NYNJ VOICE

Kids' Times

2009-06-07T13:55:00.000-07:00

Immigration Updates

2007-12-16T12:39:00.000-08:00

CUT-OFF DATES FOR JANUARY 2008 The following information is provided by the Visa Office regarding the cut-off dates for the month of January 2008.
FAMILY PREFERENCES F1-Family first preference: Unmarried sons and daughters over the age of 21 years of U.S.
Citizens. The cut-off date has moved forward by three (3) weeks for most of the countries, including India to February 1, 2002.
F2A - Family second preference: Spouses and minor children, and unmarried sons and daughters of permanent residents. The cut-off date has moved forward by five (5) weeks for most countries including India to February 22, 2003.
F2B- Family second preference: Unmarried sons and daughters over 21 of permanent residents. The cut-off date has moved forward by five (5) weeks for most of the countries including India to November 22, 1998.
F3-Family third preference: Married sons and daughters of U.S. Citizens and their spouses and children. The cut-off date has moved forward by one (1) month for most of the countries including India to May 8, 2000.
F4-Family fourth preference: Brothers and sisters of U.S. Citizens. The cut-off date has moved forward by two (2) weeks for most of the countries to July 8, 1997, and for India it has moved forward by one (1) month to September 15, 1996.
EMPLOYMENT PREFERENCES EB1 - Priority Workers: The cut-off date for this category for all countries including India is CURRENT.
EB2 - Advanced Degree holders: The cut-off date for this category for most countries is CURRENT and for India has retrogressed by two (2) years to January 1, 2000.
EB3 - Professional & Skilled Workers: The cut-off date for this category for most countries has moved forward by six (6) weeks to October 15, 2002, and for India it has not moved at all and remains May 1, 2001.
EB3 - Other Workers: The cut-off date for this category for all countries including India has not moved at all and remains October 1, 2001.
EB4 (Certain Special Immigrants including Religious Workers) & EB5 (Investment Visas) categories for all countries including India is CURRENT.
India Employment Second Preference (EB2) Cutoff Date Retrogression for January: Department of State has found it necessary to once again retrogress the India Employment Second preference cut-off date. This is a direct result of continued heavy applicant demand for numbers by CIS for adjustment of status cases despite the retrogression which occurred for December. It is likely that the annual limit for this category will be reached within the next few months, at which time the category would become "unavailable" for the remainder of fiscal year 2008.
Results of DV-2008 Visa Lottery The Kentucky Consular Center in Williamsburg Kentucky has registered and notified the winners of the DV-2008 diversity lottery. The diversity lottery was conducted under the same terms of §203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and makes available *50,000 permanent resident visas annually to persons from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Approximately 96,000 applicants have been registered and notified and may now make an application for an immigrant visa. Since it is likely that some of the first *50,000 persons registered will not pursue their cases to visa issuance, this larger figure should insure that all DV2008 numbers will be used during fiscal year 2008 (October 1, 2007 until September 30, 2008).
Applicants registered for the DV-2008 program were selected at random from over 6.4 million qualified entries received during the 60 day application period that ran from 12 AM on October 4, 2006 until midnight, December 3, 2006. The visas have been apportioned among six (6) geographic regions with a maximum of seven percent (7%) available to persons born in any single country. During the visa interview, principal applicants must provide proof of a high school education or its equivalent, or show two (2) years of work experience in an occupation that requires at least two (2) years of training or experience within the past five (5) years. Those selected will need to act on their immigrant visa applications quickly. Applicants should follow the instructions in their notification letter and must fully complete the information requested.
Registrants living legally in the United States, who wish to apply for adjustment of their status must contact the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for information on the requirements and procedures. Once the total *50,000 visa numbers have been used, the program for fiscal year 2008 will end. Selected applicants who do not receive visas by September 30, 2008 will derive no further benefit from their DV-2008 registration. Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or following-to-join DV-2008 principal applicants are only entitled to derivative diversity visa status until September 30, 2008.
* The Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) passed by Congress in November 1997 stipulated that up to 5,000 of the 55,000 annuallyallocated diversity visas be made available for use under the NACARA program. The reduction of the limit of available visas to 50,000 began with DV2000.
We are providing herewith the number of persons that were selected from a few countries for the DV2008: AFGANISTAN - 57; BANGLADESH - 5,983; SINGAPORE - 70; KUWAIT - 46; NEPAL 2,562; GUYANA - 24; SURINAME - 3; TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - 82.
DHS Begins Collecting 10 Fingerprints From International Visitors At Washington Dulles International Airport The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is now collecting additional fingerprints from international visitors arriving at Washington Dulles International Airport (Dulles). The change is part of the department's upgrade from two- to 10fingerprint collection in order to enhance security and fingerprint matching accuracy.
"Anyone who's watched the news or seen crimes solved on television shows can appreciate the power of biometrics," said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. "They help the legitimate traveler proceed more quickly while protecting their identity and enable our frontline personnel to focus even greater attention on potential security risks.
Biometrics tell the story that the unknown terrorist tries to conceal, and it causes them to question whether they've ever left a print behind." Department of State (DOS) consular officers and DHS Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers collect biometrics-digital fingerprints and a photograph-from all non-U.S. citizens between the ages of 14 and 79, with some exceptions, when they apply for visas or arrive at U.S. ports of entry. The department's US-VISIT program checks this data against a joint Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)-DHS watch list of criminals, immigration violators and known or suspected terrorists. Watch list data comes from several sources, in particular the Department of Defense (DOD), FBI, DHS and other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
Dulles became the first port of entry to collect additional fingerprints from visitors on November 29.
Nine other ports of entry will begin 10-fingerprint collection during the next few months, and the 278 remaining ports will begin this process by the end of 2008.
The next ports scheduled to collect 10 fingerprints from international visitors are: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport; Boston Logan International Airport; Chicago O'Hare International Airport; San Francisco International Airport; George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport; Miami International Airport; Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport; Orlando International Airport; and New York's John F.
Kennedy International Airport.
US-VISIT, in cooperation with CBP, is leading the transition to a 10-fingerprint collection standard.
Since USVISIT began in 2004, DHS has used biometric identifiers to prevent the use of fraudulent documents, protect visitors from identity theft, and stop thousands of criminals and immigration violators from entering the country.
CUT-OFF DATES FOR JANUARY 2008 The following information is provided by the Visa Office regarding the cut-off dates for the month of January 2008. FAMILY PREFERENCES F1-Family first preference: Unmarried sons and daughters over the age of 21 years of U.S. Citizens. The cut-off date has moved forward by three (3) weeks for most of the countries, including India to February 1, 2002. F2A - Family second preference: Spouses and minor children, and unmarried sons and daughters of per- manent residents. The cut-off date has moved for- ward by five (5) weeks for most countries including India to February 22, 2003. F2B- Family second preference: Unmarried sons and daughters over 21 of permanent residents. The cut-off date has moved forward by five (5) weeks for most of the countries including India to November 22, 1998. F3-Family third preference: Married sons and daughters of U.S. Citizens and their spouses and children. The cut-off date has moved forward by one (1) month for most of the countries including India to May 8, 2000. F4-Family fourth preference: Brothers and sisters of U.S. Citizens. The cut-off date has moved forward by two (2) weeks for most of the countries to July 8, 1997, and for India it has moved forward by one (1) month to September 15, 1996. EMPLOYMENT PREFERENCES EB1 - Priority Workers: The cut-off date for this cat- egory for all countries including India is CUR- RENT. EB2 - Advanced Degree holders: The cut-off date for this category for most countries is CURRENT and for India has retrogressed by two (2) years to January 1, 2000. EB3 - Professional & Skilled Workers: The cut-off date for this category for most countries has moved forward by six (6) weeks to October 15, 2002, and for India it has not moved at all and remains May 1, 2001. EB3 - Other Workers: The cut-off date for this cat- egory for all countries including India has not moved at all and remains October 1, 2001. EB4 (Certain Special Immigrants including Religious Workers) & EB5 (Investment Visas) cate- gories for all countries including India is CUR- RENT. India Employment Second Preference (EB2) Cut- off Date Retrogression for January: Department of State has found it necessary to once again retrogress the India Employment Second pref- erence cut-off date. This is a direct result of contin- ued heavy applicant demand for numbers by CIS for adjustment of status cases despite the retrogres- sion which occurred for December. It is likely that the annual limit for this category will be reached within the next few months, at which time the cat- egory would become "unavailable" for the remain- der of fiscal year 2008. Results of DV-2008 Visa Lottery The Kentucky Consular Center in Williamsburg Kentucky has registered and notified the winners of the DV-2008 diversity lottery. The diversity lottery was conducted under the same terms of §203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and makes available *50,000 permanent resident visas annually to persons from countries with low rates of immi- gration to the United States. Approximately 96,000 applicants have been registered and notified and may now make an application for an immigrant visa. Since it is likely that some of the first *50,000 persons registered will not pursue their cases to visa issuance, this larger figure should insure that all DV- 2008 numbers will be used during fiscal year 2008 (October 1, 2007 until September 30, 2008). Applicants registered for the DV-2008 program were selected at random from over 6.4 million qual- ified entries received during the 60 day application period that ran from 12 AM on October 4, 2006 until midnight, December 3, 2006. The visas have been apportioned among six (6) geographic regions with a maximum of seven percent (7%) available to persons born in any single country. During the visa interview, principal applicants must provide proof of a high school education or its equivalent, or show two (2) years of work experience in an occupation that requires at least two (2) years of training or experience within the past five (5) years. Those selected will need to act on their immigrant visa applications quickly. Applicants should follow the instructions in their notification letter and must fully complete the information requested. Registrants living legally in the United States, who wish to apply for adjustment of their status must contact the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for information on the requirements and procedures. Once the total *50,000 visa numbers have been used, the program for fiscal year 2008 will end. Selected applicants who do not receive visas by September 30, 2008 will derive no further benefit from their DV-2008 registration. Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or following-to-join DV-2008 principal applicants are only entitled to derivative diversity visa status until September 30, 2008. * The Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) passed by Congress in November 1997 stipulated that up to 5,000 of the 55,000 annually- allocated diversity visas be made available for use under the NACARA program. The reduction of the limit of available visas to 50,000 began with DV- 2000. We are providing herewith the number of persons that were selected from a few countries for the DV- 2008: AFGANISTAN - 57; BANGLADESH - 5,983; SINGAPORE - 70; KUWAIT - 46; NEPAL - 2,562; GUYANA - 24; SURINAME - 3; TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - 82. DHS Begins Collecting 10 Fingerprints From International Visitors At Washington Dulles International Airport The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is now collecting additional fingerprints from international visitors arriving at Washington Dulles International Airport (Dulles). The change is part of the department's upgrade from two- to 10- fingerprint collection in order to enhance security and fingerprint matching accuracy. "Anyone who's watched the news or seen crimes solved on television shows can appreciate the power of biometrics," said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. "They help the legitimate travel- er proceed more quickly while protecting their iden- tity and enable our frontline personnel to focus even greater attention on potential security risks. Biometrics tell the story that the unknown terrorist tries to conceal, and it causes them to question whether they've ever left a print behind." Department of State (DOS) consular officers and DHS Customs and Border Protection (CBP) offi- cers collect biometrics-digital fingerprints and a photograph-from all non-U.S. citizens between the ages of 14 and 79, with some exceptions, when they apply for visas or arrive at U.S. ports of entry. The department's US-VISIT program checks this data against a joint Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)-DHS watch list of criminals, immigration violators and known or suspected terrorists. Watch list data comes from several sources, in particular the Department of Defense (DOD), FBI, DHS and other federal, state and local law enforcement agen- cies. Dulles became the first port of entry to collect addi- tional fingerprints from visitors on November 29. Nine other ports of entry will begin 10-fingerprint collection during the next few months, and the 278 remaining ports will begin this process by the end of 2008. The next ports scheduled to collect 10 fingerprints from international visitors are: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport; Boston Logan International Airport; Chicago O'Hare International Airport; San Francisco International Airport; George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport; Miami International Airport; Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport; Orlando International Airport; and New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. US-VISIT, in cooperation with CBP, is leading the transition to a 10-fingerprint collection standard. Since USVISIT began in 2004, DHS has used bio- metric identifiers to prevent the use of fraudulent documents, protect visitors from identity theft, and stop thousands of criminals and immigration viola- tors from entering the country.
Michael Phulwani is a prominent attorney admitted to practice law in New York, New Jersey and India. He practices immi- gration and nationality law and visa matters in the USA and abroad. He is a frequent lecturer on immigration law and co-hosts several TV and radio programs on immigration and legislation and answer questions from our readers. All questions should be forwarded to Michael Phulwani, 74-09 37th Avenue, Suite 315, Jackson Heights, NY 11372
Published in: News India-Times Dec. 21st 2007

