Homeland insecurity watch: The naturalization stampede
Last month, instead of putting more manpower and resources into the problem and making secure adjudication a priority, DHS simply dropped criminal background checks in order to clear massive green card application backlogs.
Now, Latinos are clamoring to get their naturalization applications approved in time to vote for the November elections. They’ve taken the Bush administration to court.
What’s that sound I hear? Yes, the sound of more background checks being tossed over the bridge:
A lawsuit filed Thursday in a federal court in New York by Latino immigrants seeks to force immigration authorities to complete hundreds of thousands of stalled naturalization petitions in time for the new citizens to vote in November.
The class-action suit was brought by the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund on behalf of legal Hispanic immigrants in the New York City area who are eager to vote and have been waiting for years for the federal Citizenship and Immigration Services agency to finish their applications. The suit demands that the agency meet a nationwide deadline of Sept. 22 to complete any naturalization petitions filed by March 26.
Latino groups hope to summon the clout of the federal courts to compel the Bush administration to reduce a backlog of citizenship applications that swelled last year. According to the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan research group in Washington, more than one million citizenship petitions were backed up in the pipeline by the end of December, the majority from Latino immigrants.
Despite protests over the delays from lawmakers, Latino groups and immigrant advocates, the immigration agency is currently projecting wait times of 16 months to 18 months to process the petitions.
“The reality is that large numbers of Latinos will not be able to vote in the elections because of these delays,” said Cesar A. Perales, president of the defense fund. “Now the world will know that the Latino community expects the Bush administration to get this done on time.”
Christopher S. Bentley, a spokesman for Citizenship and Immigration Services, said he could not comment on pending litigation.
“Our commitment is to work through the naturalization applications as quickly as we can without compromising the security and integrity of the process,” Mr. Bentley said.
Without compromising the security and integrity of the process.
Waaay too late for that.
***
Flashback: Read my “Clear the damn backlogs, first” memo to Washington from last June.
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Categories: Adjudication, Open Borders Lobby
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Seems like the only ones never suing anyone and making demands are the actual taxpayers and citizens of this country.
Weak.
I would reject them all.
Since the shenanigans and past abuse by the Klinton’s, I say there should be a moratorium on processing application during an election year. The integrity of our nation is more important than the “wants” of those whiners.
This is nuts! Follow the rules like everyone else. It is obvious who has all the power in thie country and it’s not the citizens.
These people are going to get what they want with the help of lawyers getting paid by taxpayers taxes. This makes me sick at my stomach. I honestly don’t think there is a blooming thing we can do about this illegal mess.
L
What, so they can go vote Democrat in November?
That’s exactly what will happen. Bush will make the push for the Latinos, but they’ll end up voting for Hillbilly or Barack.
Don’t do it!
My parents had to wait YEARS to become citizens back in the 70s. Everyone else needs to wait in line. Get over it.
Don’t expect John McAmnesty to do anything about it. There’s all of that lettuce to pick, you know.
Why are they clamoring to vote in this year’s election? Oh wait. Nevermind.
I wonder if they were excited about voting in the elections back home… Oh wait. Nevermind.
Un-freaking believable.
I need good news. Anybody have any?
I think it wise to investigate who has donated to the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund.
30,
I do.
GOD loves you!
After the Mariel Boat Lift and the first amnesty, immigration had to recind over 10,000 (!) green card and citizen statuses after going back and finding out these were violent felons! It only came about after a few dozen very public murders caused folks to pressure immigration to go back and check.
Besides, when did it really matter if you were a citizen when it comes time to vote? Chicago’s been voting illegals and graveyards for decades.
On March 7th, 2008 at 1:32 pm, Chuck said:
Not just Chicago, but California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas have been voting illegals. Not sure about the dead people, but think there have been a few pets in California voting.
Thanks Soap.
Interesting that I needed to be reminded of that… I’ll blame it on the migraine headache I am trying to stave off.
Are there a few million republicans we can import by November?
*Speechless*
I don’t think the Coyote-in-Chief needs much compelling.
No problema. Si se puede.
We may not have a sovereign nation, we may be blocked at every turn in any effort to lay claim to our own nation but the people who’s responsibility it is to provide for our sovereignty and to respond to our demands will appease foreigners versus Americans.
