Maybe Diego has just been using the wrong wireless carrier all this time. He should switch to Verizon. Any call requesting citizenship is bound to be heard by the government then, right?
There's generally a "talent" exception in helping to expedite green card/citizenship issues (people of great benefit to the country in question). IMO, Diego qualifies in the athletic sense (I believe there has been a mechanism in place in the past for Olympic competition). If U.S. Soccer has been sleeping on this kid's potential and if there is an avenue to pursue in qualifying him for citizenship then they should wake up now that his potential is beginning to really blossom into full-blown talent. Put simply- if there's something they can do they should do it- he's worth the effort even if it takes a while.
Weren't USSF working toward this option with David Regis prior to '98. I do know about the marriage qualification, but I remember the "talent exception" being discussed as well. Or do I?
The "talent" piece is the EB-1 Green Card. He's not at that level yet. Congress used to push through citizenship for athletes for Olympic purposes, but that doesn't happen any more. He has the usual channels to pursue a GC -- there's not really a magic bullet. Check out this blurb from the past: Enough bad mistakes have already been made. The first was not listening to Craig Masback, the chief executive of track and field's national governing body, who told the Khannouchis in the fall of 1998 that legislative pursuit of citizenship would be fruitless. In recent memory, not a single athlete has ever received expedited citizenship through a private bill in Congress. Why would Khannouchi be any different, Masback advised. Masback recommended the use of a naturalization provision, normally used by the military, that grants citizenship to spouses of American citizens working abroad for American companies. The French soccer player David Regis had used this provision to become a United States citizen for the 1998 World Cup. Instead, Sandra Khannouchi, Khalid's agent and wife, listened to lawyers who suggested they pursue expedited citizenship with the New York Congressional help of Representative Sue Kelly and Senator Charles E. Schumer.
I did a little research on the "spouse abroad" thing and all we need to do is get Diego married to an American citizen who can go to work overseas for an American company dealing in US overseas commerce. It's designed to get citizenship for a spouse who is going to be dragged abroad for the "good of the country". This exception really cuts down the wait time for someone married to a US citizen from 3 years to almost immediately (assuming you already have the Green Card). I guess USSF or MLS just needs to set up a recruiting office in Germany and hire the spouse of someone we need to get expedited citizenship.
Your political acumen matches your soccer nous. Anyone who thinks OBAMA is the obstacle to immigration reform is, well, jond. Shit, GOPs and Dems don't agree on much, but they both agree that it is Republicans who don't want immigration reform. On topic, if Congress passes the DREAM Act I think that would expedite his citizenship.
http://toddyoung.house.gov/about-todd/ This GOP representative from Indiana's 9th district played D1 at Navy. He recently participated in the Capital Soccer Classic at Gallaudet University in April. Jurgen was there, as were others. Might be worth sharing soccer related thoughts with him. Another Indiana member of Congress who participated in that event. http://messer.house.gov/ Anyway, though it doesn't always help, it certainly cannot hurt to write members of congress. (I used to intern with a former Wisconsin Senator and correspondence is read and not infrequently responded to. And it is far easier now than it was.) I already sent emails to both Mass. Senators (Cowan is the acting US Senator) mentioning Diego by name. http://www.politico.com/about/press....-soccer-players-join-inaugural-capital-socce http://www.ussoccerfoundation.org/our-impact/congressional-soccer-caucus Rep Dave Camp also worth reaching out to. I note that Congressman Markey is on the congressional soccer caucus.
Make sure u write to democrats. Most non citizens vote democratic so they will be more sympathetic. if u think I am being a wise ass...I am not.
I don't think the DREAM Act will help much. Here's some language on the current bill: The new gang of eight bill would allow undocumented immigrants who entered the U.S. as children to attain lawful permanent resident status more quickly, with a wait time of five years rather the 10 required of others. Dreamers would be eligible if they entered the country under the age of 16, earned a high school diploma or GED here, and attended college for at least two years or served in the military for at least four years. 5 years wait to get a Green Card AND at least 2 years of college.
I agree with reaching out to both. Having said that, and without getting into a substantive political debate, I think those votes in favor of legislation beneficial to Diego are already there on that side of the aisle. Therefore, I felt it might be more potentially beneficial and interesting to figure out who in Congress on the GOP side are fans of soccer. That said, I agree that it is important to reach out to members on both sides and as many as possible.
Yeah, the problem is that it certainly wouldn't be a beneficial enough issue to any GOP member, compared to the heat they would get from the rest of their party. It's basically why our system doesn't work anymore. U are either all for us or the enemy and we will ostracize, marginalize and vilify u. U can see that trickle down mentality right on these boards. Compromise, stand up against your own party on an issue, even if u don't believe in it....never!!!
http://www.schumer.senate.gov/forms/immigration.pdf text of the current bill. The 5 year period tolls from when the person has become a registered provisional immigrant and quite frankly I don't think we know what that means. Also, it is currently a draft bill and the section that immediately follows the relevant DREAM act portion does seem to grant the DHS discretion for certain applicants. Obviously, there would likely be regs drafted which spell out what this would mean and how it would happen.
I take your point. One guiding thought I had was the notion that folks from various bents (myself included) care about different issues to different degrees. For example, though my wife and I agree politically on most things, the extent to which she cares about environmental issues or economic development issues vastly differs from me and I care way more about the federal courts than she. Sadly (perhaps), the development of soccer in the US is the one issue that would compel me to set aside differences with my most ardent political foes....
I would expect that process to be similar to the one in place now to allow those who would likely be eligible for the DREAM Act to apply for a work permit. You apply, pay some fees, submit to a background check and get a work permit at the end of the process.
What I was getting at was that for the purposes of this draft bill and any potential regs promulgated from it, we don't know yet what a registered provisional immigrant means generally and in respect of any tolling period specifically. The draft bill doesn't define it as I can tell. But it is used as a term with significant meaning because it is the moment that starts the 5 year clock. It could be the case that the moment Diego checked some box when he filled out Revs paperwork years ago he became such. Or it could be that he would not become a registered provisional immigrant until some specific act he has yet to undertake. So, unlike what we know now about the existing green card process (5 years then application) it is too murky at this point. If it is connected to some work permit application process and assuming Diego and his family were undocumented as we all seem to accept, as an employee of a very high profile organization (MLS/Revs) for 2 years plus he has to have filled out lots of paperwork containing various representations. And perhaps those reps are significant. maybe not. i have no idea.
Good point. He became legal for sure when he was issued a P-1 visa in November 2010. Certainly it is possible that the rules could accept that date as the start of the clock or when he turned 18 or only when he applies or when the background check clears. It's also possible that the rules won't take into account people who adjusted their status to something legal in the interim.
I missed this. It is accepted that non citizens vote regularly in each election. Dems don't want reform or more proof to vote because these people vote democratic. It is a much bigger problem than you think.
Citation please... We have a hard enough time getting citizens to vote. What makes you think people who would be breaking the law would go out of their way to vote?
I love how now a days you can just say anything and you're no longer expected to provide any supporting evidence Glenn Beck style.
No, it is not accepted than non citizens vote regularly. Despite all claims to the contrary, evidence of massive voter fraud does not exist. Democrats don't want 'more proof to vote' because it's solving a 'problem' that doesn't exist. The real reason for voter ID laws is that they are a cynical attempt to make it harder for people to vote, particularly poor and minorities who vote Democratic and are statistically less likely to have valid ID regardless of their citizenship status.