Immigration take home points while in USA

Question: What Is Registered Provisional Immigrant (RPI) Status?

Answer:

Under the comprehensive immigration reform legislation passed by the U.S. Senate in June 2013, Registered Provisional status would allow immigrants living in the country illegally to remain here without fear of deportation or removal.

Immigrants who are in deportation or removal proceedings and are eligible to receive RPI must be given the opportunity to get it, according to the Senate’s bill.

Unauthorized immigrants could apply and receive the RPI status for a six-year period under the proposal, and then have the option to renew it for an additional six years.

RPI status would put unauthorized immigrants onthe path to green card status and permanent residency, and ultimately U.S. citizenship after 13 years.

It’s important to remember, however, that the Senate’s bill is not law but proposed legislation that must also be passed by the U.S. House and then signed by the president. Yet, many lawmakers in both bodies and in both parties believe that some form of RPI status will be included in any final comprehensive immigration reform plan that becomes law.

Also, the RPI status is likely to be linked to border security triggers, provisions in the legislation that require the government to meet certain thresholds to thwart illegal immigration before the path to citizenship can open for the country’s 11 million unauthorized immigrants. RPI won’t take effect until border security is tightened.

Here are the eligibility requirements, provisions and benefits for RPI status in the Senate’s legislation:

• The immigrant must have resided in the United States before Dec. 31, 2011 and maintained continuous presence here.
• Applicants must pay a $500 penalty fee (except for DREAM Act eligible students, those unauthorized immigrants who were childhood arrivals), as well as paying assessed taxes.
• Applicants must not have been convicted of an aggravated felony, a felony or three more more misdemeanors. Applicants also must not have been convicted of serious offenses under foreign laws.
• Other violations could also exclude an applicant from receiving RPI: unlawfully voting, or if the government considers the applicant to be inadmissible for criminal, national security, public health or morality reasons.
• Immigrants with RPI status can work for any employer, travel anywhere within the United States, or leave the United States and re-enter legally.
• Persons who are living outside the United States who were previously here before Dec. 31, 2011 and were deported for non-criminal reasons can apply to re-enter the United States in RPI status if they are the spouse, of or parent of a child who is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident; or are a childhood arrival who is eligible for the DREAM Act.
• The application period will run for one year with the possibility of extension by the government for another year.
• People with removal orders will be permitted to apply as will aliens currently in removal proceedings.
• The RPI status will last for a six-year term and is renewable if the immigrant does not commit any acts that would be considered deportable. Another $500 penalty fee is applicable at renewal.
• A person who has been granted RPI status is not eligible for any federal means-tested public benefit (as such term is defined in section 403 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1613)).
• A noncitizen granted registered provisional immigrant status shall be considered lawfully present in the United States for all purposes.

Read the Senate’s 844-page bill.

FOR MORE: http://immigration.about.com/od/Browse-Topic/f/What-Is-Rpi-Status.htm?nl=1

Asylum seeking in USA

The following links can be used to understand the contexts within which one may be defined as an asylum seeker or refugee.

1. http://www.bing.com/search?q=asylum+seeking+in+usa&FORM=PERNSB&PC=PE02

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asylum_in_the_United_States

3. http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=f39d3e4d77d73210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=f39d3e4d77d73210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD

4. http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/refugee-and-migrant-rights/refugees-and-asylum

5. http://www.asylumlaw.org/

Race issues, business and investments in USA

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/20/us/in-wake-of-zimmerman-verdict-obama-makes-extensive-statement-on-race-in-america.html?nl=afternoonupdate&emc=edit_au_20130719&_r=0

Immigrants' notes

As Charles Blow wrote in the Times, “So what do I tell my boys now? At what precise pace should a black man walk to avoid suspicion?” One needs to understand the prevailing legal winds in a given state:
Read this piece please: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/closeread/2013/07/what-should-trayvon-martin-have-done.html

US Immigration reform to help save $ 1 trillion

http://www.whitehouse.gov/share/immigration-and-economy?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=email221-text1&utm_campaign=immigration

Making Healthcare work for me as a new immigrant to USA; Nuancing of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)

Three aspects rushed through my mind before I penned this article: The song ‘material girl’ by Madonna; the song ‘Alien in New York’ by the Fugees (I think so) and; the quote from the new testament by Jesus Christ ‘and again I say unto you it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.’ Matthew 19:24.

My mind rushed straight to a situation in which I envisioned an ailing immigrant who is at the door steps of a clinic in any town in USA. I come from Africa originally and I the health care system from my former country is very different from that of USA.

 I happened to go through eligibility criteria to get insured in USA and know about acceptance that was short lived, denial because I was not in ‘status’, acceptance again when my level of stay in USA was established and finally confirmation that I am an insured person in USA. All these aspects were communicated to me and a form was attached to my communication to be filled if I was contesting any decision. I did write back to have my names spelt correctly! I also managed to know about the appointment system of my nearest clinic and accessed the system that works on health needs of immigrants (immunization, physical check-ups, tooth, eye, ear and skin care). I am yet to get authorization to join a city-based gymnasium once my physician approves and signs a certain filled form.

