Integrity Legal

On many occasions, this author has discussed the issue of the unauthorized practice of law in the context of US Immigration. This problem has been significant in certain areas of the United States as well as abroad. Certain Immigrant groups are more susceptible to fraud than others as it can be difficult for some to decipher who is eligible to represent clients before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) and other agencies under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security.

Recently, USCIS had a collaboration session to discuss the issue of unauthorized individuals practicing law. The following is a quote from a release promulgated by USCIS’s Office of Public Engagement:

“Scope of the Problem:

• The unauthorized practice of law encompasses various activities, including:

• Applying for benefits on behalf of an immigrant who is ineligible for those benefits

• Misrepresentation of facts in documents submitted to USCIS

• Accepting an applicant’s money without ever submitting any documents to USCIS (this is the hardest to track because USCIS has no record of the unauthorized practitioner or documents submitted on behalf of the applicant)

• Other examples include unauthorized practitioners who claim to be able to obtain labor certifications for employers

• Primarily a “local issue of national scale”

• Many unauthorized practitioners promise to expedite cases, and then take an applicant’s money and disappear – applicants are willing to pay more to an unauthorized practitioner than they would to a private attorney because they may believe that notary publics can provide premium services (stems from a difference between the role of notary publics in the U.S. and other countries)

• Some attorneys lend their names and bar numbers to UPL practices – these attorneys can be disciplined for failure to supervise, but there is nothing that can be done to the unauthorized practitioners

• Unauthorized practitioners sell forms through their websites and conduct phone consultations

• There are companies overseas that claim to provide assistance with the “green card lottery”

• In recent years, there has been an increase in internet-based scams

• Unauthorized practitioners include ex-government officials, including previous employees of INS, USCIS, DHS, and DOS

• Unauthorized practitioners often threaten to report applicants to USCIS or ICE when they complain about fees or lack of service

• Most serious threat is mom and pop shops that advertise with flyers and in local papers or through referrals and hand out business cards advertising themselves as notary publics or attorneys

• Applicants have an incentive to protect unauthorized practitioners because once an unauthorized practitioner is caught, all cases are reopened

• Some therapists working with U visa applicants assist clients with preparing/filing forms”

Unfortunately one of the worst consequences of hiring an unauthorized representative is that the applicant’s case may be reopened and scrutinized if it is found that they were assisted by someone without authorization to practice US Immigration law. US immigration lawyers routinely “clean up the mess” caused by those without the knowledge base or ethical standards required to represent clients in American Immigration proceedings.  For this reason, it is always prudent to ascertain at the outset if an individual is really entitled to practice law. This can be learned by asking to see a copy of the individual’s US license to practice law in the Supreme Court of one of the 50 states or a territory of the United States. A Bar Association Membership Card can also shed light on an individual’s credentials. In the case of non-profit entities, a copy of a document confirming the organization or individual’s accreditation by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) may also be used to prove an ability to represent people before the Department of Homeland Security.

For those seeking advice about US Immigration from Thailand please see: US Lawyer Thailand or US Visa Thailand.

Tags: American Immigration, unlicensed practice of law, UPL, US Immigration, US Immigration Law, US Immigration Thailand, US Lawyer Thailand, US Visa, US Visa Thailand, USCIS
Posted in Legal Opinion, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand, USCIS | No Comments »

US Citizenship is an aspiration for many of those individuals who opt to immigrate to the United States of America. Naturalization is the legal process that foreign nationals undertake when they wish to become a US Citizen. For many the process is somewhat confusing. The naturalization process can also seem daunting as a foreign national must spend a significant amount of time any money in order to naturalize. Recently the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) stated that funds will be made available to assist in integrating foreign nationals into the American polity, the following is a press release from USCIS promulgated by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA):

“U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today the availability of two different
grants designed to help prepare lawful permanent residents (LPRs) for citizenship and advance integration in the United States. This year’s program will make nearly $7 million available for citizenship education in communities across the country.”

This 7 million dollar grant shows a marked increase in funding for this initiative as this program was not as heavily funded in the past. It could be inferred that USCIS is resolved to promote Citizenship education for foreign nationals:

“’Each aspiring citizen represents a personal story of sacrifice and triumph,” said USCIS Director
Alejandro Mayorkas. “This funding will increase opportunities for English language instruction, promote the rights and responsibilities that define our nation, and provide much-needed support for individuals on the path to citizenship.’”

