American Immigration Council Executive Director, Ben Johnson, addresses House committee

A recent immigration news blog reported the oral testimony of Benjamin Johnson, Executive Director of the American Immigration Council before the House of Representatives, Committee of the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Immigration and Boarder Security.[i] Johnson spoke about, “building a 21^st century America: one that prospers and grows.” Growth and prosperity, according to many proponents of fair immigration reform, happens when a collective mix of people with a variety of backgrounds work together to create new jobs and a more effective workforce. “In other words, the quest for talent, and the role of immigrants as job creators, entrepreneurs, and innovators, is not an isolated enterprise. It is and should be an integral component of a broad based, comprehensive immigration reform,” Johnson said.

Johnson blames the current immigration system for preventing immigrant job creation. In 2010, he appeared on Fox News in a short debate on a study’s findings regarding the economic impact of immigration reform in the U.S.

Do you think it makes sense that America should welcome the smartest workforce with the best experience base? Most people will say yes to this question, but when you ask them if the smartest and most experienced workers should come from outside U.S. boarders, some say no. In his speech, Johnson addressed the concern that foreign-born workers will compete for U.S. citizens’ jobs. Not true according to Johnson, “…the overwhelming evidence finds that immigrants complement rather than compete with native born workers, and their presence in our workforce has a positive impact on the wages of all workers.” In his remarks to the committee, Johnson also talked about ‘skill gaps’ in many industries where there’s a great demand for high-skilled workers in knowledge-based economies where high-tech companies are founded immigrants.

The Law Office of KiKi M. Mosley works hard to help educate clients, colleagues and friends about the compelling issues in immigration, including debates on immigration reform. Feel free to share our blog and to comment and join in the conversation on our blog and on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

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[i] Article: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: The RNC on Immigration Reform by Benjamin Johnson

Beware of Notario fraud

From the American Immigration Lawyers Association: “Many non-citizens find out that they will never get their green card or other immigration benefits because an unqualified immigration consultant or notario unlawfully working as an immigration lawyer destroyed their dreams.”

Notario fraud is a problem affecting the immigration community. A “notario” is not the same as an attorney. Notarios often advertise to help immigrants with the process of becoming a citizen. Non-citizens find out too late that the notario accepted their money but did not legally file applications for green cards or other immigration benefits.

Only a licensed attorney may submit applications to the office of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Click here to watch a short video published by the American Immigration Lawyers Association about the dangers of notarios.

The Stop Notario Fraud website contains resources to help:

• Help immigrants find competent and affordable legal service providers;
• Help prevent immigrants from being victimized by notarios;
• Provide resources for victims of notarios;
• Provide information and resources for attorneys working with victims to remedy crimes committed by fraudulent consultants unlawfully practicing immigration law.

The Law Offices of KiKi M. Mosley can help non-citizens who are approached by a notario and answer any questions about the immigration process and why it is important to work with with a licensed attorney. To learn more about immigration law and news you can “Like” us on Facebook and “Follow” us on Twitter. Additionally, you can find links to resources and news directly from our website.