MANOJ VYAS - Artist from New York

2007-12-07T22:28:00.000-08:00

MANOJ VYASBorn in India in 1956, Manoj Vyas began painting at the age of 8 when he amazed his father with his first mixed medium painting that he created out of whole rice. His father gave him paper and pencil encouraging him to draw on paper. But Manoj’s drawing found other mediums also. Many times he painted with coal and brick on the walls of the neighbors’ houses in his block and school rooms, and got scolded and spanked by them.He began participating in all drawing and painting competitions at his school and soon won a Drawing and Rangoli competition. He also sketched all his classmates’ portraits at school. His first recognition came when he won the Second Prize from Gujarat state in statewide competition. To continue his passion for painting, he joined the SSG School of Arts first, and then the famous Sir J.J. School of Arts in Bombay from where he got his Art degree.His first job was with Bombay’s prestigious daily newspaper Indian Express as a sketch and layout artist. His struggle continued even when he immigrated to the U.S. in 1985. But even here, his first job took him to the then prestigious and famous India Abroad newspapers where he worked 7 days a week. Unable to travel to participate in painting competitions and shows due to family obligations, he turned his profession into his hobby.Manoj has now started traveling to Europe in the last 5 years and has visited art galleries and museums at United Kingdom, Barcelona and other cities in Spain, and Rome and other areas in Italy. Painting still remains his passion and he now devotes more time to it, sometimes even waking up from sleep to quickly sketch ideas on canvas. He draws inspiration for painting from legends, folk tales and real life.The mediums for the little boy who used walls and coal have changed to canvas. Manoj has made a successful transition from his Indian background to his current American home. Today his canvas is large, covering real life portraits, religious paintings, and even Nudes as and when required by clients. And his mediums range from water colors and acrylics to oil and wax colors. His work depicts the conflicts between the spiritual and the material world, and conflicts between family obligations and the call of his heart, his art. Drawn from life, his work also represents his fears, hopes, pleasures and pains.Home Phone: 718 899 2648Cell: 917 617 0091Manoj Vyas37-30 73rd Street Apt #2JJackson Heights, NY 11371

Immigration - USCIS Revises Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9

2007-11-24T09:46:00.000-08:00

On November 7, 2007, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that a revised Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9) is now available for use. All employers are required to complete a Form I-9 for each employee hired in the United States.
The revision seeks to achieve full compli ance with the document reduction requirements of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA), which reduced the number of documents employers may accept from newly hired employees during the employment eligibility verification process. The revised Form I-9 is a further step in USCIS' ongoing work toward reducing the number of documents used to confirm identity and work eligibility.
Key to the revision is the removal of five documents for proof of both identity and employment eligibility. They include: Certificate of U.S. Citizenship (Form N-560 or N-570); Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550 or N-570); Alien Registration Receipt Card (Form I-151); the unexpired Reentry Permit (Form I-327); and the unexpired Refugee Travel Document (Form I-571). The forms were removed because they lack sufficient features to help deter counterfeiting, tampering, and fraud.
Additionally, the most recent version of the Employment Authorization Document (Form I766) was added to List A of the List of Acceptable Documents on the revised form. The revised list now includes: a U.S. passport (unexpired or expired); a Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551); an unexpired foreign passport with a temporary I551 stamp; an unexpired Employment Authorization Document that contains a photograph (Form I-766, I-688, I-688A, or I-688B); and an unexpired foreign passport with an unexpired Arrival-Departure Record (Form I-94) for nonimmigrant aliens authorized to work for a specific employer.
As of November 7, 2007, the Form I-9 with a revision date of June 5, 2007 is the only version of the form that is valid for use. However, DHS will publish a Notice in the Federal Register that provides employers with a 30-day period, beginning on date of publication of the Notice, to transition to the new Form I-9. The revision date of the Form I-9 is printed on the lower right corner of the form and states "(Rev. 06/05/07)N". Both the revised form and the "Handbook for Employers, Instructions for Completing the Form I-9" are available online at www.uscis.gov.
Questions and Answers: Q: Where can I get the new Form I-9 (Rev.
06/05/07)N and the Employer Handbook (M274)? A: Both Form I-9 and the Employer Handbook are available as downloadable PDFs at www.uscis.gov.
Employers without computer access can order USCIS forms by calling our toll-free number at 1800-870-3676. Individuals can also request USCIS forms and information on immigration laws, regulations, and procedures by calling the National Customer Service Center toll-free at 1-800-3755283.
Q: What is the difference between the revised Form I-9 and the old one? A: Five documents have been removed from List A of the List of Acceptable Documents: a. Certificate of U.S. Citizenship (Form N-560 or N-561) b. Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550 or N570) c. Alien Registration Receipt Card (I-151) d. Unexpired Reentry Permit (Form I-327) e. Unexpired Refugee Travel Document (Form I571) One document was added to List A of the List of Acceptable Documents:
nexpired Employment Authorization U Document (I-766) All the Employment Authorization Documents with photographs that are in circulation are now included as one item on List A: I-688, I-688A, I-688B, I-766 Instructions regarding Section 1 of Form I-9 now indicate that the employee is not obliged to provide the Social Security Number in Section 1 of Form I-9, unless he or she is employed by an employer who participates in E-Verify. The section on Photocopying and Retaining Form I-9 now includes information about electronically signing and retaining I-9 forms.
Q: Can I accept documents that used to be on the Form I-9 but aren't now? A: No. Employers may only accept documents listed on the List of Acceptable Documents on Form I9. When re-verifying employees, employers should ensure that they use the new Form I-9 with its updated list of acceptable documents.
Q: Are there any changes in the way the new Form I-9 is completed? A: No. The updated form should be completed exactly the same way as the old one was. The only difference is the types of documents that employers may accept in Section 2.
Q: Is the Form I-9 available in different languages? A: The Form I-9 is available in English and Spanish.
However, only employers in Puerto Rico may have employees complete the Spanish version for their records. Employers in the 50 states and other U.S.
territories may use the Spanish version as a translation guide for Spanish-speaking employees, but must complete the English version and kept it in the employer's records. Employees may also use or ask for a translator/preparer to assist them in completing the form.
Q: Are employers in Puerto Rico required to use the Spanish version of Form I-9? A: No. Employers in Puerto Rico may use either the Spanish or the English version of the new Form I-9 to verify employees. Employers in Puerto Rico may not use the expired 1988 Spanish or English edition of Form I-9.
Q: What versions of Form I-9 are valid for use? A: As of November 7, 2007, the Form I-9 with a revision date of June 5, 2007 is the only version of the form that is valid for use. The revision date is printed on the lower right corner of the form and states "(Rev. 06/05/07)N". All previous versions of Form I-9, in English or Spanish, are no longer valid.
The 1988 version of Form I-9 in Spanish expired in 1991.
Q: When should employers begin using the version of Form I-9 marked with a revision date of "(Rev. 06/05/07)N"? A: Employers must use the amended Form I-9 (Rev.
06/05/07)N for all individuals hired on or after November 7, 2007. However, DHS recognizes that employers should be afforded a period of time to transition to the amended Form I-9. DHS will publish a Notice in the Federal Register announcing that it will not seek penalties against an employer for using a previous version of the Form I-9 during a 30 day transition period that begins on date of publication of the Notice. After the transition period, employers who fail to use Form I-9 (Rev.
06/05/07)N may be subject to all applicable penalties under section 274A of the INA, 8 U.S.C.
1324a, as enforced by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael Phulwani is a prominent attorney admitted to practice law in New York, New Jersey and India. He practices immi- gration and nationality law and visa matters in the USA and abroad. He is a frequent lecturer on immigration law and co-hosts several TV and radio programs on immigration and legislation and answer questions from our readers. All questions should be forwarded to Michael Phulwani, 74-09 37th Avenue, Suite 315, Jackson Heights, NY 11372
Published in: News India-Times Dated: 11/30/2007

