https://www.facebook.com/marcello.padilla/videos/10157547974808549

www.marcellopadilla.com

https://www.facebook.com/paul.sladkus/videos/10164405766140392/

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020 AT 5 PM – 9 PM PDT
Singing in Solitude: Hot as Hell!
Details
Wednesday, August 26, 2020 at 5 PM – 9 PM PDT
Public · Hosted by SoCal Vocalist Relief Fund, Tiffany Ho and 2 others
Online Event
Come join us for our next benefit concert this Wednesday August 26th, HOT AS HELL! Donations made throughout the concert will go to the SoCal Vocalist Relief Fund and 10% will be given to Border Angels!
BORDER ANGELS is a non-profit organization that advocates “for human rights, humane immigration reform, and social justice.” To learn more, visit their site at https://www.borderangels.org/
STARRING:
~Audrey Pennington~ 5 p.m.
Pulled – The Addams Family
Perfect – Edges
Screw Loose – Cry-Baby
Taylor the Latte Boy

~Marcello Padilla~ 6 p.m.
I Am Aldolpho – The Drowsy Chaperone
Disaster – Drew Gasparini
It All Fades Away – Bridges of Madison County
If I Loved You – Carousel
Too Good at Goodbyes – Sam Smith
The Impossible Dream – Man of La Mancha
U Move, I Move – John Legend

~Lettrice Lawrence~ 7 p.m.
Under The Boardwalk
The Glory of Love
Wind Beneath My Wings
Lonely by: Lettrice Lawrence

~Rachel Stoughton~ 8 p.m.
“Ouvre ton coeur” – Bizet
“Extase” – Duparc
“Il est doux, il est bon” – Massenet
“I want Magic” – Previn
“St. Ita’s Vision” – Barber
“Simple Song” – Bernstein
—
The Singing in Solitude benefit concert series is presented by SoCal Vocalist Relief Fund. Click the link to learn more about our fundraiser and to donate: https://www.facebook.com/donate/366064624381305/

The post Marchello Padilla Sings Tonight 8/26/20 9PM EST on Facebook his way into your heart at auditions appeared first on Good News!.

I hope everyone is sheltering safely during this extraordinary time of a world pandemic.

Kudos to WXXI Public Broadcasting for airing “Asian Americans,” a five-part series to take us back in time from the 1800s to present. Knowing and learning history lessons will teach us to make better decisions today and for our future. Below is a description of each episode. We have partnered with WXXI to spotlight local Asian Americans from Rochester, New York. Please tune in and feel free to forward to your families, friends and networks!

Episode 1 – Breaking Ground

Monday 5/11 at 8 p.m.

In an era of exclusion and U.S. empire, new immigrants arrive from China, India, Japan, the Philippines and beyond. Barred by anti-Asian laws they become America’s first “undocumented immigrants,” yet build railroads that dazzle on the silver screen, and take their fight for equality to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Episode 2 – Question of Loyalty

Monday 5/11 at 9 p.m.

An American-born generation straddles their country of birth and their parents’ homelands in Japan and Korea. Those loyalties are tested during World War II, when families are imprisoned in detention camps, and brothers find themselves on opposite sides of the battle lines.

Episode 3 – Good Americans

Tuesday 5/12 at 8 p.m.

During the Cold War years, Asian Americans are simultaneously heralded as a Model Minority, and targeted as the perpetual foreigner. It is also a time of bold ambition, as Asian Americans aspire for the first time to national political office and a coming culture-quake simmers beneath the surface.

Episode 4 – Generation Rising

Tuesday 5/12 at 9 p.m.

During a time of war and social tumult, as young generation fights for equality in the fields, on campuses and in the culture, and claims a new identity: Asian Americans. The war’s aftermath brings new immigrants and refugees who expand the population and the definition of Asian America.

Episode 5 – Breaking Through

Tuesday 5/12 at 10 p.m.

At the turn of the new millennium, the national conversation turns to immigration, race, and economic disparity. As the U.S. becomes more diverse, yet more divided, a new generation of Asian Americans tackle the question, how do we as a nation move forward together?

The post Kudos to WXXI Public Broadcasting for airing “Asian Americans” appeared first on Good News!.

There has been ongoing debate over the issue of immigration and refugees for many months here in the U.S. and around the world.

And in June, there is a day dedicated to refugees — to raise awareness to their needs and plight, realizing the horrors they have endured in leaving their homeland to find a safe place to live. It’s a time to try to work together to ensure every refugee child gets an education, every family has a safe place to call home and every refugee can work or learn new skills to make a positive contribution to their community.

And now, thousands of refugees are also united by one flag. An orange and black flag inspired by the life vests most all had to wear in their search for a safer land to live. It’s been designed and made by a Syrian refugee and artist who currently lives in Amsterdam.

The idea for the flag began by a group known as the The Refugee Nation, after the first ever Olympic team made up of refugees competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. While the flag has not yet been sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee, The Refugee Nation wants to give those from foreign nations a symbol of unity and identity that they can call their own.

Right now, refugees are asking for the public’s support in their efforts to resettle. Everyone can help by buying and displaying this special flag and help the refugees adjust to their new surroundings in the U.S.