The funding provided in these grants will help facilitate multiple goals. All of these goals are within the context of Immigration to the United States and Naturalization to American Citizenship:

The first grant will strengthen locally-based citizenship preparation programs. The second grant will
increase the capacity of members or affiliates of national, regional, or statewide organizations to offer
citizenship services in underserved communities. USCIS expects to announce an estimated 50 award
recipients in September 2010.

When comparing this initiative to its counterpart in 2009, the difference in funding becomes glaringly obvious:

During fiscal year (FY) 2009, USCIS awarded $1.2 million in grants to 13 immigrant-serving organizations across the country. These awards are currently expanding services and outreach on U.S. citizenship, educational opportunities, and available resources to nearly 70,000 LPRs in 11 states.

That being said, USCIS’s efforts to fully integrate foreign nationals into the tapestry of Americana should be applauded as it marks a positive step. There are many who feel that naturalization makes individuals more engaged in the American way of life and provides recent immigrants with an aim and goal to pursue.

For more information about this and other US Immigration issues please see: Fiance Visa Thailand.

Tags: American Immigration, Fiance Visa, Fiance Visa Thailand, Naturalization, US Citizenship, US Immigration, US Visa, USCIS, USCIS Director
Posted in Fiance Visa Thailand, Legal Opinion, Miscellaneous, Upcoming Legislation, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand, USCIS | No Comments »

As many readers are probably aware, the United States of America and Cuba have had long standing political tensions. Official US policy regarding Cuba has remained largely unchanged over the past 40 years, but recently officials from the American State Department have been conducting meetings with Cuban authorities in order to come to some sort of agreement regarding migration between the two countries. The quotes cited below are from a recently promulgated State Department publication:

“On Friday, February 19, 2010 the United States and Cuba met in Havana to discuss implementation of the U.S.-Cuba Migration Accords. This was the second such meeting since the decision to renew the Talks in 2009. In the course of the meeting, the U.S. team, led by Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Craig Kelly, reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to promote safe, orderly, and legal migration.”

Many feel that the current state of the US-Cuban relationship has lead to a situation where the security of the United States and Cuba is affected. Also, US officials are seeking to be given access to information about those who are sent back to Cuba. Therefore, an accord with Cuba seems to increasingly be considered a necessity:

“The agenda for the talks reflected longstanding U.S. priorities on Cuba migration issues, including: ensuring that the U.S. Interests Section in Havana is able to operate fully and effectively; ensuring that the U.S. Interests Section in Havana is able to monitor the welfare of repatriated migrants; and gaining Cuban government acceptance for the repatriation of all Cuban nationals who are excludable on criminal grounds…The United States views these talks as an avenue to achieve practical, positive results that contribute to the full implementation of the Accords and to the safety of citizens of both countries.”

This blog is mostly concerned with American Immigration issues for foreign nationals in Southeast Asia. That being said, we try to provide information about US Immigration generally. Although the above issues do not directly impact US Immigration from Thailand, an accord with Cuba on these Immigration issues would likely mark a watershed moment in Cuban-American relations.

At one time, it was difficult for people from Communist countries to travel to the United States. Since the end of the cold war and the “thawing” of relations between the United States and China, Cuba has remained a country with few official ties to the United States. The above accord, may mark the beginning of friendlier relations between the two countries.

Tags: American State Department, Cuba, U.S.-Cuba Migration Accords, US Visa, US-Cuba Relations
Posted in General Legal Information, Legal Opinion, Miscellaneous, Upcoming Legislation, US Visa and Immigration | No Comments »

Recently the Royal Thai Immigration Police Department announced a new initiative to sweep up foreign criminals residing in Thailand. This effort is to be made possible through what appears to be the interlinking of various warrant databases. Once Thai Immigration officials link their system to that of countries such as the United States, or international organizations such as the European Union it will be less difficult to track down those in Thailand with a foreign arrest warrant or fugitive warrant.

The Bangkok Post is reporting that the new chief of the Thai Immigration Bureau is taking measures to see that foreign criminals in Thailand are apprehended through an initiative known as the “Three S’s” The Three S’s stand for “Security Standards and Service.”