Education - India sends highest number of students to U.S., study says

2007-11-20T19:13:00.000-08:00

India is the leading place of origin for international students in the U.S. with 83,833 in 2006/07, an increase of 10 percent from the previous year, according to the Institute for International Education's latest report, Open Doors 2007. This is the sixth consecutive year that India has sent the most students to the United States, the report points out.
International students contribute approximately $14.5 billion to the U.S. economy, through their expenditure on tuition and living expenses, the report noted. And 61.5 percent of all international students receive the majority of their funds from personal and family sources. A total of 66 percent of all international students' primary funding comes from sources outside of the United States.
Total foreign student enrollment in this country increased by three percent to a total of 582,984 in 2006/2007. New enrollment jumped by 10 percent. The top six countries of origin are India, followed by China (67,723 up 8 percent) Korea (62,392, up 6 percent), Japan (35,282, down 9 percent), Taiwan (29,094, up 4 percent) and Canada (28,280, up less than 1 percent). Business remains the leading field of enrollment for international students, with 18 percent percent of the total, followed closely by Engineering with 15 percent. The field which experienced the largest increase in enrollments was Intensive English, up 30 percent from the prior year.
The Institute of International Education (IIE) notes, "This is the first significant increase in total international student enrollments since 2001/02." Open Doors reports an even higher increase in the number of new international students, those enrolled for the first time at a college or university in fall 2006, which rose 10 percent from the previous year.
A report from the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs showed the number of student and exchange visas issued in FY 2007 rose 10.2 percent compared to the same period last year, reinforcing the IIE study findings. Depart ment of Commerce data describe U.S higher education as the country's fifth largest service sector export, as these students bring money into the national economy and provide revenue to their host states for living expenses, including room/board, books and supplies, transportation, health insurance, support for accompanying family members, and other miscellaneous items.
"The increase in enrollments we see in this year's Open Doors statistics reflects the dynamism, diversity and excellence of U.S. higher education institutions in a competitive international environment, and demonstrates the commitment of the U.S. government and U.S.
higher education leaders to welcoming international students," said Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes. Increases in international student enrollments were reported in nearly every state in 2006/07, according to the report. Colleges and universities in California enrolled the largest number with 77,987, up 3.5 percent, followed by New York with 65,884, up 2.5 percent and Texas with 49,081, up 5 percent. The New York City metropolitan area was the leading destination for international students, with 51,973 enrolled in area schools. The Los Angeles metropolitan area ranked second with 35,870 international students. Immediately following 9/11, foreign student enrollment had seen drops as visa and other regulations hampered easy entry for students enrolling in U.S. academic institutions.
The report notes that the State Department along with the Education Department, sponsored a slew of high level visits to South Asia, East Asia and South America which may have contributed to this. According to Allan E. Goodman, President and CEO of the Institute of International Education, "Vigorous efforts at the national, state and campus levels have combined to produce this rebounding of international student enrollments." Asia remains the largest sending region, accounting for 59 percent of total U.S. international enrollments, and increasing by 5 percent this year.
Enrollments from Pakistan and Bangladesh declined, the report found. At the same time, there is the 28 percent increase in enrollments from Nepal (13th, with 7,754), following a 25 percent increase during the previous year.
Notably, enrollments from the Middle East increased by 25 percent in 2006/07, according to Open Doors. The highest increase was in the number of students from Saudi Arabia.
The sharpest decline was from Japan, down 9 percent to 35,282. Indonesia, 15th, was down 3 percent to 7,338 and Kenya 19th, declined 3 percent to 6,349. Kenya was the only African country in the top 20 this past year, with Nigeria dropping out.
For the sixth consecutive year, the University of Southern California enrolled the largest number of international students, with a record 7,115. Columbia University remains in second place with 5,937, and New York University moved up to third place this year with 5,827 international students. Others in the top five institutions are University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign, 4th, and Purdue University 5th.
Colleges and universities new to the top ten host institution list this year are University of California, Los Angeles 8th, and Harvard 9th. Some new universities entered the top- 20 slot - Arizona State-Tempe 14th, and Michigan State 16th, University of Wisconsin-Madison 19th, and Stanford University 20th.
Some 156 U.S. campuses each hosted more than 1,000 students.
I ndia is the leading place of origin for interna- tional students in the U.S. with 83,833 in 2006/07, an increase of 10 percent from the pre- vious year, according to the Institute for Interna- tional Education's latest report, Open Doors 2007. This is the sixth consecutive year that India has sent the most students to the United States, the report points out. International students contribute approxi- mately $14.5 billion to the U.S. economy, through their expenditure on tuition and living expenses, the report noted. And 61.5 percent of all international students receive the majority of their funds from personal and family sources. A total of 66 percent of all international students' primary funding comes from sources outside of the United States. Total foreign student enrollment in this coun- try increased by three percent to a total of 582,984 in 2006/2007. New enrollment jumped by 10 percent. The top six countries of origin are India, followed by China (67,723 up 8 percent) Korea (62,392, up 6 percent), Japan (35,282, down 9 percent), Taiwan (29,094, up 4 percent) and Canada (28,280, up less than 1 per- cent). Business remains the leading field of enrollment for international students, with 18 percent percent of the total, followed closely by Engineering with 15 percent. The field which experienced the largest increase in enrollments was Intensive English, up 30 percent from the prior year. The Institute of International Education (IIE) notes, "This is the first significant increase in total international student enrollments since 2001/02." Open Doors reports an even higher increase in the number of new international stu- dents, those enrolled for the first time at a college or university in fall 2006, which rose 10 percent from the previous year. A report from the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs showed the number of stu- dent and exchange visas issued in FY 2007 rose 10.2 percent compared to the same period last year, reinforcing the IIE study findings. Depart- ment of Commerce data describe U.S higher education as the country's fifth largest service sec- tor export, as these students bring money into the national economy and provide revenue to their host states for living expenses, including room/board, books and supplies, transportation, health insurance, support for accompanying family members, and other miscellaneous items. "The increase in enrollments we see in this year's Open Doors statistics reflects the dynamism, diversity and excellence of U.S. high- er education institutions in a competitive inter- national environment, and demonstrates the commitment of the U.S. government and U.S. higher education leaders to welcoming interna- tional students," said Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes. Increases in international student enrollments were reported in nearly every state in 2006/07, according to the report. Colleges and universities in California enrolled the largest number with 77,987, up 3.5 percent, followed by New York with 65,884, up 2.5 percent and Texas with 49,081, up 5 percent. The New York City metropolitan area was the leading destina- tion for international students, with 51,973 enrolled in area schools. The Los Angeles metro- politan area ranked second with 35,870 interna- tional students. Immediately following 9/11, for- eign student enrollment had seen drops as visa and other regulations hampered easy entry for students enrolling in U.S. academic institutions. The report notes that the State Department along with the Education Department, spon- sored a slew of high level visits to South Asia, East Asia and South America which may have con- tributed to this. According to Allan E. Good- man, President and CEO of the Institute of International Education, "Vigorous efforts at the national, state and campus levels have combined to produce this rebounding of international stu- dent enrollments." Asia remains the largest send- ing region, accounting for 59 percent of total U.S. international enrollments, and increasing by 5 percent this year. Enrollments from Pakistan and Bangladesh declined, the report found. At the same time, there is the 28 percent increase in enrollments from Nepal (13th, with 7,754), following a 25 percent increase during the previous year. Notably, enrollments from the Middle East increased by 25 percent in 2006/07, according to Open Doors. The highest increase was in the number of students from Saudi Arabia. The sharpest decline was from Japan, down 9 percent to 35,282. Indonesia, 15th, was down 3 percent to 7,338 and Kenya 19th, declined 3 per- cent to 6,349. Kenya was the only African coun- try in the top 20 this past year, with Nigeria drop- ping out. For the sixth consecutive year, the University of Southern California enrolled the largest num- ber of international students, with a record 7,115. Columbia University remains in second place with 5,937, and New York University moved up to third place this year with 5,827 international students. Others in the top five institutions are University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign, 4th, and Purdue University 5th. Colleges and universities new to the top ten host institution list this year are University of Califor- nia, Los Angeles 8th, and Harvard 9th. Some new universities entered the top- 20 slot - Ari- zona State-Tempe 14th, and Michigan State 16th, University of Wisconsin-Madison 19th, and Stanford University 20th. Some 156 U.S. campuses each hosted more than 1,000 students.
By Ela Dutt
Published in News India-Times Dated: 11/23/2007

