You can't really blame the Revs (heck, they didn't have to go through the effort to sign him once they figured out he didn't have a work status at all). An employer can sponsor an employee for a Green Card, but it's up to the employer to show that that there were no available & qualified Americans to take the job (not easy for an athlete). He wasn't even starting consistently until now, so it would have been almost impossible for an examiner to think that you couldn't find a qualified American soccer play of relatively equal ability to take his place (leaving age & potential out of the mix). Now that he is winning awards and scoring goals, it will be a much easier case to make (but no guarantee of a slam dunk).
Our best hope if Obama wakes the hell up and attempts to do what he campaigned on over five years ago, which is to tackle immigration. But as always, whether the left or right, government is extremely inefficient.
Maybe if the US Olympic organization (Whatever its called) can convince Congress they need him for the the '16 Olympics for a realistic shot at a medal in soccer. All political parties love medals. (Mostly Kidding but seriously probably the only shot this happens).
Putting on my policy wonk hat on for a moment, immigration reform is not for the faint of heart, never is. This was one of the big issues that ate Dubya's presidency alive after all. Well, that and Katrina. I'm actually decently impressed that they've gotten as far as they have with that bill. In Europe things are about a step away from being on fire on that front.
First of all- thank you for all the information- helps to fill in the gaps. That said, IMO, signing a player to a professional contract at 15/16 is exactly the kind of exception to the rule they could have cited. How many players fit this "exceptional talent" category? Adu, Convey, Beasley, Quaranta?- the list seems pretty short. Is there no "rare talent or skill" exception written into U.S. policy? My understanding is that there is- at least in business. That's how it works in most developed countries. I wouldn't expect the Revs to have done so for altruistic purposes or for the benefit of U.S. Soccer but I assume there would have at least been a roster benefit for them.
Dr. Kissinger could make him a partner at Kissinger associates for the purpose of establishing a corporation called the US Soccer Import Corporation that employs 10 people and brings $500,000 into the country. I think that would bring him under the special legislation written for rich dudes to get instantaneous citizenship tho I'm not 100% sure of the details and dont feel like getting my hands greasy digging into it. Edit: Kissinger is a big footy fan. Used to be, anyway.
Actually that rule is to bring instant green card status. which they can apply for citizenship 3 years after providing no issues with the law.
Thanks for clarifying. Did not know there was a 3 yr delay. Having said that, 3 yrs from today......sounds about right.
Well Jond, that's the problem. A large section of America wants the best and brightest immigrants to find the American dream and add to the tapestry of our great nation. Another large section is fervently committed to deporting anybody who has a last name that ends with "Z". The reason why government is inefficient is that, ahem--NOBODY cares. Despite record voter turnouts, the vast majority of citizens who can vote do not vote. What's really nice about America is that people tend to vote on issues that pertain to them. Some people are obsessed with the second amendment, or abortion, or gay rights, or Environmentalism, or voter disenfranchisement. And here is where we come in. No matter where you stand on immigration reform, in regard to our athletes, citizenship needs to be streamlined. I think we, as soccer fans, can actually help the process here. After all, persons with exceptional athletic (or otherwise) talents that will benefit the nation at large should recieve a fast track to citizenship. Essentially, my proposed law goes something like this: A non-citizen who is a player for and sponsored by a major athletic team (NBA, MLS, NHL, etc) can have his citizenship fast tracked for both taxation reasons and eligibility into international competition. The main idea is for athletes who want to be a part of our country can start paying taxes like the rest of us.
I think there could be an exception carved out for those who qualify for dp status because the amount of money involved could be set aside to start an enterprise to meet requirements of that particular law. E.g., Beckham starts a business for his wife Victoria within the parameters of the law, selling perfume, say, and gets a green card. We could see this happening if that is what they wanted to do. The question is how much impetus there is for that sort of thing as far as MLS is concerned.
The thing is, there is sort of an exception. If a Beckham or a Nobel Prize winner or an artist like Elton John wants to take up residency here, they can apply for a Green Card for Exceptional Talented Individuals. They are the top in their fields and add value to the country. The Beckhams could have gotten GCs right away, but probably chose not to because of US tax laws around those who have Green Cards. The really top individuals in their fields can pretty much decide where they want to live and not worry about the laws because they often have enough money to work around them.
Ok, meaning that if Fagundez signs a dp contract for x years at y salary contingent on getting a green card, he falls into the category you are talking about. Of course, all the parties have to want that which becomes part of the equation and I cant speak for anybody else in that regard but it does seem to me that you think the pathway is there for Fagundez.
What you are saying is true but it is still a long process to get it approved, over a year if I remember correctly. There was a MSNBC article just recently about that subject, rich people also don't have a problem securing a green card, most they just buy a McDonald's franchise or two and they are in.
I don't think he would qualify for quite a while for the GC I was referencing (called an EB-1). Just getting paid a lot of money isn't enough -- you must have some level of international acclaim and it would need to be sustained. He is more likely to get a GC through the DV lottery or employer sponsored.
I couldn't find a good timeline estimate on EB-1 Green Cards (not that a Diego would qualify for a *long* time), but you are right that the rich always find a way ("Let's set up a company in the US and hire me as CEO. We can then sponsor my Green Card...")
If he was eligible I think he would be the best player on our U20 team while being one of the youngest. He's a notch above Gil and Joya in my book.
Diego recently did a Kick TV radio interview (posted in MLS News and Analysis) and basically stated in regards to playing for the U.S. "come help me get citizenship!"
Here it is. The gist of the interview is that he went to the Uruguay U20 camp because he wanted to experience international soccer. He says that there isn't pressure from his family to choose Uruguay over the United States which was nice to hear. However, he said there is no timeline for him gaining eligibility for the USA and basically asked for help in that process. He also said he'd love to play for the USA because of all the opportunities the country has provided him with.
From around August 2011. https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/diego-fagundez.1697862/page-5#post-24065597
I sometimes wish athletes in this situation would be more honest with us (and maybe with themselves). It's not going to take "a year" to be eligible for the US. Just say it's probably going to be at least 5 years before he can be a citizen.
Yeah, Andy Najar had said similar things. These players would play for the USMNT if their citizenship status can be expedited. If I remember correctly DCU tried to work on this, and got nowhere.................and Najar couldn't wait forever. We on these boards were working our timelines, and hoped that we could get Andy citizenship by the 2012 Olympics. As it turned out we weren't even close. I don't think Andy ever got it. When it comes to Fagundez we just have to understand that it's going to take a long time. And a lot can happen over that time.
For nothing. It's just what some posters around here like to say a lot: "let's wait, let's wait and see..." Sure, what else can you do on a forum? Let's stop discussing stuff and wait and wait and wait.