In the realm of security, new initiatives are to be taken which will provide Royal Thai Immigration Police with access to international criminal warrant databases. These records would provide Thai Immigration officers as well as regular police officers with criminal histories of foreigners present in the Kingdom of Thailand. This information will be used to ascertain the location of such international criminals and facilitate apprehension.

The new campaign will also entail the creation of a new National Criminal Center. This Center seems to be intended as a repository for international criminal records. At the time of this writing, it is the author’s understanding that this Center will coordinate their activities with such foreign agencies as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Agency, as well as other national, state, and local law enforcement agencies throughout the United States and around the world.

Another facet of Thai Immigration’s crackdown is the campaign to apprehend and deal with illegal aliens. Based upon the information contained in the above cited Bangkok Post article the new Royal Thai Immigration Chief seems to have expressed an intention to apprehend those foreign nationals who are present in the country illegally. How this will impact long term western tourists and expatriates remains to be seen as overstaying one’s Thai visa has become increasingly common since it is not longer possible to obtain a 30 day visa exemption stamp at Thai land borders.

In a way, these two initiatives are related as it could be easily inferred that those using Thailand as a place to evade foreign criminal warrants could also be Thailand visa violators.

For more information on this issue please see a previous blog post located here: criminal warrant.

Tags: arrest warrant, criminal warrant, Fugitive Warrant, Thai Visa, Thailand Immigration, Thailand Visa, US Arrest Warrant Thailand, US warrant, US Warrant Thailand, warrant
Posted in General Legal Information, Legal Opinion, Miscellaneous, Thailand Visa, Upcoming Legislation, US Warrants | No Comments »

United States Citizenship is a substantial benefit for many foreign nationals and naturalization is something that many Immigrants in the United States take very seriously. This author recently came upon a publication promulgated by the US Army in which information is provided regarding US Citizenship for Lawful Permanent Residents and Conditional Lawful Permanent Residents who opt to enlist in the Army. The following is a direct quote from that publication.

“Welcome to the United States Army! You are either a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) or a Conditional Lawful Permanent Resident (CPR) who has enlisted in the US Army. As a non-US citizen enlisting in wartime, you are eligible to apply for naturalization under Immigration & Nationality Act Section 329 on your first day of active duty, if you so desire. The Army wants you to obtain your U.S. citizenship so that you can use your skills to achieve the Army mission. Obtaining US citizenship will allow you to move into more responsible jobs, open up new career fields, and even allow you to become an officer.”

Although the US Immigration and Nationality Act provides expedited naturalization for those in the military, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) is still required to adjudicate Naturalization applications. To quote the aforementioned publication further:

“The Army does not decide, however, whether you can become a US citizen. You must file Form N-400, Application for Naturalization (citizenship) with United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS), part of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). USCIS must process your application and decide whether it can be approved.”

This being said, all organizations concerned will strive to see that an enlisted lawful permanent resident’s application for naturalization is processed as quickly as possible.

“United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) works with the Army to process citizenship applications during Basic Combat Training (BCT). USCIS and the Army will try to ensure that all non-citizen Soldiers take their oath of citizenship prior to or concurrent with graduation from BCT. USCIS officers are present at each of the five BCT sites on a weekly basis to collect citizenship packets, interview and test Soldiers, and administer oaths. Soldiers should bring a completed citizenship packet to BCT and be prepared to take the citizenship test there. Please note that neither USCIS nor the Army guarantees any Soldier US Citizenship, or that the Soldier will receive citizenship prior to graduation from BCT.”

Although military service does not guarantee United States Citizenship it is admirable that the United States military as well as the USCIS go to great lengths to see that naturalization applications for enlisted personnel are processed in an efficient and timely manner.

For more on American Immigration please see: US Visa Thailand.

Tags: Conditional Lawful Permanent Resident, Lawful Permanent Resident, Naturalization, US Immigration, US Military naturalization, US Visa, US Visa Thailand, USCIS
Posted in CR1 Visa, IR1 Visa, Legal Opinion, Miscellaneous, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand, USCIS | No Comments »

Naturalization is the process of obtaining American Citizenship for a foreign national. In some cases, the US naturalization process can be very time consuming, but those who marry a United States Citizen and obtain immigrant status based upon that marriage are subjected to fewer requirements when it comes to US naturalization. This could be of interest to those who enter the United States on a K1 visa or K3 visa as either of these travel documents could put the beneficiary on track for eventual US Citizenship.