New release - Brick Lane's ‘far from easy ride' from page to screen

2007-11-17T19:57:00.000-08:00

The makers of a new film set in London's Bangladeshi community that infuriated community leaders and sparked heated debate about freedom of speech said the protests were unjustified and exaggerated by the media.
‘Brick Lane', based on a novel by Monica Ali, appears in cinemas on Nov. 16, ending what the author called a "far from easy ride" on the journey from page to screen.
Cast and crew were forced to abandon shooting in Brick Lane after a small number of Bangladeshis living in the area complained, saying the book made them look simple and ignorant.
Concerned about a violent backlash, and acting on the advice of police, the film's backers moved to another area, although ‘Brick Lane' did return to the street in East London later on.
"It did make me angry, because we live in India and we always hail England as a country which allows freedom of expression," Tannishtha Chatterjee, the Indian actress who plays central character Nazneen, told Reuters in a recent interview.
Nazneen enters an arranged marriage and leaves her native Bangladesh for London and a new life with Chanu. After the attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, tensions between Muslim immigrant families and locals grow.
"This is a country which stood by someone like Salman Rushdie when there was a fatwa against him," Chatterjee said, referring to a 1989 death warrant from Iran's supreme religious leader after ‘The Satanic Verses' was deemed blasphemous.
"You have a right to protest (against) an expression, but we have a right to express that, so where is this right? That's what made me angry."
News of the protests and subsequent relocation were pounced on by commentators who condoned or condemned the protesters' actions, including Rushdie himself, who labeled author Germaine Greer's defense of the them as "disgraceful".
Ali accused the media of exaggerating the level of opposition among Bangladeshis and the level of threat posed, pointing out that opposition quickly petered out.
But her main concern was what she called "a marketplace of outrage", where no one dared argue with an offended minority, however small, meaning rational argument and debate was stifled.
"If offense is felt, the artist has no recourse," she said in a recent essay.
She added that the government had "shamefully" remained silent after both the ‘Brick Lane' incident and in 2004, when a play featuring sexual abuse within a Sikh temple was scrapped after a violent protest by Sikhs in Birmingham.
‘Brick Lane' director Sarah Gavron pointed out that cooperation among Bangladeshis in the Brick Lane area far outweighed the number of protesters.
"Obviously as a creative person I absolutely believe in freedom of expression," she told Reuters. "Debate is all well and good, but ... an implicitly violent agenda is not acceptable.
"We didn't back down, we just re-scheduled and came back and filmed later when those protests had died down."
Early reaction to ‘Brick Lane' has been mixed. While it won plaudits at a French film festival, some critics have accused Gavron of watering down the novel.
"You feel the book's guts have been lost, partly for budgetary reasons, partly out of an anxiety not to offend Britain's Bangladeshi community," the Telegraph newspaper wrote.
T he makers of a new film set in London's Bangladeshi community that infuriated community leaders and sparked heated debate about freedom of speech said the protests were unjustified and exaggerated by the media. ‘Brick Lane', based on a novel by Monica Ali, appears in cinemas on Nov. 16, ending what the author called a "far from easy ride" on the jour- ney from page to screen. Cast and crew were forced to abandon shooting in Brick Lane after a small number of Bangladeshis living in the area complained, saying the book made them look simple and ignorant. Concerned about a violent backlash, and act- ing on the advice of police, the film's backers moved to another area, although ‘Brick Lane' did return to the street in East London later on. "It did make me angry, because we live in India and we always hail England as a country which allows freedom of expression," Tannishtha Chat- terjee, the Indian actress who plays central char- acter Nazneen, told Reuters in a recent interview. Nazneen enters an arranged marriage and leaves her native Bangladesh for London and a new life with Chanu. After the attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, tensions between Muslim immigrant families and locals grow. "This is a country which stood by someone like Salman Rushdie when there was a fatwa against him," Chatterjee said, referring to a 1989 death warrant from Iran's supreme religious leader after ‘The Satanic Verses' was deemed blasphemous. "You have a right to protest (against) an expression, but we have a right to express that, so where is this right? That's what made me angry." News of the protests and subsequent reloca- tion were pounced on by commentators who condoned or condemned the protesters' actions, including Rushdie himself, who labeled author Germaine Greer's defense of the them as "dis- graceful". Ali accused the media of exaggerating the level of opposition among Bangladeshis and the level of threat posed, pointing out that opposition quickly petered out. But her main concern was what she called "a marketplace of outrage", where no one dared argue with an offended minority, however small, meaning rational argument and debate was stifled. "If offense is felt, the artist has no recourse," she said in a recent essay. She added that the government had "shame- fully" remained silent after both the ‘Brick Lane' incident and in 2004, when a play fea- turing sexual abuse within a Sikh temple was scrapped after a violent protest by Sikhs in Birmingham. ‘Brick Lane' director Sarah Gavron pointed out that cooperation among Bangladeshis in the Brick Lane area far outweighed the number of protesters. "Obviously as a creative person I absolutely believe in freedom of expression," she told Reuters. "Debate is all well and good, but ... an implicitly violent agenda is not acceptable. "We didn't back down, we just re-scheduled and came back and filmed later when those protests had died down." Early reaction to ‘Brick Lane' has been mixed. While it won plaudits at a French film festival, some critics have accused Gavron of watering down the novel. "You feel the book's guts have been lost, part- ly for budgetary reasons, partly out of an anxi- ety not to offend Britain's Bangladeshi com- munity," the Telegraph newspaper wrote.
By Mike Collett-White
Published in DESI TALK 11/16/2007

CUT-OFF DATES FOR DECEMBER 2007 The following information is provided by the Visa Office regarding the cut-off dates for the month of December 2007.

2007-11-17T19:51:00.000-08:00

FAMILY PREFERENCES F1-Family first preference: Unmarried sons and daughters over the age of 21 years of U.S. Citizens.
The cut-off date has moved forward by one (1) month for most of the countries to January 8, 2002 and for India by five (5) weeks to January 8, 2002.
F2A - Family second preference: Spouses and minor children, and unmarried sons and daughters of permanent residents. The cut-off date has moved forward by one (1) month for most countries including India to January 15, 2003.
F2B- Family second preference: Unmarried sons and daughters over 21 of permanent residents. The cut-off date has moved forward by one (1) month for most of the countries including India to October 15, 1998.
F3-Family third preference: Married sons and daughters of U.S. Citizens and their spouses and children.
The cut-off date has moved forward by five (5) weeks for most of the countries including India to April 8, 2000.
F4-Family fourth preference: Brothers and sisters of U.S. Citizens. The cut-off date has moved forward by one (1) month for most of the countries to June 22, 1997, and for India it has moved forward by seven (7) weeks to August 15, 1996.
EMPLOYMENT PREFERENCES EB1 - Priority Workers: The cut-off date for this category for all countries including India is CURRENT.
EB2 - Advanced Degree holders: The cut-off date for this category for most countries is CURRENT and for India has retrogressed by two (2) years three (3) months to January 1, 2002.
EB3 - Professional & Skilled Workers: The cut-off date for this category for most countries has moved forward by one (1) month to September 1, 2002, and for India it has move forward by one (1) week to May 1, 2001.
EB3 - Other Workers: The cut-off date for this category for all countries including India has not moved at all and remain October 1, 2001.
EB4 (Certain Special Immigrants including Religious Workers) & EB5 (Investment Visas) categories for all countries including India is CURRENT.
IMMIGRANT VISA AVAILABILITY DURING THE COMING MONTHS The following projections are based on the demand patterns which are currently being experienced.
Fluctuations in demand could alter such projections at any time. Therefore, they should only be used as a guideline of what might occur. Under no circumstances should they be used as a basis for making any formal plans prior to the announcement of the monthly cut-off dates.
Family Preferences - Worldwide: Movement consistent with that of recent months can be expected for the foreseeable future.
Employment Preferences - Worldwide and Philippines: First: Will remain "Current" Second: Will remain "Current" Third: Slow forward movement should be possible while demand patterns are established.
Third "Other Workers" (All Countries): Little if any forward movement is expected at this time. Should the current demand pattern continue, it may be necessary to retrogress the cut-off date at some point later in the fiscal year.
CHINA-mainland born and INDIA: Employment Preferences: First: Continued heavy demand may require the establishment of a cut-off date at some point during the fiscal year.
Second: Demand during October and the first week of November has already used over 38 percent of the annual limit. It is hoped that the December retrogressions will return monthly number use within the target range. If not, further retrogressions cannot be ruled out.
Michael Phulwani is a prominent attorney admitted to practice law in New York, New Jersey and India. He practices immi- gration and nationality law and visa matters in the USA and abroad. He is a frequent lecturer on immigration law and co-hosts several TV and radio programs on immigration and legislation and answer questions from our readers. All questions should be forwarded to Michael Phulwani, 74-09 37th Avenue, Suite 315, Jackson Heights, NY 11372 Courtesy of Paula N. Singer, Esq. This is the concluding part of the two-part article discussing the ten common tax returns errors made by Foreign Nationals. 3. Failing to include all income in the return - Foreign nationals who are resident aliens are subject to U.S. income tax on worldwide income in the same manner as U.S. citizens. Foreign nationals who elect to file as a resident with a U.S. citizen or resident spouse must include their worldwide income in their U.S. return. 4. Claiming incorrect personal exemptions - In order for a dependent to be claimed for a personal exemp- tion, the dependent must be a U.S. citizen or resident alien unless an exception applies. There are exceptions for dependents who are U.S. nationals or residents of Canada or Mexico. Nonresident business apprentices and students from India can claim a dependent exemption for their spouse. 5. Incorrectly claiming a tax treaty benefit - The U.S. has income tax treaties with over 60 countries. Many foreign nationals, particularly foreign students and scholars, may be eligible for treaty exemptions from tax. Eligibility for treaty benefits is based on tax resi- dency (not citizenship) in the treaty country as described by the treaty article under which a benefit is claimed. Treaty benefits for income such as dividends, interest, rents, and royalties require the taxpayer to be a resident of the treaty country and not a resident of the United States when the income is paid. 6. Claiming improper temporarily-away-from-home expense deductions - Taxpayers who have been provid- ing services and are temporarily away from their tax home may claim deductions for their travel, meals, and lodging. (Expenses related to their family mem- bers are generally not deductible.) To be temporarily away, taxpayers must be at their temporary work loca- tion for a period anticipated to be a year or less. Their tax home is their principal place of business. A short absence of a few months between visits is not sufficient to restart the clock for purposes of these deductions. If travel, food, and lodging have been paid or reimbursed by their employer, deductions may only be claimed if the amounts are included in their Form W-2 gross income. 7. Excluding certain taxable capital gains on stock sales on Form 1040NR - Capital gains on property other than real estate are fixed or determinable annual or periodic income subject to 30-percent tax on the net gain (reportable on page 4 of Form 1040NR) unless an exception applies. Nonresident aliens can exclude their capital gains on property, such as stock, if: § The capital gain is foreign-sourced; or § The capital gain is U.S.-sourced but the recipient is in the U.S. for less than 183 days in the tax year. Capital gains are U.S.-sourced income if the recipient has a tax home in the United States. Generally, if a tax- payer is here for a period anticipated to be longer than one year, the United States is considered to be his or her tax home. Many of these taxpayers have U.S.- sourced gains subject to 30-percent tax that are never reported on their U.S. tax returns because of misun- derstandings about these rules. 8. Failing to file disclosure forms - Foreign nationals becoming resident aliens who maintain income-pro- ducing assets overseas, who transfer assets to foreign entities, who are grantors or recipients of income from foreign trusts, or who are recipients of certain gifts or bequests from abroad, may be required to submit dis- closure forms. 9. Failing to file a federal tax return - Foreign nation- als fail to file U.S. tax returns for a variety of reasons. Nonresident aliens who fail to timely file their nonres- ident tax return can lose deductions and credits to which they would otherwise be entitled if they fail to correct the lapse in filing voluntarily before being con- tacted by the IRS. 10. Failing to file a state income tax return - Foreign nationals who prepare their own tax returns frequent- ly fail to submit a required state income tax return. In fact, a number of Internet sites and special tax prepa- ration software packages that prepare nonresident returns do not prepare state income tax returns. Whether foreign nationals have a state income tax fil- ing obligation depends upon whether they are resident in (under the state's rules) or earn income from certain sources in a state that imposes income taxes on indi- viduals, and whether their income meets the filing threshold. CUT-OFF DATES FOR DECEMBER 2007 The following information is provided by the Visa Office regarding the cut-off dates for the month of December 2007. FAMILY PREFERENCES F1-Family first preference: Unmarried sons and daughters over the age of 21 years of U.S. Citizens. The cut-off date has moved forward by one (1) month for most of the countries to January 8, 2002 and for India by five (5) weeks to January 8, 2002. F2A - Family second preference: Spouses and minor children, and unmarried sons and daughters of perma- nent residents. The cut-off date has moved forward by one (1) month for most countries including India to January 15, 2003. F2B- Family second preference: Unmarried sons and daughters over 21 of permanent residents. The cut-off date has moved forward by one (1) month for most of the countries including India to October 15, 1998. F3-Family third preference: Married sons and daugh- ters of U.S. Citizens and their spouses and children. The cut-off date has moved forward by five (5) weeks for most of the countries including India to April 8, 2000. F4-Family fourth preference: Brothers and sisters of U.S. Citizens. The cut-off date has moved forward by one (1) month for most of the countries to June 22, 1997, and for India it has moved forward by seven (7) weeks to August 15, 1996. EMPLOYMENT PREFERENCES EB1 - Priority Workers: The cut-off date for this cate- gory for all countries including India is CURRENT. EB2 - Advanced Degree holders: The cut-off date for this category for most countries is CURRENT and for India has retrogressed by two (2) years three (3) months to January 1, 2002. EB3 - Professional & Skilled Workers: The cut-off date for this category for most countries has moved forward by one (1) month to September 1, 2002, and for India it has move forward by one (1) week to May 1, 2001. EB3 - Other Workers: The cut-off date for this cate- gory for all countries including India has not moved at all and remain October 1, 2001. EB4 (Certain Special Immigrants including Religious Workers) & EB5 (Investment Visas) categories for all countries including India is CURRENT. IMMIGRANT VISA AVAILABILITY DURING THE COMING MONTHS The following projections are based on the demand patterns which are currently being experienced. Fluctuations in demand could alter such projections at any time. Therefore, they should only be used as a guideline of what might occur. Under no circum- stances should they be used as a basis for making any formal plans prior to the announcement of the month- ly cut-off dates. Family Preferences - Worldwide: Movement consis- tent with that of recent months can be expected for the foreseeable future. Employment Preferences - Worldwide and Philippines: First: Will remain "Current" Second: Will remain "Current" Third: Slow forward movement should be possible while demand patterns are established. Third "Other Workers" (All Countries): Little if any forward movement is expected at this time. Should the current demand pattern continue, it may be neces- sary to retrogress the cut-off date at some point later in the fiscal year. CHINA-mainland born and INDIA: Employment Preferences: First: Continued heavy demand may require the establishment of a cut-off date at some point during the fiscal year. Second: Demand during October and the first week of November has already used over 38 percent of the annual limit. It is hoped that the December retrogres- sions will return monthly number use within the tar- get range. If not, further retrogressions cannot be ruled out.