Our guest — Meron Semedar is an advocate of human rights, refugees and immigrants (and a refugee himself). He will address the current situation of refugees, discuss how and why this unique and special flag was created, and explain how we all can help.

The post JUNE IS WORLD REFUGEE MONTH appeared first on Good News!.

The legislation restricted access to the Visa Waiver Program, which allows citizens from 38 countries who are visiting the United States for less than 90 days to enter without a visa.

Though outside groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union and NIAC Action — the sister organization of the National Iranian American Council — opposed the act, the bipartisan bill passed through Congress with little pushback.

At the initial signing of the restrictions, foreigners who would normally be deemed eligible for a visa waiver were denied if they had visited Iran, Syria, Sudan or Iraq in the past five years or held dual citizenship from one of those countries.

In February 2016, the Obama administration added Libya, Somali and Yemen to the list of countries one could not have visited — but allowed dual citizens of those countries who had not traveled there access to the Visa Waiver Program. Dual citizens of Syria, Sudan, Iraq and Iran are still ineligible, however.

So, in a nutshell, Obama restricted visa waivers for those seven Muslim-majority countries — Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen — and now, Trump is looking to bar immigration and visitors from the same list of countries.

This information is from : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_policy_of_Donald_Trump
Illegal immigration was a signature issue of President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, and his proposed reforms and remarks about this issue have generated headlines. A hallmark promise of his campaign was to build a substantial wall on the United States-Mexico border. Trump has also expressed support for a variety of “limits on legal immigration and guest-worker visas”, including a “pause” on granting green cards, which Trump says will “allow record immigration levels to subside to more moderate historical averages”. Trump’s proposals regarding H-1B visas have frequently changed throughout his presidential campaign, but as of late July 2016, he appears to oppose the H-1B visa program. Trump has questioned official estimates of the number of illegal immigrants in the United States (between 11 and 12 million), insisting the number is much higher (between 30 and 34 million).

Contents
Positions on immigration
Trump has questioned official estimates of the number of illegal immigrants in the United States (between 11 and 12 million), asserting that the number is actually between 30 and 34 million. PolitiFact ruled that his statement was “Pants on Fire”, citing experts who noted that no evidence supported an estimate in that range. For example, the Pew Research Center reported in March 2015 that the number of illegal immigrants overall declined from 12.2 million in 2007 to 11.2 million in 2012. The number of illegal immigrants in the U.S. labor force ranged from 8.1 million to 8.3 million between 2007 and 2012, approximately 5% of the U.S. labor force.

Birthright citizenship
Trump proposes rolling back birthright citizenship – a historically broadened interpretation of the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment that all persons born on U.S. soil are citizens – so as not to grant citizenship to US-born children of illegal immigrants (whom he refers to as “anchor babies”). The mainstream view of the Fourteenth Amendment among legal experts is that everyone born on U.S. soil, regardless of parents’ citizenship, is automatically an American citizen.

Kate’s Law
Trump during his campaign promised to ask Congress to pass Kate’s Law to ensure that criminal aliens convicted of illegal reentry receive strong, mandatory minimum sentences. The law is named after Kate Steinle who was allegedly shot and killed in July 2015 by Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, who was deported by from the US a total of five times.

A Senate version of the bill was previously introduced by Ted Cruz in July 2016 and was filibustered by the senate.

Border security
Trump has emphasized U.S. border security and illegal immigration to the United States as a campaign issue. During his announcement speech he stated in part, “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems…. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.” On July 6, 2015, Trump issued a written statement to clarify his position on illegal immigration, which drew a reaction from critics. It read in part:

The Mexican Government is forcing their most unwanted people into the United States. They are, in many cases, criminals, drug dealers, rapists, etc. This was evident just this week when, as an example, a young woman in San Francisco was viciously killed by a 5-time deported Mexican with a long criminal record, who was forced back into the United States because they didn’t want him in Mexico. This is merely one of thousands of similar incidents throughout the United States. In other words, the worst elements in Mexico are being pushed into the United States by the Mexican government. The largest suppliers of heroin, cocaine and other illicit drugs are Mexican cartels that arrange to have Mexican immigrants trying to cross the borders and smuggle in the drugs. The Border Patrol knows this. Likewise, tremendous infectious disease is pouring across the border. The United States has become a dumping ground for Mexico and, in fact, for many other parts of the world. On the other hand, many fabulous people come in from Mexico and our country is better for it. But these people are here legally, and are severely hurt by those coming in illegally. I am proud to say that I know many hard working Mexicans—many of them are working for and with me … and, just like our country, my organization is better for it.”
A study published in Social Science Quarterly in May 2016 tested Trump’s claim that immigrants are responsible for higher levels of violent and drug-related crime in the United States. It found no evidence that links Mexican or illegal Mexican immigrants specifically to violent or drug-related crime. It did however find a small but significant association between illegal immigrant populations (including non-Mexican illegal immigrants) and drug-related arrests.

In addition to his proposals to construct a border wall (see below), Trump has called for tripling the number of Border Patrol agents.