The US naturalization process can be relatively different for those who are in the United States military. About 2 years prior to the posting of this article, Congress enacted legislation to make the US naturalization process easier for those in the military. To quote a recent publications from the Department of Homeland Security:

“In June 2008, Congress passed the Kendell Frederick Citizenship Assistance Act to streamline the process for U.S. military service members seeking to become U.S. citizens. The act directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to accept fingerprints submitted by military citizenship applicants at the time of their enlistment or from prior submissions to the Department of Homeland Security, expedite the processing of citizenship applications, and implement procedures to ensure rapid electronic transmission of biometric information and safeguarding of privacy.”

Although Congress has enacted the aforementioned legislation, it is incumbent upon the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) to implement the new policy. The above quoted DHS publication is an overview of the current status of the ongoing implementation of the Kendell Frederick Citizenship Assistance Act. To further quote DHS:

“USCIS has taken actions to meet the act’s requirements. Specifically, USCIS has implemented a process to use previously submitted fingerprints for military naturalizations, and it tracks and reports processing time to ensure that it completes adjudication of applications timely. USCIS has also undertaken several information technology initiatives to improve the military naturalization process. However, USCIS’ information technology systems, such as the application processing system and background check support systems, do not meet all user requirements. As a result, personnel must devote resources to work around system limitations. Further, USCIS had not yet completed a privacy assessment for its process to obtain enlistment fingerprints from partner agencies. Without such an assessment, we were unable to assess whether that process was properly safeguarded.”

A streamlined naturalization process for those serving in the US military is a “win-win” situation for both the newly naturalized Citizen as well as the USA as a whole. Although the above privacy issues must be further investigated hopefully the implementation of this act will prove to be an overall success.

Tags: K-1 Visa, K-3 Visa, K1 Visa, K3 Visa, Kendell Frederick Citizenship Assistance Act, Naturalization Process, US Citizenship, US Naturalization, US Visa, USCIS
Posted in K-3 Visa Thailand, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, Legal Opinion, Miscellaneous, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand, USCIS | No Comments »

Recently, one of the administrators of this blog came across an article on the Telegraph’s website. The article reported on the recently announced future legalization of same-sex marriage in the country of Nepal. To quote the article directly:

“Nepal’s homosexual community, which is led by Asia’s only openly gay member of parliament, will next month host a tourism conference to explore how to attract wealthy gay visitors to boost the country’s war-ravaged economy. The country’s new constitution will legalise homosexual marriage in May this year, when “Pink Mountain” will begin offering luxury honeymoon and wedding packages.”

This is a rather stunning announcement as few countries in Asia have legalized marriage between individual’s of the same sex. The article went further:

“Sunil Babu Pant, a Communist legislator and leader of the country’s homosexual rights movement, has launched a travel company dedicated to promoting the former Hindu kingdom to gay tourists in an effort to tap the so-called “Pink Pound” and dollar…Mr Pant is hoping to build on the government’s new determination to maximise income from tourism by targeting all potential markets…’The government is hoping to increase the number of tourists from 400,000 to one million next year and has taken a positive attitude to welcoming gay and lesbian visitors to help meet their ambitious target,’ he told The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday.”

This move should be applauded not only because many feel that it is the morally correct thing to do, but also because it will likely result in a major economic boon for Nepal.  A question on the minds of many who are interested in the issue of same-sex marriage and US Immigration is: how will this impact rights of gay couples who wish to immigrate to the United States of America?

In the short term, movements such as this will not have a direct impact on US Federal Immigration policy as the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) still precludes the promulgation of US Immigration benefits based solely upon a same-sex marriage. However, as more countries begin to legalize marriage between people of the same sex it becomes more apparent that the movement has gained something of a critical mass internationally. Further, the legality of DOMA is likely to eventually be taken up by the United States Supreme Court as there is currently a pending Federal Court Case in Massachusetts as well as a challenge in California Federal District Court to the provisions of “Prop 8″ in California.