Michael Phulwani is a prominent attorney admitted to practice law in New York, New Jersey and India. He practices immigration and nationality law and visa matters in the USA and abroad. He is a frequent lecturer on immigration law and co-hosts several TV and radio programs on immigration and legislation and answer questions from our readers. All questions should be forwarded to Michael Phulwani, 74-09 37th Avenue, Suite 315, Jackson Heights, NY 11372 Courtesy of Paula N. Singer, Esq.
Published in News India-Times 11/23/2007

Bollywood hopes to score with film on soccer

2007-11-14T19:46:00.000-08:00

B ollywood hopes to score this month with a film about a rag-tag team of South Asians who win an English soccer tournament, the latest in a string of sports-themed films.
A bankrupt club of Indians, Bangladeshis and Pakistanis in Britain, with no stars and not even a coach, comes from behind to win a top English championship in ‘Goal' a film which aims to showcase the human spirit.
"The film is about a bunch of losers who start believing in themselves and reach their goal that is to win the tournament," director Vivek Agnihotri told Reuters.
"It is a film about human nature. How we fight back when our back is against the wall, of courage when the odds are high."
‘Goal' focuses on an amateur footballer who hopes to play in the English Premier League but chooses to get there by first resurrecting his local club.
Bollywood has lately successfully experimented with sports themes, and the year's biggest hit is about field hockey.
‘Chak De! India' has superstar Shah Rukh Khan play a disgraced hockey captain who redeems himself after guiding the national women's team to World Cup glory as the coach.
An earlier film, ‘Iqbal', about a physically challenged youth who made it to the Indian cricket team, also got good reviews and revenues.
‘Goal' is scheduled to be released on Nov. 23.
B ollywood hopes to score this month with a film about a rag-tag team of South Asians who win an English soccer tournament, the lat- est in a string of sports-themed films. A bankrupt club of Indians, Bangladeshis and Pakistanis in Britain, with no stars and not even a coach, comes from behind to win a top Eng- lish championship in ‘Goal' a film which aims to showcase the human spirit. "The film is about a bunch of losers who start believing in themselves and reach their goal that is to win the tournament," director Vivek Agni- hotri told Reuters. "It is a film about human nature. How we fight back when our back is against the wall, of courage when the odds are high." ‘Goal' focuses on an amateur footballer who hopes to play in the English Premier League but chooses to get there by first resurrecting his local club. Bollywood has lately successfully experiment- ed with sports themes, and the year's biggest hit is about field hockey. ‘Chak De! India' has superstar Shah Rukh Khan play a disgraced hockey captain who redeems himself after guiding the national women's team to World Cup glory as the coach. An earlier film, ‘Iqbal', about a physically challenged youth who made it to the Indian cricket team, also got good reviews and revenues. ‘Goal' is scheduled to be released on Nov. 23.
Published in Desi Talk www.desitalk.com

3 candidates of South Asian origin won; 4 lost

2007-11-14T19:41:00.000-08:00

In New Jersey Winning Candidates I ndian American candidates made a good showing in the just concluded Nov. 6 elections to var ious offices in New Jersey. They won 3 of the 6 seats they contested. One Pakistani American candidate, who ran for the New Jersey State Senate, lost.
New Jersey voters defeated Governor Jon Corzine's Stem Cell Research ballot initiative that would have allowed the state to borrow $450 million to fund research. The initiative lost 53 percent to 47 percent.
Incumbent Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula is back from District 17. Rajiv Prasad returned as Councilman to Franklin Township Council.
And Dr. Sudarshan Prasad, a doctor of internal medicine, won his bid for Edison City Council.
Chivukula, who has been in office since 2002, the first Indian American to be elected to the New Jersey State Assembly, won back his seat with 30 percent of the vote. The top two votegetters, incumbents Chivukula and Joseph V.
Egan, Democrats, held their seats. Egan got 31 percent of the vote. Republican opponents Matthew "Skip" House garnered 19 percent and Leonard Messineo 21 percent.
Chivukula has been Deputy Speaker in the Assembly, and an active legislator. He is the Chair of the Telecommunications and Utilities Committee, and also serves on the Commerce and Economic Development Committee.
Sudhanshu Prasad, a physician, was elected to Edison City Council in New Jersey for a four-year term. The four Democratic candidates, of whom Prasad was one, trounced the four Republicans in the race. AnneMarie Griffin-Ussak secured 6,883 votes, Melissa Perilstein got 6,513 votes, Sudhanshu Prasad got 6,251 votes and Wayne Mascola with 6,528 votes. They were about 1,000 votes higher than the Republican team.
Rajiv Prasad received 4,785 votes, one of three to win the 4-year term At-Large council seat. The other two who won were Kimberly Francois (D) with 5,177 votes and incumbent Daniel Glicklich (D) with 5,154. All three Republican contenders lost.
Prasad, an Assistant Vice President for Satyam Computer Services Ltd., has served on the township council since 2006. A resident of Franklin Township for the last 30 years, he has an MBA from American University in Washington D.C.
He has spent his professional career in healthcare marketing, management and sales with multinational companies including Bristol Myers, Bausch & Lomb Soflens and Johnson & Johnson. He has also taught marketing and management courses at Rutgers University.
He has, additionally, served on Franklin's Planning Board, Human Relations Commission, Land Use Committee, Public Works Committee, Traffic and Safety Committee, Senior Affordable Housing Committee and as the NonSenior Member of the Senior Advisory Committee.
But those running for the State Senate lost Seema Singh (Democrat) from District 14, and Pakistani American Wasim Khan (Democrat) from the 26th District.
In the races for New Jersey State Senate, candidate Seema Singh, former Ratepayer Advocate, running from the 14th District, lost to Republican Bill Baroni. Baroni got 32,685 votes (63 percent) to Singh's 19,421 (37 percent). Her election stalled on accusations she had used a state worker as a personal driver. A breakdown in her votes shows Singh received 48 percent of the vote in Middlesex County and 29 percent in Mercer, whereas Baroni secured 71 percent in Mercer and 52 percent in Middlesex.
Wasim A. Khan (Democrat), a Pakistani American, who also ran for the New Jersey State Senate, lost heavily. He secured 13,294 votes or 34 percent to Republican contender Joe Pennacchio who got almost double - 26,217 or 66 percent.
Milin Shah, 20, ran a great race for Parsippany Township Council. He announced his bid on Oct.
1, and despite a short campaign, garnered attention.
But he missed making one of the top three vote getters, ranking fourth. The three top vote-getters were all Republicans. Shah got 3,240 votes, falling 679 votes short of getting the third slot to win the seat.
"I've always been interested in politics since I was a senior in High School," he told Desi Talk.
"I thought at my age, I would be better able to represent people on the Council."
Three Democrats, three Republicans and two Independents ran for the three seats. "I'm going to sit down with my managers and my family and discuss and hopefully in the future (run again," Shah said.
Ytit Chauhan, 19, a college student running as an Independent for Atlantic City Council from Ward 6, suffered a defeat similar to all other challengers who were routed by incumbents.
Chauhan, because of his age, has grabbed media attention. In the elections in Ward 6, incumbent Democrat Tim Mancuso received 596 votes; Chauhan secured 307 votes or 31 percent, while another Independent candidate Steven Layman got 90 votes or nine percent.
Published in DESI TALK 11/16/2007

I've never seen terror like this: Advani ;-)

2007-11-13T20:10:00.000-08:00

Nandigram (PTI): On a whirlwind tour of this violence-torn area, senior BJP leader L K Advani on Tuesday met fear-struck villagers, desolate houses and a disconsolate boy whose father was killed and later said he had never seen this kind of terror in his long political career.
Addresing a rally after visiting a school which shelters those rendered homeless by violence, Advani accused the Left Front government in West Bengal and the UPA dispensation at the Centre of being responsible for the violence in Nandigram. He also charged the Centre with inaction and indifference to violence because it depended on the support of CPI(M).
----