U.S.–Mexico border wall proposal
Main article: Executive Order 13767
Further information: Mexico–United States barrier

Trump speaking about his immigration policy in Phoenix, Arizona, August 31, 2016.
Trump has repeatedly pledged to build a wall along the U.S.’s southern border, and has said that Mexico would pay for its construction through increased border-crossing fees and NAFTA tariffs. In his speech announcing his candidacy, Trump pledged to “build a great, great wall on our southern border. And I will have Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words.” Trump also said “nobody builds walls better than me, believe me, and I’ll build them very inexpensively.” The concept for building a barrier to keep illegal immigrants out of the U.S. is not new; 670 miles of fencing (about one-third of the border) was erected under the Secure Fence Act of 2006, at a cost of $2.4 billion. Trump said later that his proposed wall would be “a real wall. Not a toy wall like we have now.” In his 2015 book, Trump cites the Israeli West Bank barrier as a successful example of a border wall. “Trump has at times suggested building a wall across the nearly 2,000-mile border and at other times indicated more selective placement.” After a meeting with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto on August 31, 2016, Trump said that they “didn’t discuss” who would pay for the border wall that Trump has made a centerpiece of his presidential campaign. Nieto contradicted that later that day, saying that he at the start of the meeting “made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall”. Later that day, Trump reiterated his position that Mexico will pay to build an “impenetrable” wall on the Southern border.

John Cassidy of The New Yorker wrote that Trump is “the latest representative of an anti-immigrant, nativist American tradition that dates back at least to the Know-Nothings” of the 1840s and 1850s. Trump says “it was legal immigrants who made America great,” that the Latinos who have worked for him have been “unbelievable people”, and that he wants a wall between the U.S. and Mexico to have a “big, beautiful door” for people to come legally and feel welcomed in the United States.

According to experts and analyses, the actual cost to construct a wall along the remaining 1,300 miles of the border could be as high as $16 million per mile, with a total cost of up to $25 billion, with the cost of private land acquisitions and fence maintenance pushing up the total cost further. Maintenance of the wall cost could up to $750 million a year, and if the Border Patrol agents were to patrol the wall, additional funds would have to be expended. Rough and remote terrain on many parts of the border, such as deserts and mountains, would make construction and maintenance of a wall expensive, and such terrain may be a greater deterrent than a wall in any case. Experts also note that on federally protected wilderness areas and Native American reservations, the Department of Homeland Security may have only limited construction authority, and a wall could cause environmental damage.

Critics of Trump’s plan question whether a wall would be effective at stopping unauthorized crossings, noting that walls are of limited use unless they are patrolled by agents and to intercept those climbing over or tunneling under the wall. Experts also note that approximately half of illegal immigrants in the U.S. did not surreptitiously enter, but rather “entered through official crossing points, either by overstaying visas, using fraudulent documents, or being smuggled past the border”.

Mass deportation
In August 2015, during his campaign, Trump proposed the mass deportation of illegal immigrants as part of his immigration policy. During his first town hall campaign meeting in Derry, New Hampshire, Trump said that if he were to win the election, then on “[d]ay 1 of my presidency, illegal immigrants are getting out and getting out fast”.

Trump has proposed a “Deportation Force” to carry out this plan, modeled after the 1950s-era “Operation Wetback” program during the Eisenhower administration that ended following a congressional investigation. Historian Mae Ngai of Columbia University, who has studied the program, has said that the military-style operation was both inhumane and ineffective.

According to analysts, Trump’s mass-deportation plan would encounter legal and logistical difficulties, since U.S. immigration courts already face large backlogs. Such a program would also impose a fiscal cost; the fiscally conservative American Action Forum policy group estimates that deporting every illegal immigrant would cause a slump of $381.5 billion to $623.2 billion in private sector output, amounting to roughly a loss of 2% of U.S. GDP. Doug Holtz-Eakin, the group’s president, has said that the mass deportation of 11 million people would “harm the economy in ways it would normally not be harmed”.

In June 2016, Trump stated on Twitter that “I have never liked the media term ‘mass deportation’ — but we must enforce the laws of the land!” Later in June, Trump stated that he would not characterize his immigration policies as including “mass deportations”. However, on August 31, 2016, contrary to earlier reports of a “softening” in his stance, Trump laid out a 10-step plan reaffirming his hardline positions. He reiterated that all illegal immigrants are “subject to deportation” with priority given to illegal immigrants who have committed significant crimes and those who have overstayed visas. He noted that all those seeking legalization would have to go home and re-enter the country legally.

Proposed Muslim immigration ban
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Trump frequently revised proposals to ban Muslim immigration to the United States in the course of his presidential campaign. In late July 2016, NBC News characterized his position as: “Ban all Muslims, and maybe other people from countries with a history of terrorism, but just don’t say ‘Muslims’.” (Rudy Giuliani said on Fox News that Trump tasked him to craft a “Muslim ban” and asked Giuliani to form a committee to show him “the right way to do it legally”. The committee, which included former U.S. Attorney General and Chief Judge of the Southern District of New York Michael Mukasey, and Reps. Mike McCaul and Peter T. King, decided to drop the religious basis and instead focused on regions where Giuliani says that there is “substantial evidence that people are sending terrorists” to the United States.)