My first day of walking-in, is still on mind. I walked into a freshly scented building of glass and humming sounds of distant lifts (oh, sorry elevators) and in the lobby a receptionist called for me. She directed me to a corridor where there was another lobby of the ‘walk-in’ clinic. This particular health facility has 6 clinics with almost 50 medical doctors of different specialties as well as attending health workers.

A receptionist nurse handled me and took my vitals. He told me to wait for one hour as they schedule an appointment to see my physician. I was told it was good I walked in before 8.30 a.m otherwise I was to wait for a day before I saw a physician because the numbers of patients is large now. So many of us are uninsured (I was still uninsured before 2013). Actually there are so many Americans who are uninsured. My physician finally saw me, the laboratory and x-rays were done and the prescriptions cost me USD 8. I had with me all my results on a CD! I also had a file and a Family Health Center ID number generated for me. I looked at the medication I was given at the pharmacy, it was to last me a month with chances of three refills!

My insurance and the pharmacy discount program ensured I get these services to the fullest. I was also asked to book for dental care. That evening a call from the Dental care department got me working on details to that effect. I have since had a thorough dental check up and care as I write this. My next appointments are scheduled as follows: next immunization for Hepatitis is in August; dental in August and; physical check-ups with my physician on September. All I have to do is plan ahead and have these appointments in mind. I can call ahead and cancel/reschedule appointments. I am the kind of person who is cautious about my life. I shall make sure I fulfil my appointments. I am an alien in USA, but living in a country where life is respected it is easier for me to go through the doors of the health facilities now after getting my insurance card!

Financial and social integration literacy for a new immigrant in USA: testing the meaning of happiness and independence in American communities

You have settled in, I would say, almost in a cosy way. USA that is meeting you on the streets, television, radio, buses, buildings, restaurants and rubbing you in form of human bodies and language is far from what you dreamt of back in say, Africa, Haiti, China, Japan, Korea, India, Bhutan or El-Salvador!

There are social systems in place that you need to familiarise yourself with: the ones that immediately come to mind are; health care, education, social services, habitation and transportation. Are you familiar with the road that leads to the nearest hospital? Are you able to negotiate your way through emergency clinics or rooms? Do you have a phone number where you can be contacted? Are you well immunised? When did you last check for say, HIV? Are you a child below 19 years? As a child below that age, do you have parents? Do you go to school? Are you a mother? Are you a father? Are you eligible to join say, the military services of the USA? Have you tried all avenues to see where you fit? Are you able to travel around or are you tied down on one street fearing you may get lost?

Get to know something about America’s politics, get to study and complete a level of qualification ( invest time, be persistent and patient), take time to explore and grow spiritually, find out how the immediate community can help you as well as how you help it. Can you/ are you authorised to work? Find out how or what you can do get work authorization. In doing this you will be improving on financial and social integration. You need to think along those lines. This is America!

Of the rhinoceros’ hide lashes ‘Kiboko’, learning English and how I occupy some of my free time: a comparison of how I was taught and how I teach

Mr. Mugejjera was the kind of teacher who was so passionate and enjoyed teaching. In many of his admonishment-cum-in-your-face-avuncular talks given before presenting examination results, he talked to the heart of his pupils. That was how he prepared us for lashes on our behinds. He had different types of canes and in bundles! When he brought the bamboo canes, then the class knew there were not many to be beaten. When he brought the Kiboko then almost all the class members were to be caned. This English teacher was both liked and loathed, his name set off cold fear in all the pupils from Primary four to six (a year before Primary leaving exams). The fear of that lash as well as bamboo canes was enough motivation to do all practice exercises in English, including speaking it at school. I feared the stick so loathsomely that I tried harder and read wider. I turned out to be one of those who were rarely beaten. Many of my fellow pupils consulted me on various English problems. But, this is not to say I escaped the canes. One time that comes to mind was when all of us as a class failed in our compositions. We were caned for that. With this background and training I managed to go on with my student life in Uganda and Europe.

That continued to be the case until I came to USA. I admit my USA leg of life is influenced by the kind of English I talk, write and listen to. I am always corrected in pronunciation, tense and vocabulary. I have liked this moment for it is making me even better. My motivation to be better this time is not the lashes I expect but communication.

I wish the teaching of English or any other subject would include real life scenarios, combine vision and compatibility of learned language with utilisation. I do mentor students in English and mathematics for learners whose mother tongue is not ENGLISH. I do take them out of class to practice English and mathematics using cue cards. At one time my mentees are asked to name the streets of a given area on which we happen to be walking. At other time, I encourage them to count all objects around and categorize them. I can take them to the green park and ask them to describe objects around them. They do this smiling knowing that the goal is to describe what is there before them which is the component of their world (and not being caned. I know corporeal punishment is taboo in USA).

Even as I teach, am learning too. I see in the faces of my mentees struggle, joy, deep thinking and indecision. I know at what time I can probe, prompt and cheer someone on. I learn the psychological side of my mentees and help them as they are going through their mental preparation to become better at English and mathematics. We have so far been with our mentees for almost six months in this program. I can see more spontaneity and initiative. There is eagerness in all of them to present their compositions and exercises or to engage me in conversation. Say, isn’t that positive change? In all situations I have never used the Kiboko!