"What happened in Gujarat was not a spontaneous uprising, it was a carefully orchestrated attack against Muslims. The attacks were planned in advance and organized with extensive participation of the police and state government officials"
Smita Narula, senior South Asia researcher for Human Rights Watch
For more details: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2002/04/30/india3885.htm

The top 20 movies at U.S. theaters - ''Om Shanti Om,'' Eros Intl. $1,764,131, 114 locations,

2007-11-12T20:06:00.000-08:00

The top 20 movies at U.S. and Canadian theaters Friday through Sunday, followed by distribution studio, gross, number of theater locations, average receipts per location, total gross and number of weeks in release, as compiled Monday by Media By Numbers LLC are:

1. ''Bee Movie,'' Paramount/DreamWorks Animation, $25,565,462, 3,944 locations, $6,482 average, $71,779,597, two weeks.
2. ''American Gangster,'' Universal, $24,028,445 3,059 locations, $7,855 average, $80,388,420, two weeks.
3. ''Fred Claus,'' Warner Bros., $18,515,473, 3,603 locations, $5,139 average, $18,515,473, one week.
4. ''Lions for Lambs,'' MGM, $6,702,434, 2,215 locations, $3,026 average, $6,702,434, one week.
5. ''Dan in Real Life,'' Disney, $6,002,717, 1,941 locations, $3,093 average, $30,809,056, three weeks.
6. ''Saw IV,'' Lionsgate, $4,949,812, 2,904 locations, $1,704 average, $58,026,020, three weeks.
7. ''The Game Plan,'' Disney, $2,462,122, 2,161 locations, $1,139 average, $85,466,069, seven weeks.
8. ''30 Days of Night,'' Sony, $2,172,031, 1,696 locations, $1,281 average, $37,430,374, four weeks.
9. ''P2,'' Summit Entertainment, $2,083,398, 2,131 locations, $978 average, $2,083,398, one week.
10. ''Martian Child,'' New Line, $1,843,767, 2,020 locations, $913 average, $6,106,881, two weeks.
11. ''Om Shanti Om,'' Eros International, $1,764,131, 114 locations, $15,475 average, $1,764,131, one week.
12. ''Michael Clayton,'' Warner Bros., $1,697,456, 1,150 locations, $1,476 average, $35,631,903, six weeks.
13. ''Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?'', Lionsgate, $1,462,891, 908 locations, $1,611 average, $53,148,319, five weeks.
14. ''Gone Baby Gone,'' Miramax, $1,444,394, 957 locations, $1,509 average, $17,044,169, four weeks.
15. ''No Country For Old Men,'' Miramax, $1,226,333, 28 locations, $43,798 average, $1,226,333, one week.
16. ''Into the Wild,'' Paramount Vantage, $1,105,004, 590 locations, $1,873 average, $12,548,052, eight weeks.
17. ''Bella,'' Roadside Attractions, $916,441, 277 locations, $3,308 average, $3,780,932, three weeks.
18. ''Across the Universe,'' Sony, $901,303, 582 locations, $1,549 average, $22,404,372, nine weeks.
19. ''Tim Burton's the Nightmare Before Christmas,'' Disney, $881,033, 473 locations, $1,863 average, $14,119,095, four weeks.
20. ''The Darjeeling Limited,'' Fox Searchlight, $880,366, 386 locations, $2,281 average, $9,363,319, seven weeks.

Published in New York Times.

Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers

2007-11-08T21:05:00.000-08:00

The federal tax laws require individuals with U.S. income to comply with U.S.
income tax filing obligations regardless of their immigration status or lack of legal immigration status. To comply with U.S. income tax filing requirements, an individual must have a U.S.
Pre-tax Return Applications Many foreign nationals have a federal tax administrative requirement for an ITIN prior to submitting their tax return. For example, many foreign nationals receive income subject to withholding taxes in which the income and taxes are reported on information taxpayer identification number (TIN). The TIN for a U.S. citizen is a U.S. Social Security number (SSN). Generally, only foreign nationals who are authorized to work under the U.S. immigration laws are eligible to apply for an SSN. In 1996, the IRS introduced the ITIN to provide individuals who are not eligible for an SSN with a means to comply with the tax laws. An ITIN is a nine-digit tax identification number (TIN) issued by the IRS. The number always begins with the number 9 and has a 7 or 8 in the fourth digit, e.g., 9XX7X-XXX.
Individuals Eligible for ITINs The following individuals, who are not eligible to apply for an SSN, are eligible to apply for an ITIN for a federal tax administrative purpose: a. Nonresident alien required to obtain an ITIN to claim a tax treaty benefit.
b. Nonresident alien filing a U.S. tax return.
c. U.S. resident alien (based on days present in the United States filing a U.S. tax return).
d. Dependent of a U.S. citizen/resident alien.
e. Spouse of a U.S. citizen/resident alien.
f. Nonresident alien student, professor, or researcher filing a U.S. tax return or claiming an exception.
g. Dependent/spouse of a nonresident alien holding a U.S. visa.
h. Other (indicate pre-tax return exception number) The letters correspond to the category letters on the Form W-7, Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. Individuals claiming a tax treaty benefit must include the treaty country and article number under which the benefit is claimed following category "h." Required Documentation Applicants must submit documentation with their Form W-7 that substantiates the information provided on the form such as a valid foreign passport.
The passport information such as the name, date of birth, and country of citizenship, must be the same as the information provided on Form W-7.
Foreign nationals who do not submit a valid foreign passport must provide at least two or more of twelve approved documents listed in the Form W7 instructions that are current and that verify identity with a name and photograph, and support the individual's claim of foreign status.
The Form W-7 instructions state that the individual submit copies of original documents if the copies are 1) certified by the issuing agency or official custodian of the original record or 2) notarized by a U.S. notary public legally authorized within his or her local jurisdiction to certify that the document is a true copy of the original. To notarize a document, the notary must see the valid, unaltered original document and verify that the copy conforms to the original. The instructions note that notaries public are available at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide. Foreign notaries are acceptable as outlined by the Hague Convention.
Application Procedures Generally, individuals need to submit ITIN applications with the original tax return. Foreign nationals requiring an ITIN for the tax return for themselves and/or their dependents must submit their Form W-7 application(s) and required documentation with their original U.S. tax return to: Internal Revenue Service ITIN Operation, P.O. Box 149342 Austin, TX 78714-9342 The Form W-7 instructions caution such taxpayers not to use the address in their tax return instructions.
returns such as Form 1042-S, 1099-INT, 8805, or 8288, 8288-A or 8288-B. Also, under new regulations introduced in 2001, exemptions from withholding tax under an income tax treaty, except on income from publicly traded investments, must be claimed on a withholding certificate (Form 8233, W-8BEN, etc.) that includes a TIN.
The Form W-7 instructions issued in January 2007 include a list of four expanded exceptions that allow pre-tax return ITIN applications by individuals with income or expense subject to third-party reporting and by recipients claiming tax treaty benefits. For example, pre-tax return exceptions now include recipients of a taxable scholarship or fellowship grant subject to thirdparty withholding or tax exempt under a treaty.
Instructions for Form W-7 include a helpful chart explaining the additional forms and letters that foreign nationals must submit for a pre-tax return ITIN application.
The Ten Rules Of U.S. Taxation (Courtesy Paula N. Singer, Esq.) The general rule of income taxation is that income is taxable where the economic activity occurs.
Rule #1: All compensation for services performed in the United States is subject to U.S. taxes unless an exception applies.
Rule #2: How an individual performing services in the United States is taxed depends on his or her U.S. tax status - resident or nonresident. These are tax terms not immigration terms.
Rule #3: How an individual performing services in the United States is taxed depends on his or her U.S. tax status - resident or nonresident. These are tax terms not immigration terms.
Rule #4:An immigrant, like a U.S. citizen, is subject to U.S. tax on worldwide income, even if the individual resides and works abroad, unless an exception applies.
Rule #5: A resident is subject to U.S. tax on worldwide income regardless of the currency or location of payment. A nonresident is subject to U.S. tax on U.S. source income and income effectively connected to a U.S. trade or business regardless of the source. Compensation for services performed in the United States is U.S. source income regardless of the currency or location of payment unless an exception applies.
Rule #6: The United States, like foreign governments, collects taxes on the income of nonresidents through withholding taxes. The U.S. withholding tax is 30 percent unless an exception applies. One exception is wages subject to wage withholding.
Rule #7: An employer is required to withhold federal and state income taxes, and social security and Medicare taxes, on compensation paid for employment services performed in the United States unless an exception applies. This rule applies to both U.S. and foreign employers.
Rule #8: All payments made by an employer to or on behalf of an employee, including cash and the fair market value of benefits-in-kind, are wages subject to withholding taxes unless an exception applies.
Rule #9: In addition to meeting the conditions for an exception, an individual must document the exception usually by submitting a completed form, signed under the penalties of perjury, to the payer or to the IRS; otherwise the exception does not apply.
Rule #10: The IRS enforces withholding by collecting the tax, plus penalties and interest, from the payer who fails to withhold or to collect the necessary form for the exemption from withholding.
Additional penalties are imposed for the failure to report the income.
Michael Phulwani is a prominent attorney admitted to practice law in New York, New Jersey and India. He practices immi- gration and nationality law and visa matters in the USA and abroad. He is a frequent lecturer on immigration law and co-hosts several TV and radio programs on immigration and legislation and answer questions from our readers. All questions should be forwarded to Michael Phulwani, 74-09 37th Avenue, Suite 315, Jackson Heights, NY 11372 Courtesy of Paula N. Singer, Esq. The federal tax laws require individuals with U.S. income to comply with U.S. income tax filing obligations regardless of their immigration status or lack of legal immigration status. To comply with U.S. income tax filing require- ments, an individual must have a U.S. Pre-tax Return Applications Many foreign nationals have a federal tax administrative requirement for an ITIN prior to submitting their tax return. For example, many foreign nationals receive income subject to withholding taxes in which the income and taxes are reported on information taxpayer identification number (TIN). The TIN for a U.S. citizen is a U.S. Social Security number (SSN). Generally, only foreign nationals who are authorized to work under the U.S. immigration laws are eligible to apply for an SSN. In 1996, the IRS introduced the ITIN to provide individuals who are not eligible for an SSN with a means to comply with the tax laws. An ITIN is a nine-digit tax identification number (TIN) issued by the IRS. The number always begins with the number 9 and has a 7 or 8 in the fourth digit, e.g., 9XX- 7X-XXX. Individuals Eligible for ITINs The following individuals, who are not eligible to apply for an SSN, are eligible to apply for an ITIN for a federal tax administrative purpose: a. Nonresident alien required to obtain an ITIN to claim a tax treaty benefit. b. Nonresident alien filing a U.S. tax return. c. U.S. resident alien (based on days present in the United States filing a U.S. tax return). d. Dependent of a U.S. citizen/resident alien. e. Spouse of a U.S. citizen/resident alien. f. Nonresident alien student, professor, or researcher filing a U.S. tax return or claiming an exception. g. Dependent/spouse of a nonresident alien hold- ing a U.S. visa. h. Other (indicate pre-tax return exception num- ber) The letters correspond to the category letters on the Form W-7, Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. Individuals claiming a tax treaty benefit must include the treaty country and article number under which the benefit is claimed following category "h." Required Documentation Applicants must submit documentation with their Form W-7 that substantiates the information pro- vided on the form such as a valid foreign passport. The passport information such as the name, date of birth, and country of citizenship, must be the same as the information provided on Form W-7. Foreign nationals who do not submit a valid for- eign passport must provide at least two or more of twelve approved documents listed in the Form W- 7 instructions that are current and that verify iden- tity with a name and photograph, and support the individual's claim of foreign status. The Form W-7 instructions state that the individ- ual submit copies of original documents if the copies are 1) certified by the issuing agency or offi- cial custodian of the original record or 2) notarized by a U.S. notary public legally authorized within his or her local jurisdiction to certify that the doc- ument is a true copy of the original. To notarize a document, the notary must see the valid, unaltered original document and verify that the copy con- forms to the original. The instructions note that notaries public are available at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide. Foreign notaries are accept- able as outlined by the Hague Convention. Application Procedures Generally, individuals need to submit ITIN appli- cations with the original tax return. Foreign nationals requiring an ITIN for the tax return for themselves and/or their dependents must submit their Form W-7 application(s) and required docu- mentation with their original U.S. tax return to: Internal Revenue Service ITIN Operation, P.O. Box 149342 Austin, TX 78714-9342 The Form W-7 instructions caution such taxpayers not to use the address in their tax return instruc- tions. returns such as Form 1042-S, 1099-INT, 8805, or 8288, 8288-A or 8288-B. Also, under new regula- tions introduced in 2001, exemptions from with- holding tax under an income tax treaty, except on income from publicly traded investments, must be claimed on a withholding certificate (Form 8233, W-8BEN, etc.) that includes a TIN. The Form W-7 instructions issued in January 2007 include a list of four expanded exceptions that allow pre-tax return ITIN applications by individuals with income or expense subject to third-party reporting and by recipients claiming tax treaty benefits. For example, pre-tax return exceptions now include recipients of a taxable scholarship or fellowship grant subject to third- party withholding or tax exempt under a treaty. Instructions for Form W-7 include a helpful chart explaining the additional forms and letters that foreign nationals must submit for a pre-tax return ITIN application. The Ten Rules Of U.S. Taxation (Courtesy Paula N. Singer, Esq.) The general rule of income taxation is that income is taxable where the economic activity occurs. Rule #1: All compensation for services performed in the United States is subject to U.S. taxes unless an exception applies. Rule #2: How an individual performing services in the United States is taxed depends on his or her U.S. tax status - resident or nonresident. These are tax terms not immigration terms. Rule #3: How an individual performing services in the United States is taxed depends on his or her U.S. tax status - resident or nonresident. These are tax terms not immigration terms. Rule #4:An immigrant, like a U.S. citizen, is sub- ject to U.S. tax on worldwide income, even if the individual resides and works abroad, unless an exception applies. Rule #5: A resident is subject to U.S. tax on world- wide income regardless of the currency or location of payment. A nonresident is subject to U.S. tax on U.S. source income and income effectively con- nected to a U.S. trade or business regardless of the source. Compensation for services performed in the United States is U.S. source income regardless of the currency or location of payment unless an exception applies. Rule #6: The United States, like foreign govern- ments, collects taxes on the income of nonresidents through withholding taxes. The U.S. withholding tax is 30 percent unless an exception applies. One exception is wages subject to wage withholding. Rule #7: An employer is required to withhold fed- eral and state income taxes, and social security and Medicare taxes, on compensation paid for employ- ment services performed in the United States unless an exception applies. This rule applies to both U.S. and foreign employers. Rule #8: All payments made by an employer to or on behalf of an employee, including cash and the fair market value of benefits-in-kind, are wages subject to withholding taxes unless an exception applies. Rule #9: In addition to meeting the conditions for an exception, an individual must document the exception usually by submitting a completed form, signed under the penalties of perjury, to the payer or to the IRS; otherwise the exception does not apply. Rule #10: The IRS enforces withholding by col- lecting the tax, plus penalties and interest, from the payer who fails to withhold or to collect the neces- sary form for the exemption from withholding. Additional penalties are imposed for the failure to report the income.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael Phulwani is a prominent attorney admitted to practice law in New York, New Jersey and India. He practices immigration and nationality law and visa matters in the USA and abroad. He is a frequent lecturer on immigration law and co-hosts several TV and radio programs on immigration and legislation and answer questions from our readers. All questions should be forwarded to Michael Phulwani, 74-09 37th Avenue, Suite 315, Jackson Heights, NY 11372
Courtesy of Paula N. Singer, Esq.
Published in DESI TALK

Driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants face legislative challenges

2007-11-08T20:56:00.000-08:00

Are you an "undocumented" immigrant and need a driver's license? Go ahead and get one. Governor Eliot Spitzer wants to give you a license to drive in the State of New York, even if you are "undocumented". You do not have a social security number, you say. Worry no more, you do not need one. Lucky you.
The term ‘undocumented immigrant' is a politically correct euphemism for illegal immigrant.
There are some 12 to 20 million illegals in the United States including up to a million in New York State alone, according to published reports. Are there "illegals" from India in this country? No, right? Aren't we all law abiding and ethical individuals? You may be right, but I suspect there are a few.
I base my suspicions on a conversation that I had with a young man in Mumbai some thirty years ago. He was a friend of one of my nephews.
This man was unable to get a visa form the American consulate despite several tries. He wanted to know whether it was appropriate for him to follow the footsteps of one of his friends, who had gone to Canada first and then had crossed over into the States. By this man's account at least one Indian (his friend) had entered the States illegally.
I told him I personally wouldn't do it. I was not the person who could advise him in this matter because being a public servant I could never encourage an illegal act, I explained. Therefore, he should seek advice elsewhere was my recommendation. I also suggested he consider entering a college here for higher studies.
Should our government reward people who have already broken this nation's law by entering it illegally? But they are here now and many of them are driving already without a license and driver's insurance, says the governor.
This is what department of motor vehicle, or DMV, commissioner said in a press release: "Currently, too many drivers are unlicensed simply because they do not have a social security number." The state does not want to "bury our heads in the sand and pretend problem does not exist."
According to the New York Sun, a social security number was not required in this state to obtain a driver's license until 2002. All this changed a few months after the 9/11/2001 attack on the World Trade Towers, apparently to prevent future terrorists from getting driver's licenses.
But the current governor obviously does not agree with his predecessor (Gov. George Pataki).
He thinks the homeland's security would in fact be enhanced. He says currently, the DMV has no information in its database for unlicensed drivers.
As a result law enforcement officials have a tough time in conducting investigations when an unlicensed driver gets involved in a criminal act.
Bringing unlicensed drivers into the system, therefore, should help law enforcement agencies "to locate those who present a real security threat."
How? Because all applicants for a license must still prove their identity, place of birth and fitness to drive. A valid foreign passport (even without a valid visa) or a birth certificate should be enough.
Here is what the opponent's of the governor's plan have said publicly:
• Certain countries are known to harbor ter rorists, like Saudi Arabia, Iran etc. If passports of those countries are accepted, the state could end up issuing licenses to terrorists.
• Currently U.S. citizens have to show only a driver's license to board an airplane. If illegals can get the same license, U.S. citizens may have to show some other kind of photo identification.
Two ID's for citizens would make them second class citizens in their own country in the opinion of former U. S. Senator Al D'Amato.
• "If the governor should do this, he should receive an MVP award from Al Qaeda," one state legislator asserted.
• "I have some problems with it, however, it's a governor's call," Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
• "Today the State DMV is asking my office to help illegal immigrants break the law," said one county clerk, and another said, "What we are doing is opening the doors and making it easier for illegal immigrants, terrorists or whatever to come here and be able to perpetrate whatever they want," according to www.whec.com. Most upstate counties issue driver's licenses because the DMV does not have offices in those counties.
• This State's Republican legislators are also against the new plan for security reasons.
But supporters of the governor's plan remind us that none of the 9/11 terrorists had entered here illegally; all had valid visas. Hence, they were eligible to receive valid driver's licenses. In fact, Mohamed Atta did acquire a license in Florida after he was arrested for driving without a license, according to blogdenovo.org.
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, on the other hand, supports the governor. He believes that to deny an otherwise law-abiding individual to drive to work or take children to school or to the doctor "is to admit that terrorism has won."
Concerns about licenses to terrorists are unfounded in the opinion of the plan's supporters because the DMV is developing a state-ofthe-art document verification system to prevent counterfeiting and fraud. By the way, you still will not be able to get a license to drive commercial (including taxis) or hazardous materials vehicles without a social security number.
The DMV claims the plan will reduce uninsured drivers on the road because licensing requires auto insurance. This should lower insurance premiums for all of us and make the streets safer. Opponents counter, every license holder does not necessarily have to own a vehicle that would require auto insurance. Further, not every individual is able to get insurance. What happens when federal immigration authorities subpoena the DMV's records to hunt for illegals? Does the government have resources to catch millions of illegals? Where are they going to be housed till their deportation cases wind through the country's cumbersome and complex court system? However, a person involved in an egregious crime might have something to worry about. At present political mud wrestling appears unavoidable. Even Lou Dobbs, the CNN anchor, has begun to castigate the governor's proposal. Legislative and legal challenges can't be far behind. So stay tuned.
(The writer served the city for 32 years in the departments of environmental protection, sanitation, and, parks, recreation and cultural affairs, in positions ranging from junior engineer to deputy commissioner)
Published in DESI TALK by Mohan Jetwani