Trump proposed a temporary ban on foreign Muslims entering the United States (the U.S. admits approximately 100,000 Muslim immigrants each year) “until we can figure out what’s going on” in December 2015. In response to the 2015 San Bernardino shooting, Trump released a statement on “Preventing Muslim Immigration” and called for “a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what the hell is going on”. Trump clarified how this would work in an interview with Willie Geist on in December 2015:

Geist: “Would airline representatives, customs agents or border guards ask a person’s religion?”
Trump: “They would say: ‘Are you Muslim?'”
Geist: “And if they said, ‘yes’, they would not be allowed in the country?”
Trump: “That’s correct.”
Trump cited President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s use during World War II of the Alien and Sedition Acts to issue presidential proclamations for rounding up, holding, and deporting German, Japanese, and Italian alien immigrants, and noted that Roosevelt was highly respected and had highways named after him. Trump stated that he did not agree with Roosevelt’s internment of Japanese Americans, and clarified that the proposal would not apply to Muslims who were U.S. citizens or to Muslims who were serving in the U.S. military. The measure proposed by Trump would be temporary, until better screening methods are devised,[54] although the proposal had also been phrased in more controversial ways.

In May 2016, Trump retreated slightly from his call for a Muslim ban, calling it “merely an idea, not a proposal”. On June 13, 2016, he reformulated the ban so that it would be geographical, not religious, applying to “areas of the world where there is a proven history of terrorism against the United States, Europe or our allies”. Two hours later, he claimed that ban was only for nations “tied to Islamic terror”.[64] In June 2016, he also stated that he would allow Muslims from allies like the United Kingdom to enter the United States. In May 2016, Trump said “There will always be exceptions” to the ban, when asked how the ban would apply to London’s newly-elected mayor Sadiq Khan. A spokesman for Sadiq Khan said in response that Trump’s views were “ignorant, divisive and dangerous” and play into the hands of extremists.

In June 2016, Trump expanded his proposed ban on Muslim immigration to the United States to cover immigration from areas with a history of terrorism. Specifically, Trump stated, “When I am elected, I will suspend immigration from areas of the world when there is a proven history of terrorism against the United States, Europe, or our allies, until we understand how to end these threats.” According to lawyers and legal scholars cited in a New York Times report, the president has the power to carry out the plan but it would take an ambitious and likely time-consuming bureaucratic effort, and make sweeping use of executive authority. Immigration analysts also noted that the implementation of Trump’s plan could “prompt a wave of retaliation against American citizens traveling and living abroad”. In July 2016, Trump described his proposal as encompassing “any nation that has been compromised by terrorism”. Trump later referred to the reformulation as “extreme vetting”.

When asked in July 2016 about his proposal to restrict immigration from areas with high levels of terrorism, Trump insisted that it was not a “rollback” of his initial proposal to ban all Muslim immigrants. He said, “In fact, you could say it’s an expansion. I’m looking now at territory.” When asked if his new proposal meant that there would be greater checks on immigration from countries that have been compromised by terrorism, such as France, Germany and Spain, Trump answered, “It’s their own fault, because they’ve allowed people over years to come into their territory.”

On August 15, 2016, Trump suggested that “extreme views” would be grounds to be thrown out of the U.S., saying he would deport Seddique Mateen, the father of Omar Mateen (the gunman in the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting), who has expressed support for the Taliban. On 31 August in Phoenix Trump would make a speech billed by then running-mate Pence as important and offering many details. In the speech, Trump vowed “places like Syria and Libya” were “places from which immigration would be suspended” under his immigration plan. Jeff Sessions at the time said the Trump campaign’s plan was “the best laid out law enforcement plan to fix this country’s immigration system that’s been stated in this country maybe forever”.

Sessions is Trump’s nominee to be Attorney General of the Department of Justice. During confirmation-hearing testimony, he acknowledged supporting vetting based on “areas where we have an unusually high risk of terrorists coming in”; Sessions acknowledged the DOJ would need to evaluate such a plan if it were outside the “Constitutional order.”

Other proposals
Trump has proposed making it more difficult for asylum-seekers and refugees to enter the United States, and making the e-Verify system mandatory for employers.

Syrian refugees
See also: Refugees of the Syrian Civil War
Trump has on several occasions expressed opposition to allowing Syrian refugees into the U.S.—saying they could be the “ultimate Trojan horse”—and has proposed deporting back to Syria refugees settled in the U.S. By September 2015, Trump had expressed support for taking in some Syrian refugees and praised Germany’s decision to take in Syrian refugees.

On a number of occasions in 2015, Trump asserted that “If you’re from Syria and you’re a Christian, you cannot come into this country, and they’re the ones that are being decimated. If you are Islamic … it’s hard to believe, you can come in so easily.” PolitiFact rated Trump’s claim as “false” and found it to be “wrong on its face”, citing the fact that 3 percent of the refugees from Syria have been Christian (although they represent 10 percent of the Syrian population) and finding that the U.S. government is not discriminating against Christians as a matter of official policy.