It would seem that if the US Supreme Court overturns DOMA, then a valid same sex marriage in a country such as Nepal could be used as a basis for applying for US Immigration benefits. That being said, if DOMA were repealed then same-sex partners could possibly be entitled to file for such US Immigration benefits as a K1 visa or a K3 Visa at a US diplomatic post abroad (such as the US Embassy in Nepal). However, these issues have not been fully resolved and current US same-sex family immigration policy remains as an insurmountable obstacle to re-uniting many same-sex couples in the USA.

Another issue to remember on this topic is the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) which would provide US Immigration benefits to the “Permanent Partners” of US Citizens or lawful permanent residents. A valid marriage would probably be seen as a strong piece of evidence supporting a claim of “permanent partnership.”

Tags: Defense of Marriage Act, DOMA, K1 Visa, K1 visa gay marriage, K1 visa same sex marriage massachusetts, K3 Visa, K3 visa gay marriage, Same Sex Marriage, same sex us immigration, uafa, Uniting American Families Act, US visa gay marriage
Posted in CR1 Visa, Fiance Visa Thailand, IR1 Visa, K-3 Visa Thailand, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, Legal Opinion, Miscellaneous, US Embassy Kathmandu, US Embassy Nepal, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand | No Comments »

One of the co-authors of this blog has recently discovered that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has added a new web log (blog) to their official website. This blog is apparently designed to provide more up to date information as well as insights regarding United States Immigration and Department of Homeland Security policy. The new blog can be found at this link.  We at Integrity Legal wish to welcome USCIS to the blogosphere as we are anxious to read about current the news in United States Immigration policy.

In the initial posting on the new blog, USCIS took the opportunity to discuss the measures that have been taken to accord Haitian Nationals with Temporary Protected Status (TPS). This status allows those of Haitian Nationality who are present in the United States to file for protected status so as to avoid being placed into removal proceedings and sent back to Haiti. The reason that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service has taken this measure is to avoid sending Haitians back to their home country as the Republic of Haiti has recently been the victim of incredibly damaging hurricanes and as a result the conditions in the country are tragic, if not, downright abysmal.

To quote directly from the USCIS blog:

The devastating earthquakes in Haiti have made it both dangerous and virtually impossible for most Haitian nationals living in the U.S. to return to their country in the near future. To help protect those who might otherwise be repatriated to a nation struggling to recover, the Secretary of Homeland Security announced the designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals who were in the United States as of January 12, 2010.

In this situation, USCIS has shown a very high level of efficiency, decisiveness, and compassion as TPS status was quickly granted to Haitians. It would appear that the decision to grant this status is based almost entirely upon humanitarian grounds and it is hard for anyone to disagree with the idea that sending Haitians back to Haiti at this time would be morally wrong, to say the least. That being said, the ultimate fate of Haitian nationals in the United States remains to be seen, but for now those present in the US do not need to fear the specter of being forcibly returned to their devastated homeland.

Hopefully, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service will continue to provide relevant and important information through its website, press releases, and blog posts.

Tags: American Immigration blog, American visa blog, United States Citizenship and Immigration Service, US Immigration blog, US Visa blog, USCIS, USCIS blog
Posted in CR1 Visa, F1 Visa Thailand, Fiance Visa Thailand, General Legal Information, IR1 Visa, J1 Visa Thailand, K-3 Visa Thailand, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, Legal Opinion, Miscellaneous, US Tourist Visa, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand, USCIS, Visa Waiver | No Comments »

On this blog, we frequently take the time to point out the fact that only a US licensed attorney or other accredited representative can represent clients before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), the National Visa Center (NVC), or the US Embassy in Bangkok. Recently, USCIS has promulgated a brochure for consumers regarding US Immigration and fraud perpetrated against unwitting immigrants. Unfortunately, there are those who claim to be US Immigration experts when they are in fact unlicensed to practice United States law. These people claim all sorts of titles in order to sound as though they have a right to practice American Immigration law. The fact of the matter is that there are only two types of representatives that USCIS or the Department of State recognizes as legally able to represent clients.

The first category of authorized representatives is Attorneys. To quote directly from the brochure, USCIS requires the following in order for an attorney to act as a representative for clients in an Immigration matter:

An attorney must be in good standing with a U.S. state bar association (or U.S. possession, territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia) and may not be under any court order restricting their practice of law. The best way to protect yourself is to ask the attorney to show you their current attorney license document. Write down the information and contact the state bar admission office to verify the accuracy of the information.

