If foreigners move, INS wants to know
Compiled from Times wires
© St. Petersburg Times
published July 23, 2002
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WASHINGTON -- The Immigration and Naturalization Service is stepping up enforcement of a 50-year-old law requiring foreigners to alert the government within 10 days when they change addresses.

The new policy was signaled by a proposed rule change announced Monday by Attorney General John Ashcroft. The rule will require the government to update nearly three dozen immigration forms to better explain and give notice to foreigners that they must report any move to the government.

"By clarifying the existing requirement that noncitizens report their addresses to the INS, we are able to increase our ability to locate quickly an alien if removal proceeding must be initiated," Ashcroft said.

The government did not announce an increase in INS agents to accommodate the change.

Congressional critics have charged the INS with being lax in tracking down foreign residents who do not report an address change. Punishment for not reporting a move has been rare.

A Justice Department official told the Associated Press that the rule change was meant to "shift the responsibility from the government to the immigrant for making sure the government knows where the person is located."

The official said the rule is meant as a warning that foreigners who fail to comply could face deportation.

Immigrant advocacy groups said the policy is overreaching.

"The attorney general is threatening to put people in jail and have them deported for the equivalent of having an overdue library book," said Angela Kelley, a director of the National Immigration Forum in Washington.

"It is ludicrous to believe this is going to keep us safe from terrorism. No terrorist is going to turn in a change of address form. This is only going to hurt the law-abiding immigrants who are trying to keep pace with all the things we require."

U.S. soldiers take over Karzai's protection
KABUL, Afghanistan -- President Hamid Karzai has sidelined his Afghan bodyguards and called in U.S. troops to replace them in a sign of rising security fears after the murder of an Afghan vice president, his aide said Monday.

Diplomats said the move followed "serious threats" against Karzai, some believed to have come from within his Cabinet. About 50 guards who were replaced were part of the 10,000-strong force of fighters loyal to Defense Minister Mohammed Fahim.

U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld called the change a "short-term" measure to ensure stability.

"We look at it as a relatively short-term matter" to last several weeks or months, Rumsfeld said, adding that the United States would help train Afghan bodyguards for Karzai.

"Clearly, it is important for that country that the outcome of the loya jirga not be negated by violence," Rumsfeld said, referring to the Afghan grand council which chose Karzai last month to head the two-year transitional government.

Concern over Karzai's safety has soared after the unsolved killing this month of Vice President Abdul Qadir, said presidential spokesman Said Fazel Akbar.

Moussaoui roommate pleads guilty to lying
NEW YORK -- A Saudi student who briefly shared a room with Zacarias Moussaoui in Oklahoma pleaded guilty Monday to making false statements, including lying to the FBI about their plans to visit New York in August.

Hussein al-Attas, 24, entered the plea to seven charges in U.S. District Court as part of a deal that keeps him in the country to testify, if needed, against Moussaoui, the only person charged with conspiring to help the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers.