In May 2016 interview with Bill O’Reilly, Trump stated “Look, we are at war with these people and they don’t wear uniforms….. This is a war against people that are vicious, violent people, that we have no idea who they are, where they come from. We are allowing tens of thousands of them into our country now.” Politifact ruled this statement “pants on fire”, stating that the U.S. is on track to accept 100,000 refugees in 2017, but there is no evidence that tens of thousands of them are terrorists.

Presidential actions
Main articles: Executive Order 13769 and Legal challenges to Executive Order 13769
On January 27, 2017, as part of a plan to keep out radical Islamic terrorism, Trump signed an executive order (number 13769), titled “Protecting the Nation From Terrorist Attacks by Foreign Nationals”, that suspended entry for citizens of seven countries for 90 days: Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, totaling more than 134 million people. The order also stopped the admission of refugees of the Syrian Civil War indefinitely, and the entry of all refugees to the United States for 120 days. Refugees who were on their way to the United States when the order was signed were stopped and detained at airports.

Implicated by this order is 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1182 “Whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate.” 8 U.S. Code § 1182 (Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952).

Critics argue that Congress later restricted this power in 1965, stating plainly that no person could be “discriminated against in the issuance of an immigrant visa because of the person’s race, sex, nationality, place of birth or place of residence.” (8 U.S. Code § 1152) The only exceptions are those provided for by Congress (such as the preference for Cuban asylum seekers).

Many legal challenges to the order were brought immediately after its issuance: from January 28 to January 31, almost 50 cases were filed in federal courts. Some courts, in turn, granted temporary relief, including a nationwide temporary restraining order (TRO) that bars the enforcement of major parts of the executive order. The Trump administration is appealing the TRO.

Executive order 13769 was not Trump’s first executive order on immigration, however. On January 25, 2017, Trump signed executive order 13768 which, among other things, significantly increased the number of immigrants considered a priority for deportation. Previously, under Obama, an immigrant ruled removable would only be considered a priority to actually be physically deported if they, in addition to being removable, were convicted of serious crimes such as felonies or multiple misdemeanors. Under the Trump administration, such an immigrant can be considered a priority to be removed even if convicted only of minor crimes, or even if merely accused of such criminal activity. An Arizona mother, Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos, may have become the first person deported under the terms of this order on February 9, 2017. Garcia de Rayos had previously been convicted of criminal impersonation related to her use of a falsified Social Security card to work at an Arizona water park. This conviction had not been considered serious enough, under Obama, to actually remove her from the country, although she was required to check in regularly with ICE officials. The first time she checked in with ICE officials after the new Trump order took effect, however, led to her detention and physical removal from the country.

The post Obama’s ban in 2011 and the Trump administration ban. Some background. Please share any thoughts as we aren’t making any political statement. Good News is not political, we believe in one world, that we are all brothers and sisters. Peace and love on earth. appeared first on Good News!.

The 144 citizenship candidates originate from the following 52 countries: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Canada, Chile, People’s Republic of China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Ghana, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kosovo, Liberia, Mexico, Montenegro, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, Republic of Serbia, Russia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, St. Kitts-Nevis, The Gambia, Togo, Turkey, United Kingdom, Venezuela, Vietnam and Yemen. Of those naturalizing, two are currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.

This year, USCIS will welcome more than 10,000 new citizens in nearly 130 naturalization ceremonies between Nov. 7 and 13. Of those being naturalized, more than 250 are veterans, service members and military spouses. USCIS is asking new citizens and their families and friends to share the experience and photos at their ceremonies via Twitter using the hashtag #newUScitizen.

WHO:
USCIS New York District Director Phyllis Coven

WHEN:

Friday, November 13, 9 a.m. (media will be escorted in starting at 8:30 a.m.)
WHERE:
USCIS NY District Office
26 Federal Plaza (please use the entrance on Duane Street between Broadway and Lafayette)

CONTACT:
Katie Tichacek, USCIS Public Affairs Officer, 212-264-5098, 202-420-9581 (cell) katherine.tichacek@uscis.dhs.gov

NOTE:
Media interested in participating, please RSVP to Katie Tichacek (contact info above) no later than 9:00 am EST on November 13.

– USCIS –

News Release Nov. 9, 2015

USCIS Will Host Naturalization Ceremonies to Honor Veterans and their Families

WASHINGTON—Veterans, service members and military spouses across the country will become U.S. citizens this week as they take the Oath of Allegiance at special Veterans Day naturalization ceremonies. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will highlight the sacrifices that military members and their families have made while serving our country. From Nov. 7-13, USCIS will welcome more than 10,000 new citizens in nearly 130 naturalization ceremonies across the country and around the world. Of those being naturalized, more than 255 are veterans, service members and military spouses.

Many current and former military members and their families are eligible for citizenship, including expedited screening and overseas processing, under special provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Since Oct. 1, 2001, when data collection on military naturalizations began, more than 109,000 service members have become U.S. citizens, including individuals serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, South Korea, Germany, Japan and elsewhere. In 2015 alone, USCIS hosted nearly 175 naturalization ceremonies at military installations in the U.S. and abroad.