In a further quote from this brochure, USCIS explains what an individual or organization needs in order to be recognized as an accredited representative in immigration matters:

An accredited representative must work for an organization that has permission from the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) to provide legal advice on immigration matters. The organization will have an order from the BIA that gives the accredited representative permission to assist individuals with their immigration applications and petitions. The best way to protect yourself is to ask the accredited representative to show you the BIA order. Write down the information and contact the BIA to verify the accuracy of the information.

There it is, from USCIS itself, there are only two ways to verify that one calling himself an attorney is actually certified or licensed to practice Immigration law. Those seeking Immigration advice would be wise to undertake the above measures in order to be certain that their representative is able to effectively represent their interests. So-called visa agents, Immigration Consultants, legal advisors, and/or anyone calling themselves a “lawyer” should be able to provide either a license to practice law in a US state or territory, a US bar membership card, or a letter of permission from the Board of Immigration Appeals, anyone who cannot produce one of these documents is not authorized under US law to practice in the area of United States Immigration. This brochure went on to note that only an American attorney or an accredited representative is entitled to submit a form G-28 to the USCIS service center. Anyone who prepares an application without including this G-28 document should be asked why they are not submitting it.

Tags: American Visa Thailand, Immigration attorney, Immigration Consultants, immigration law, Immigration Lawyer, us visa bangkok, US Visa Thailand, visa agents, visa consultants
Posted in Legal Opinion, Miscellaneous, US Consulate HCMC, us embassy bangkok, US Embassy Burma, US Embassy Cambodia, US Embassy Hanoi, US Embassy Kuala Lumpur, US Embassy Malaysia, US Embassy Myanmar, US Embassy Phnom Phen, US Embassy Rangoon, US Embassy Vietnam, US Embassy Yangon, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand, USCIS | 29 Comments »

This author recently came across another blog post in which the blog’s author was discussing the role of the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA). The TSA is an agency under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security tasked with providing security to the aviation sector. The following is a direct quote from the Transportation Safety Administration website regarding the Administration’s mission and tactics:

“We use layers of security to ensure the security of the traveling public and the Nation’s transportation system. Because of their visibility to the public, we are most associated with the airport checkpoints that our Transportation Security Officers operate. These checkpoints, however, constitute only one security layer of the many in place to protect aviation. Others include intelligence gathering and analysis, checking passenger manifests against watch lists, random canine team searches at airports, federal air marshals, federal flight deck officers and more security measures both visible and invisible to the public. Each one of these layers alone is capable of stopping a terrorist attack. In combination their security value is multiplied, creating a much stronger, formidable system.  A terrorist who has to overcome multiple security layers in order to carry out an attack is more likely to be pre-empted, deterred, or to fail during the attempt.”

Most Americans agree that security is a major issue and should be dealt with in a serious and professional manner. However some argue that the TSA is not effectively dealing with terrorism and security issues plaguing the United States. To quote the aforementioned blog post:

“The TSA isn’t saving lives. We, the passengers, are saving our own. Since its inception, the TSA has been structured in such a way as to prevent specific terror scenarios, attempting to disrupt a handful of insanely specific tactics, while continuing to disenfranchise and demoralize the citizens who are actually doing the work that a billion-dollar government agency—an agency that received an additional $128 million just this year for new checkpoint explosive screening technology—has failed to do.”

There is little doubt that no government agency can foresee and forestall any and all terror plots, but the effectiveness of the TSA brings up many questions regarding the efficient use of taxpayer funds in prosecuting the “War on Terror.” In many ways, these fundamental questions must continually be asked, if for no other reason than, to provide an opportunity for Americans Citizens and policymakers to periodically reassess the anti-terrorism measures being undertaken by the US government. The debate over the TSA is only just beginning, but hopefully a communal discourse on these issues will provide benefits to all Americans in the form of a safer and more efficient aviation environment.

For more on traveling to the USA, please see US Visa Thailand.

Tags: Department of Homeland Security, DHS, Transportation Safety Administration, TSA, US Visa Thailand, US War on Terror, War on Terror
Posted in General Legal Information, Legal Opinion, Miscellaneous, US Visa Thailand | No Comments »