On March 7th, 2008 at 1:20 pm, 30 pcs of silver said:
I need good news. Anybody have any?
I have some 30. I just saved a bunch of money by switching to Geico!
Note: stalled. The Bush government is just sitting on applications rather than processing them. If they have to do background checks, do them already. It should not take a court order to get the Bushies to do their jobs.
My wife is waiting patiently for her citizenship approval like she is supposed to. She is NOT suing the USA, the country she is asking for permission to become a member of. It’s called respect.
Anyone that files papers to become a member of a country and then sues that country telling them to let me in and do it now…
…should have their papers ripped up by said country and told to get the fuk out.
tre,
Bravo! Bellissimo!
Or perhaps I should say: excelencia!
If we’re going to be giving away America, how about giving them the cards and putting a block on all of the inherited rights until all of the background checks are completed? Throw us citizens a bone every now and then.
No kidding malkin_fan! Don’t we have a “We refuse the right to serve” option at all? Talk about inviting in trouble, if they can sue for citizenship they will sue for every dang thing else too.
What RIGHT do these illegals have to file anything, including a lawsuit???
Dang. If I need a lawyer it’s at least $2500 just to start.
They get it for FREE?
There goes more of our tax money that I intend to pocket this year.
If the government wants to sit around on their thumbs for five years with your citizenship application they can because becoming a US citizen is not your right, it is a privilage this countries government can grant you. These people should have zero ground to sue on. SUCK IT UP and wait your turn and if you don’t like it then go elsewhere.
They already do.
I recall Juan McCain and other proponents of the McCain-Kennedy immigration bill assuring us that 24 hours was plenty of time to complete background checks for millions of illegals who would apply for a probationary Z-visa. Were they lying to us? Or Are they really that stupid?
I understand that they love illegal immigration for some reason, but why are they against background checks? The only thing background checks would do is stop known criminals and terrorists from getting citizenship. Why would anyone be against that?
They love America so much that they sue her. Unbelievable.
I work a pharmaceutical company and I not only had to undergo a background check but a drug test too. This is just for a job! The background check itself, took a couple of weeks. My point is - if I have to undergo a background check for employment, you sure as hell should undergo a background check in order to obtain a green card. Which undoubtedly will be a longer process.
I wonder what would have happened if I had threatened a lawsuit if my company hadn’t rush my background check through… hmmmm.
…And therein lies the problem. No appreciation for the opportunity that’s before them. No. They come here and already have their hands out with a list of demands and expectations. Their application should be shuffled to end of pile or better yet, it should have a visit with the paper shredder. Wouldn’t want their information to get into the wrong hands and you know steal their identity.
…and not just any foreigners, specifically the “Latino community”. You don’t hear the same outcry for all the other groups.
The real irony is that the “world” probably couldn’t care less about whether or not the USA lowers the hurdle for Latino immigration. Most other countries have a much more strict policy than us (including Mexico, as is well documented on this site) on these matters.
Of course, if this works, I suppose it’s only a matter of time before CAIR gets in on the act. One good ’silent’ invasion deserves another.
Oh wonderful.
Monday my wife and I are going to the local USCIS office for her biometrics. (Pictures and fingerprints)
She’s had her Green Card for two years and it’s time for the removal of conditions. She’s hoping it will all be done in a few months so she can go back to China this summer and see her mother.
I’ve asked her about going for Citizenship, but she doesn’t want to yet. With a green card she has the best of both worlds. She can come and go and not worry about visas.
Oh well, maybe we’ll luck out and get this slammed through quick.
Talk about mixed emotions! :/
Boil it down to the old adage of the wheel making the squeek.
PC guidelines forbid mentioning lubrication.
Well, I hope they hurry up with the process. My wife and I have been working on her applications for 18 months now, and we’re still waiting. They still haven’t figured out that she and I are in Virginia, not Indonesia. All we need is an interview. All I do is keep filling out applications, sometimes the same ones again, send more money and wait, until the letter comes again. This comes from trying to do things nice and legal…and she was a widow from an American husband previous(died from a traffic accident). Meanwhile, an illegal would have had a car, house and nice job by now. Makes one wonder.
#31 Evilned
Sounds like my wife. She’s from Malaysia of Chinese ancestry. She has a green card and her permanent residency. That’s all she wants. She can come and go at will to visit her family.