“On Veterans Day, we salute the men and women who have so courageously served our country and defended the freedoms that it was built upon. Among our brave veterans are thousands of immigrants, many of whom vowed to defend their new home even before they were citizens,” USCIS Director León Rodríguez said. “It is because of their extraordinary sacrifices, and those of their families, that we can enjoy the rights and liberties of living in this great country.”

USCIS has a robust military outreach program that provides information about immigration and naturalization to service members and veterans at military installations, Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals, universities and various military organizations. USCIS also has offices on multiple military installations, including Fort Benning, Georgia; Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; and Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. These offices identify recruits who may be eligible for naturalization.

USCIS’ Veterans Day activities this year will feature a naturalization ceremony at the USS Torsk and USS Constellation, located at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland, on Nov. 11. During this event, Dan Renaud, USCIS associate director for the Field Operations Directorate, will administer the Oath of Allegiance, and Sgt. Maj. Mercy A. Diez of the U.S. Army Band will be recognized as an Outstanding American by Choice.

Other ceremonies include events at:
· American Heroes Air Show in Orlando, Florida, on Nov. 7.
· Cullman Performance Hall of Tryon Palace in New Bern, North Carolina, on Nov. 11.
· Joint Base Lewis McChord in Seattle, Washington, on Nov. 13.

In addition, 12 recruits will become new citizens at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California, through the Naturalization at Basic Training Initiative. Developed with the Department of Defense, this program allows enlisted service members to complete the naturalization process during basic training.

USCIS invites new citizens, and their families and friends, to share their experiences from the ceremonies through Twitter and other social media using the hashtag #newUScitizen.

For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter (@uscis), YouTube (/uscis), Facebook(/uscis), and the USCIS blog The Beacon.

– USCIS –

The post USCIS to Welcome 144 New Citizens… appeared first on Good News!.

NEW YORK — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) New York District Director Phyllis Coven will administer the Oath of Allegiance to America’s newest citizens during a special naturalization ceremony at the New York Public Library on Thursday, July 2, 2015 at 11:00 am. Keynote speaker Nisha Agarwal, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs for the City of New York will offer congratulatory remarks.

Welcoming the citizenship candidates will be Dr. Tony Marx, President of The New York Public Library. USCIS Deputy Chief of Staff James McCament will sing the National Anthem and lead the Pledge of Allegiance.

The 75 citizenship candidates originate from the following 27 countries: Albania, Australia, Bangladesh Canada, People’s Republic of China, Cote D’Ivoire, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Guinea, Haiti, India, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Montserrat, Pakistan, Senegal, St. Kitts-Nevis, Togo, the United Kingdom, and Yemen.

This ceremony is part of USCIS’ annual Independence Day celebration. This year, USCIS celebrates our nation’s 239th birthday by welcoming more than 4,000 new U.S. citizens in more than 50 naturalization ceremonies across the country from July 1 through July 4.

USCIS is asking new citizens and their families and friends to share their experience and photos from their ceremonies via social media using the hashtag #newUScitizen.

For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit www.uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter (@uscis), YouTube (/uscis) and the USCIS blog The Beacon

WHO:
Phyllis Coven, USCIS District Director New York
James McCament, USCIS Deputy Chief of Staff
Dr. Tony Marx, President of The New York Public Library
Nisha Agarwal, Commissioner, Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs
WHEN:

Thursday, July 2, 11 a.m.
WHERE:
New York Public Library, Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Celeste Bartos Forum
Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street, New York, NY

CONTACT:
Katie Tichacek, USCIS Public Affairs Officer, 212-264-5098, 202-420-9581(cell) katherine.tichacek@uscis.dhs.gov

NOTE:
Media interested in participating, please RSVP to Katie Tichacek (contact info above) no later than 10:00 am EST on July 2

– USCIS –

Office of Communications

USCIS Welcoming 4,000 New Citizens July 1-4 to Celebrate Independence Day
Libraries and Landmarks Are Among Sites for Special Naturalization Ceremonies

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will celebrate the nation’s 239th birthday by welcoming more than 4,000 new U.S. citizens at over 50 naturalization ceremonies across the country July 1-4.

“As we celebrate Independence Day, we welcome over 4,000 new Americans who will be able to enjoy all the rights, privileges and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship,” said USCIS Director León Rodríguez. “From Los Angeles to New York, Miami to Seattle, Indianapolis to Los Alamos, these individuals are showing their full commitment to the freedoms, values and ideals that have inspired Americans since the Declaration of Independence in 1776.”

Citizenship candidates will take the Oath of Allegiance at locations including the New York Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center in Chicago, Seattle Center, the National WWII Museum in New Orleans and the Tower Theater in Miami. This year’s celebration also will feature ceremonies at historic sites such as George Washington’s Mount Vernon in Virginia; Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia; and the USS Midway in San Diego, California.

To view a list of 2015 Independence Day naturalization ceremonies, visit uscis.gov/news.

USCIS encourages new citizens and their families and friends to share their ceremony experiences and photos afterward on Twitter and other social media, using the hashtag #newUScitizen.