Under the plea agreement, al-Attas faces up to six months in prison.

~~~This is only going to hurt the law-abiding immigrants who are trying to keep pace with all the things we require." ~~~

I totally disagree!

Since some years ago (1991) I brought over my (then) wife from the Phillippines. I was asked for my views about our Immigration laws at that time, by my Senitor.

My views were and still are.......CLOSE our boarders unless a person is TOTALLY sponced by a citzen! No welfare, food stamps or work permit for 5 years and a green card after 10 years!

I know how easy it is to "jump ship" as it's said! If an immagrant in totally sponced, then the citizen is responcable for that person's wareabouts and actions.

I don't disagree with sponsership howevr, they very rarely allow it. You could sponor you husband/wife, if you got luck and it got approved, and then maybe have a child and if the even spit wrong they get deported and your whole family is ripped apart. There are many people in the US who are being effected by the terrorism and they have absolutely no connection to it! Let's remember if the borders were closed then none of us would be here either. I agree that with things the way they are and the threat of terrorism, immigrants need to be screened. Years ago they used to undergo a psychological but the government rather pay for them to be in jail later than a psych evaluation now. I don't agree that people who are legal residents and have been here for many years should be persecuted. We must also remember that the changes in the law began in 1996, in honor of the Oklahoma City bombing. The new laws were named the anti terrorism and immigration act of 1996. The federal building was bombed by a born and breed american. The INS is very backwards and they are using these crazy laws as cover ups for their lack of effectiveness.

I failed to add here as I did then, close our boarders "for a period of time".

Since INS can not, has not handled the case load we need to stop the flow for a few years, maybe 10?

I totally understand where you are comming from but still have to disagree. That will only increase the amount of people who enter this country illegally. It's not that hard believe me. There are so many families that are tring to reunite in the land of opportunity. Mom and Dad came here to work and save money and now there children won't be allowed to. I just can't see that as fair. This country is supposed to keep families together not rip them apart.

Well gal, we will just have to agree to disagree :-)

Mom & Pop could bring there children, if they turned there green card in for citizenship. Otherwise, why are they here in the first place?

Entering illegally and jumping ship is why we need the time to revamp INS. The "majority" of the flow of people needs to stop for a period of time. This would mean that, instead of trying to police the world, (that's another topic), we would have to police our boarders more effectively.

In this exposal, no handcuff's, that's not already there by malfunction of INS, are placed on U.S. Citizen in reguards to bring somebody into this country!

Inorder to become a citizen you have to reside in the US legally for atleast 7 years before you can even start the process which now takes about 2 years. My concern is not with those who are here illegally but those who did come here legally and have permanent residency. I do agree that the amoutn of illegal aliens is a concern, but the people here legally are being effected by these laws too and that's not right! If you are here as a permanent resident for over 10 or 15 years just because you didn't take a test should effect your ability to mainatin family unity.

Not all immigrants are just jumping borders, or just coming here becuase it's the US..... many, like my husband have left a communist country to escape persecution. They come to the US for freedom, yet many end of in prison and their country will not take them back. What kind of justice is that? My husband for example, he left Cuba because he was facing prison for speaking up against the Castro Governement, he is now in prison here because he came here to make a better life for him and his family. He is being deported on a charge that he spent time in prison for in 1983. Yet, Cuba will not take him back and INS won't release him. That is what we are facing with INS. Those that are honest and want only to make a better life are being punished by those that are committing terrorist acts. INS will not catch them because they are here "legally". These terrorists are not stupid. So, due to the frustration and embarassment, INS is going after those that are here to just make a better life, yet don't kow all the rules and regulations and are now being punished. I know of some Cubans that are being deported because they have a traffic ticket. INS is on a witch hunt now and will do what they can to save face.

Traffic ticket is a perfect example. Some people may think Joy is exaggerating but she's NOT people are being deported who have lived here their whole lives (like my guy who came here at 9 months old and is now 32) but were not born here because of things like a traffic ticket. It's totally crazy and laws like these will continue to create situations where true threats to our society will master mind the INS in turn creating more security threats. They are to smart for our so called security. These people have visa, drivers licenses and they don't work as farm help or day laborers. But those hard working people struggling to make a better life for their children and families will continue to be the ones who suffer. All of this in the land of opportunity, land of the "free".

I realize, that INS operates much like DOC, when they come down on a person.

Much like you are talking about, I know of a female inmate that got all charges droped, but is still in prison because INS has a hold on her, she's from Germany. I read her ad at a inmate pen-pal site.

I also understand how much of a malfuntioning organization INS is and how "overloaded" it is at the same time. I've had personal dealing with them also.

Instead of batting back and forth.........what is it going to take to get the system fixed? I realize my idea is RADITCAL and will not fit all concered. But we are dealing with a major government change and that means, everybody isn't going to be happy in the short term, whatever is done. And I might add, "if" anything is done. Bitching about the situation isn't going to change a thing. A plan can be formed from MANY inputs, by MANY people that has a concern. There's not going to be much help from the general public IMO

That B-ray, I totally agree with you on,lol. However I can't imagine what it will take to actually shed some light on the situation?

I have to put in my views on this one. Immigration is a joke!!!!!!! It does nothing to ensure our safety . I have never seen one good thing immigration has done ( corect me if I am wrong), all it does is tear down families. I do agree to an extent there has to be laws and boarders but get real. When was the last time our Government looked at the torment these laws have brought on many families. My family for one. Yes my husband is in this country illegally, thats' why he's in prison, for illegal re-entry. But he has been in this country since he was 11 years old, he is now 29 . How the hell do they expect him to live any where else? We have been legally married for ten years and have a four year old son. My husband had rahter die then be deported and I will spend every waking moment of my life to ensure that never happens again. Right now he is dying in federal custody and no one gives a damn, please see post under emergency forum. So for those out there who disagree with my views, that is fine. But I feel assured the only ones who will are the ones who have no idea what I am talking about or those few fortunate souls who manged to get their citizenship years ago.