She isn’t interested in citizenship, though I don’t know why. She’s not interested in voting in our elections, but that’s alright, since she’s a little bit liberal, though not a stark raving moonbat type liberal.
Tre, my wife is still trying to get a green card, and she’s been here for 10 years now. They just keep upping her visa. Strange situation, all the way around. I know a family in Malaysia, of Chinese ancestry. They live in Ipoh. Very nice city and a nice country to visit. I’ve been to KL, Penang, Ipoh and Sitiwan(sp).
Tough crap. Can they even read the ballots in English???
I’m sure, though, that we’ll be reading soon that the three un-American Latino-pandering candidates will find a way to expedite what they will call “an absolute travesty that is incredibly unfair to the Latino/Hispanic/Mexican/Guatemalan/Honduran/Oaxacan/El Salvadoran/(or whichever Flavor-of-the-Moment) community.”
Graysonret
My wife is from Kuala Krau. Malaysia is a nice country to visit. I’ve been to KL, Penang, Johor, and down into Singapore. The dollar/ringit exchange rate was good (at least then) making it a cheap place to visit.
The hardest thing for me to get accustomed to was that hole-in-the-floor bathroom (go ahead and laugh).
Tre, hole-in-the-floor wasn’t as bad as being given a durian, my first night there. I ate anything they gave me, but passed on that one…much to the Malaysians’ amusement.
Hey Michelle WHere is Mayor Antonio Vi Agra on this sad story? People, they are at war with us. It’s time we have straight talk about the Latinos committing hate crimes against the blacks. WHere are all the black leaders? This kid was 6 years old. God Bless him and his family. May curses be given to the latino gang bangers.
What does it matter - as I see it, there are three possibilities: McCain, Clinton or Obama. All three of them are for amnesty, so why the panic to be able to vote? - the US is screwed no matter what.
Border? We don’t need no stkinkin’ border!
Note: the story is from the NYTimes. Application processing, particularly in these times of increased scrutiny, is a rate limited process. Overloading the system, as in this case, does not mean that the system has stopped, as the poorly chosen yet quickly jumped on word “stalled” indicates, but rather, that the process is proceeding as fast as it can.
Just because a group of applicants demands their applications be reviewed now means nothing. They will be processed, in order, as fast as they can. Suing the government because it doesn’t work fast enough for you doesn’t mean you are justified in doing so.
I would love to see you at your job, particularly if your boss insisted that you increase your job performance 500% or so. If you couldn’t do it, and could only go at 120%, would you have “stalled?” No.
And if applicable, you would be crying to your shop steward.
Why is it that the Latin American community has this entitlement mentality? We already have enough people who think this way. Let them wait like I did. 15 months from beginning to end of the citizenship process in the DC area. BTW, I just got it last Tuesday. The Toby Keith video you get to watch after singing the anthem and reapeating the oath of allegiance was cool! Now I can upgrade my wife’s immigrant visa and get her and my baby back to me ASAP. We have been a separated family for 3+ years now. We could do it. Why can’t hispanics? See? Some of us do it the right way… I don’t want my kid learning spanish. English only! You hear me you uncivilized barbarians? English and American history all the way baby!
Taxation without representation was the reason that our forefathers began the revolution that started this great nation.
Given the lack of response to the will of the people by the Washington Elite, it’s High time to toss the “Tea” overboard.
Let’s start by tossing out the ENTIRE application of anyone associated with this lawsuit. Anyone that ungrateful and demanding should be tossed out of the country so they can think about what they did wrong, and get to the back of the line (in the home country) and start over again. You riot, demonstrate or sue, you are out!
There is no guarantee of how fast the process will proceed, and certainly no guarantee that the newly minted citizens will have their papers by any given election.
You don’t see the applicants that have to languish in their home countries (by virtue of their geographical location) until they get clearance complaining. No, just the ones that are getting most of what they want by sneaking into this country as felons, and then acting like it is their right to be here.
Do we really need this kind of immigrant? I don’t think so.
This looks suspiciously like what the lawyers do to the courts today: load them up with frivolous cases, the complain about their client’s inability to get a speedy trial, sometimes getting a dismissed finding. This is no different than trying to get reasonable scrutiny of legal immigrants to this country.