– USCIS –

The post USCIS to Welcome 75 New Citizens During July 2 Ceremony in Honor of Independence Day appeared first on Good News!.

“USCIS is proud to collaborate with Mayor de Blasio and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs in a meaningful community partnership to help permanent residents learn more about citizenship and the naturalization process,” said USCIS Director Léon Rodríguez. “The Statue of Liberty is one of our nation’s greatest symbols of welcome, while the public libraries are the city’s most welcoming resources. Now more than ever, New Yorkers can begin their journey to U.S. citizenship at their local libraries. It is fitting that we sign this agreement with the city so close to Ellis Island, and with its own rich history as a beacon for new Americans.”

New York City and the New York public library systems have supported immigrants for many years; however, this initiative formally establishes “New Americans Corners” in all branches of the Brooklyn Public Library, New York Public Library, and Queens Library systems. These libraries will support permanent residents by offering citizenship and English as a Second Language classes, along with tools and resources to help them prepare for the naturalization interview and test.

“These new, creative partnerships will spread our message far and wide that the City is on the side of new Americans, and we are ready to help immigrants who are eligible to achieve U.S. citizenship,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We know that citizenship opens up opportunities – opportunities to vote, to get a better job, to feel more like a part of the community – and we want to support our immigrant friends and neighbors however we can.”

As the largest city in the United States, New York is home to immigrants from more than 190 countries. Since 2004, more than 1.1 million permanent residents have become U.S. citizens in the New York City metropolitan area.

USCIS and the City of New York also plan to:

Provide citizenship information through the City of New York and public library websites;
Expand community partnerships to hold naturalization information sessions throughout the City of New York;
Offer training on the naturalization process to library staff members; and
Raise public awareness of immigration services scams.

New York is USCIS’ fifth municipal partner, joining Los Angeles, Chicago, the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, and Atlanta.

For more information about USCIS and its programs, visit www.uscis.gov. Follow us on Facebook (/uscis), Twitter (@uscis), YouTube (/uscis) and the USCIS blog The Beacon.

– USCIS –

Comunicado de Prensa
10 de junio de 2015

USCIS y la Ciudad de Nueva York Amplían los Esfuerzos de Integración y Apoyo para Aspirantes a la Ciudadanía Estadounidense

NEW YORK— El Servicio de Ciudadanía e Inmigración de Estados Unidos (USCIS, por sus siglas en inglés) y la Oficina del Alcalde de la Ciudad de Nueva York han unido esfuerzos para fortalecer esfuerzos relacionados a la educación y concienciación sobre la ciudadanía en la ciudad. El nuevo esfuerzo de colaboración comenzó hoy como parte de la firma de una Carta de Acuerdo de Colaboración entre el Director de USCIS, León Rodríguez y el Alcalde de Nueva York, Bill de Blasio. EL acuerdo permanecerá en vigor hasta el 31 de diciembre de 2018.

“USCIS se enorgullece en colaborar con el Alcalde de Blasio y con la Oficina de Asuntos del Inmigrante de la Alcaldía en una significativa asociación comunitaria para ayudar a los residentes permanentes a aprender más acerca de la ciudadanía y el proceso de naturalización “, dijo el director de USCIS Léon Rodríguez. “La Estatua de la Libertad es uno de los mayores símbolos de bienvenida de nuestra nación, mientras que las bibliotecas públicas son los recursos de acogida más importantes de la ciudad. Ahora más que nunca, los residentes permanentes legales residentes en New York pueden comenzar su viaje a la ciudadanía estadounidense en sus bibliotecas locales. Es apropiado que firmemos este convenio con la ciudad muy cerca de la Isla Ellis, lugar con su propia y rica historia como faro de esperanza para los nuevos americanos.

La Ciudad de Nueva York, el Sistema de Bibliotecas de la Ciudad de Nueva York, y otras agencias de la Ciudad han apoyado a los inmigrantes por muchos años. Sin embargo, esta nueva iniciativa establece formalmente las “Esquinas para Nuevos Americanos” en todas las facilidades de los sistemas de Biblioteca Pública de Brooklyn, Biblioteca Pública de New York City y Biblioteca Pública de Queens. Estas bibliotecas brindarán apoyo a los residentes permanentes por medio de clases sobre ciudadanía e Inglés como Segundo Idioma (ESL, por sus siglas en inglés), además de ofrecer herramientas y recursos para ayudarles a a prepararse para la entrevista y examen de naturalización.

“Estos nuevos y creativos acuerdos de colaboración darán a conocer nuestro mensaje por todos lugares de que la Ciudad está del lado de los nuevos americanos, y que estamos preparados para ayudar a los inmigrantes que son elegibles a la ciudadanía estadounidense”, dijo el Alcalde De Blasio. “Sabemos que la ciudadanía abre nuevas oportunidades – oportunidades al voto, a un mejor trabajo, a sentirse parte de la comunidad- y queremos apoyar a nuestros amigos y vecinos inmigrantes de cualquier manera que podamos”.

