, you may seek review of the officer's decision in U.S. district court where you live. You may also seek review in federal court if you did not waive the 120-day rule, and CIS does not make a decision within 120 days.

Add to all the above certain requirements for living in this country for a certain length of time and also living in a USCIS district, and becoming a citizen becomes no small chore.

Fair? Maybe not. But those are the requirements and the facts. Good news is, there are resources that will help you get your citizenship. In my signature is a review of one of these resources. I think you will find it most helpful.

No, becoming a US citizen is not easy...but it is so worth it. And the pride you will get when you accomplish it is a feeling that can't be equaled by anything else.

About the Author
How does the US citizenship process works?
Become a us citizen, find out how: http://citizenshipprocess.info

United States Immigration Programs Continue to Strain Local Law Enforcement

by Tony R. Bertolino

Immigration has been a hot button issue in the United States for quite some time. In fact, it was discussed at length in last year's presidential election year. Perhaps the topic is no more passionately debated than in the states that form our southern border. One of the current questions facing the police forces in the Houston area is - how far can officers go in assisting with the federal issue of immigration control without compromising responsibilities to local matters of crime and justice?

The Department of Homeland Security has a division known as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Part of ICE's efforts includes a 287(g) program, which trains local authorities in immigration duties and gives the officers access to an extensive ICE fingerprint database. The hope is that giving the police officers such power will expedite the process of discovering and deporting those who have entered the country illegally.

The Houston Chronicle printed a story a while back about the effect of ICE's reliance on our communities. The main dilemma facing the suburbs surrounding Houston is the amount of time that officers would need to be away from their local duties in order to be trained by ICE - four or five weeks - as well as the fact that the county would have to continue to pay the salaries of its absent members. Because of these burdens on public safety and the county coffers, none of the six counties that surround Houston has yet applied for participation in the ICE program.

"Taking people out of pocket for an extended period of time would be a problem," said Cpl. Hugh Bishop, representative for the Liberty County Sheriff's Office.

Are the lines between federal and local responsibilities necessarily becoming blurred as the need to address immigration concerns reaches the forefront of policy discussions? If so, is there a way to train the needed law enforcement without further straining resources? These questions will need to be addressed as our country moves forward with the myriad of legal issues created by the immigrants entering our country every day.

With law offices in Austin, Houston and San Antonio, our immigration attorneys make it a priority at Bertolino LLP to keep ourselves at the forefront of immigration law. If you have an issue that requires legal assistance, please contact one of our immigration attorneys. http://www.belolaw.com

About the Author
Tony R. Bertolino is the managing partner at Bertolino LLP with law offices located in Austin, Houston and San Antonio, Texas. A member of the Trial and Appellate Litigation Team, Mr. Bertolino's practice is devoted largely to complex transactions, commercial litigation, business law, entertainment law and family law matters. You can read more about Mr. Bertolino at http://www.belolaw.com