La ciudad más grande en los Estados Unidos, Nueva York es hogar de inmigrantes provenientes de más de 190 países. Desde el 2004, más de 1.1 millones de residentes permanentes se han convertido en ciudadanos estadounidenses en el área metropolitana de Nueva York.

USCIS y la Ciudad de Nueva York también tiene planificado:

Proveer información a través de la Ciudad de Nueva York y los sitios web de las bibliotecas públicas
Ampliar los acuerdos de colaboración en la comunidad para ofrecer sesiones informativas de naturalización a través de toda la Ciudad de Nueva York
Ofrecer entrenamiento sobre el proceso de naturalización a miembros del personal de las bibliotecas públicas Y
Aumentar la concienciación entre el público acerca de las estafas de inmigración.

Nueva York es la quita ciudad en formar acuerdos de colaboración con USCIS, uniéndose a Los Ángeles, Chicago, el Gobierno Metropolitano de Nashville y el Condado de Davidson en Atlanta.

Para más información acerca de USCIS y sus programas, visite www.uscis.gov/es o síganos en Facebook (/uscis), Twitter (@uscis), YouTube (/uscis) y el blog en español de Compás.

The post USCIS and the City of New York Expand Immigrant Integration Efforts and Support for Aspiring U.S. Citizens appeared first on Good News!.

NEW YORK — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Deputy Director Lori L. Scialabba will administer the Oath of Allegiance to America’s newest citizens, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Director & CEO Thomas P. Campbell, during a special naturalization ceremony at the Museum on Tuesday, July 22, 2014 at 10:00 a.m.

USCIS New York District Director Phyllis Coven will open the ceremony followed by the National Anthem performed by the Gospel for Teens Choir and welcoming remarks from New York City Council Member Carlos Menchaca. USCIS Deputy Director Scialabba will provide congratulatory remarks. Mr. Campbell will lead the Pledge of Allegiance and deliver the keynote address to the new citizens and guests.

The 75 citizenship candidates originate from the following 42 countries: Albania (2), Antigua-Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Brazil (3), Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, People’s Republic of China, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominican Republic (13), Ecuador (2), France (4), Germany, Ghana (2), Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, India (3), Ireland, Israel (2), Italy, Jamaica (4), Kosovo (2), Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco(2), Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Russia, Rwanda, South Korea, St. Kitts-Nevis, Taiwan, Turkey (3), United Kingdom (3), Uruguay (2), and Yemen.

USCIS encourages new citizens and guests to share their naturalization ceremony experiences and photos through social media, using the hashtag #newUScitizen on Twitter.

During the last decade, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) welcomed more than 6.6 million naturalized citizens. For more information about USCIS and its programs, please visit www.uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter (@uscis or @USCISMediaVT), YouTube (/uscis) and the USCIS blog The Beacon.

WHO: Lori L. Scialabba, USCIS Deputy Director
Phyllis Coven, USCIS District Director New York
Carlos Menchaca, New York City Council Member
Thomas P. Campbell, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Director and CEO (citizenship candidate)
75 Citizenship Candidates

WHEN: Tuesday, July 22, 2014, 10 a.m.
WHERE: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street, NY, NY 10028-0198

The post USCIS to Naturalize 75 New Citizens at The Metropolitan Museum of Art appeared first on Good News!.

The Open House is open to media.

WHEN:           Tuesday, April 29th, 1-3 pm EST

WHERE:         26 Federal Plaza, Lower Manhattan (please use the entrance on Duane Street between Broadway and Lafayette)

CONTACT:     Katie Tichacek, USCIS  Public Affairs Officer, 212-264-5098, 202-420-9581(cell) katherine.tichacek@uscis.dhs.gov

The post Phyllis Coven, USCIS to Host Open House at NYC Office appeared first on Good News!.

Monday, March 17, 2014

New York, NY – The Law Offices of Evangeline M. Chan, a full-service immigration law practice handling a wide variety of immigration matters for corporate and individual clients, has new liaisons with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) designated EB-5 Regional Centers as well as with EB-5 direct investment opportunities.

The USCIS Immigrant Investor Program (also known as the “EB-5 Program”) was established by Congress in 1990 to stimulate the U.S. economy through job creation and capital investment by foreign investors. Under the EB-5 Program, foreign investors can obtain lawful permanent residency (also known as a “green card”) through either a direct investment or investment through a USCIS designated Regional Center. In either instance, the requirements are essentially the same—investment of $1 million in a new commercial enterprise that creates or preserves at least 10 full-time jobs for qualifying U.S. workers within 2 years of the grant of conditional permanent residency. If the new commercial enterprise is located in a Targeted Employment Area (high unemployment or rural area), the qualifying investment is $500,000.

Constantly striving to bring the best in services to its clients, the Law Offices of Evangeline M. Chan has developed relationships and liaisons with active USCIS designated Regional Centers and qualifying businesses to meet the needs of foreign investors looking to participate in the EB-5 Program. Current investment opportunities include new real estate developments in New York City and franchise opportunities across the country.

Contact the Law Offices of Evangeline M. Chan at info@emclawfirm.com, www.emclawfirm.com to learn more.

The post The Law Offices of Evangeline M. Chan… appeared first on Good News!.