Driver's license applicants without Social Security number no longer require letter from Administration

2007-11-01T21:32:00.000-07:00

The State of New York has determined that they will no longer require applicants for dri ver's licenses who do not have Social Security numbers to provide a letter from the Social Security Administration proving their ineligibility for those numbers. Legal challenges to this policy change have been commenced. We are defending these challenges and believe we will be successful.
Our position is that this change will be found to be within the authority of the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, a press release said.
This is not about whether Social Security Numbers (SSN) will be required – they never were and they are still not. Instead, the statute requires people who have SSNs to provide them. The change is only about what documentation has to be provided by people who do not have SSNs. Formerly, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) required such people to prove their SSN ineligibility with Federal government documents that could not be obtained by an undocumented immigrant. Now, an applicant will prove SSN ineligibility by affirming – under penalty of perjury - that they have no SSN, that they are ineligible for one, and provide the DMV with identity documents, including a current and valid foreign passport, that support that status.
Meanwhile, Gov. Eliot Spitzer has taken every one by surprise again, on Oct. 27 by a proposal under which New York would offer three different types of licenses, including one available to illegal immigrants, while complying with new federal security rules, The New York Times reported.
The plan drew some new support over the weekend, notably from Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who had expressed strong reservations about the original proposal. He called the new version "a clear step in the right direction." The heads of the state troopers' union and New York's association of police chiefs also praised the plan, the report said.
Under the revised plan, New York will offer a new, highly secure state driver's license, known as Real ID.
It would be available only to citizens and legal immigrants and comply with new federal rules, and it could be used to board domestic flights and enter federal buildings. Two other types of licenses would be offered: an enhanced driver's license that New Yorkers who are citizens could use to cross the Canadian border without a passport, and a less expensive, limited license available to illegal immigrants and others that would not be a valid federal identification.
The license available to illegal immigrants would contain no information about the holder's immigration status, the report explained.
published in DESI TALK 11/03/2007

Gujarat riots were inhuman, says Sonia

2007-11-01T20:46:00.000-07:00

NEW DELHI: In her first reaction to the sting operation conducted by Tehelka on the Gujarat riots, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said that the “recent expose revealed that what had happened in Gujarat was inhuman". She also made it clear that her party would not pull any punches in taking on those behind the communal carnage. “It's the primary responsibility of civil society and all Congressmen to fight this scourge,” she said at a function held to confer the Indira Gandhi National Integration Award. Sonia added, “If we don't fight these communal and anti social forces, they will one day become a huge danger to secular and democratic structure of the country".

Saawariya' to be released worldwide on Nov. 9

2007-10-27T15:56:00.000-07:00

The first Bollywood production from a Hollywood studio, 'Saawariya' is scheduled to be released in theaters worldwide on Nov. 9 for the Diwali holiday weekend. Presented by Sony Pictures Entertainment and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, this epic musical love story features the debuts of Ranbir Kapoor (son of Rishi Kapoor) and Sonam Kapoor (daughter of Anil Kapoor) alongside Bollywood stars Rani Mukherjee and Salman Khan.
The storyline for ‘Saawariya' is that of two young star-crossed lovers whose passions almost consumes their will to the brink of self-destruction. In this eternal tale of an ode to romance, stand two lonely souls whose childlike innocence and candor only obscures their inner turmoil, anger, anxiety and desperate wait for love. An artist, a free spirit, an idealist and dreamer, Raj is certain that he has found his ultimate dream when he arrives at a quaint picturesque town. A place surrounded by mountains, shrouded in mist and enveloped in beauty, mythical enough to be a painter's vision or a poet's memory. However, destiny paints a different picture for Raj.
One silent night, he spots a mysterious girl draped in black, standing alone at a bridge. This chance encounter introduces him to Sakina, a shy and quiet, melancholic and enigmatic girl who continues to intrigue him. Thus follows the beginning of a new friendship, where Raj with his most charming ways and an undying spirit tries to win Sakina's heart. Raj is unable to accept her haunting past and their friendship pulls him into a whirlwind of desire, madness and romance.
Through Raj and Sakina's journey together, we are reminded of the fragility of the human heart. In the couple's anguish and test of faith, is revealed the power of unconditional love through a thousand layers of tumultuous emotions. The film is based on the story of Fyodor Dostoevsky's 'White Nights'.

published in Desi Talk

'My name is Khan' - Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol to reunite for new film

2007-10-27T15:36:00.000-07:00

Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, two of Bollywood's biggest stars, are reuniting as lead actors in a film for the first time in seven years, its director said.
The pair has starred in some of Bollywood's biggest hits such as ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge', ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham' and ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai'.
Their new film, called ‘My Name is Khan', is aiming for a 2009 release, director Karan Johar said.
Johar declined to reveal the plot but some local newspapers say Khan will play a Muslim man and highlight the plight of the community following the attacks in the U.S. on Sept. 11, 2001.
S hah Rukh Khan and Kajol, two of Bol- lywood's biggest stars, are reuniting as lead actors in a film for the first time in seven years, its director said. The pair has starred in some of Bolly- wood's biggest hits such as ‘Dilwale Dul- hania Le Jayenge', ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham' and ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai'. Their new film, called ‘My Name is Khan', is aiming for a 2009 release, direc- tor Karan Johar said. Johar declined to reveal the plot but some local newspapers say Khan will play a Muslim man and highlight the plight of the community following the attacks in the U.S. on Sept. 11, 2001.

Published in Desi Talk

Rights groups welcome ban on Tamil director - Chennai

2007-10-27T15:30:00.000-07:00

Human rights groups in Tamil Nadu have hailed the decision by the Tamil Film Producers Council (TFPC) to ban a director from making any film for one year after he slapped an actress.
Padmapriya, who was shooting for ‘Mirugam', had on Oct. 18 complained to the producers and artists' associations that director Samy had abused and slapped her while filming.
"He called it a day and we packed. Suddenly, he just slapped me. It was unprovoked and I was shocked," said Padmapriya. She also alleged that he has been continuously harassing actors during the film's shooting. "His verbal abuses were unbearable. I do not want to call it sexual abuse, but it was surely bad behavior," she said.
The film associations held a joint meeting on Oct. 19, where the director admitted that he had slapped the actress.
"The ‘Mirugam' incident has caused a great deal of embarrassment to the Tamil film indus try. The decision to ban Samy from directing films for a year was unanimous," TFPC vicepresident Anbalaya Prabhakaran said.
The decision of the federations is being seen as an attempt to improve the industry's image.
"Not only the South Indian film industry but every film industry in the country, including Bollywood, needs to be aware about labor norms and gender bias at ordinary worker level," Vasanthi Devi, former chairperson of the Tamil Nadu Commission for Women, told Indo-Asian News Service.
"It is for the welfare of Tamil cinema that we have accepted the unions' decision. We have taken this extreme step in order to prevent such incidents in the future," South Indian Film Artistes Association (SIFFA) vice-president Vijayakumar said.
The decision came after the National Commission for Women (NCW) sent a note to the Film Employees Federation of South India asking them to take immediate action against Samy.

Published in Desi Talk Dated: Oct. 26th 2007

Press conference, day after victory - Governor Elect Bobby Jindal, ‘Governor for everybody,' wants 'Fresh Start' by Ela Dutt

2007-10-27T13:31:00.000-07:00

In early September year when Congressman Bobby Jindal was criss-crossing Louisiana, campaigning for the Oct. 20 primaries for Governor, he stopped at the Jambalaya Festival in Gonzales, a southern town that might have ordinarily voted against him four years ago when he ran for Governor the first time. It was a Saturday morning and his knee-high son was pulling at his pants as he and his team handed out leaflets and he pressed flesh.
"I wake up every morning as if I'm 10 points behind. No one is going to outwork us," he is quoted saying in press reports.
At his press conference the day after his victory garnering 54 percent of the vote, Jindal sported an unshaven chin to prove the many sleepless nights he went though to win over areas like Gonzales.
"It was incredibly gratifying," he told reporters. "We were truly expecting to be in a runoff, but to get that kind of mandate, to get that kind of widespread support from across the state!" Despite spending some $11 million and criss-crossing the state over the last year, he said, "…until you count the last vote, you really don't know," said the one-time Rhodes scholar and Assistant Secretary of Health under the Bush administration.
He recounted the incident in August when a supporter stopped him and said, "Son, I'm voting for you. Now this is our last chance," he recalled. "I don't think any legislative or elected official can ignore the mandate we got last night," he asserted.
"I intend to try to be Governor for everybody including those who did not vote for me," Jindal emphasized as he said he would work for the remaining months with incumbent Governor Kathleen Blanco, and credited her with bringing in $300 million for important projects.
Known for reeling off 'point-plans,' at the drop of a hat, Jindal said he had a three-point plan to get going right away:
1. To streamline the process for public assistance.
2. To get funding for whoever was promised it.
3. Make sure state projects currently in the works are implemented.
When he meets with President Bush, the Governor-Elect said he would broach his concerns about projects like the Road Home, the Cyber Command installation and the coastal protection plan that he has been pushing on Capitol Hill.
Jindal said he hoped Louisiana would be the site of one of the Presidential debates next year, adding that he wanted candidates to be aware of such issues as coastal erosion, health care crises, and fighting crime. He also made clear that while he was looking for the 'best' and the 'brightest' to come and work with him in Louisiana, he had not promised anyone any jobs yet, important in a state that has a reputation for corruption. Jindal enters the Governor's mansion officially in January 2008.
Published in News India-Times dated: 11/02/2007

CITYVIEWS - Domestic Violence Awareness month

2007-10-26T21:22:00.000-07:00

Manavi, a New Jersey-based women's rights organization, held its third annual 'Silent March Against Domestic Violence' on Oak Tree Road in Edison, NJ on Oct. 20. Approximately 30 women, including Manavi board members, staff members and volunteers marched on the busy Middlesex Avenue to raise awareness against domestic violence and abuse.
They were joined by Margaret Cargioli, Monica Gural and Anisa Rahim, attorneys from the Legal Services of New Jersey (LSNJ), who are part of Manavi's pro-bono network and members of 'Woman Aware', a Middlesex County agency providing comprehensive services for victims of domestic violence and shelter for battered women and children.
Marching with banners, signs and placards in English, Hindi, Urdu, Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi and Bengali, they marched silently, going into stores and distributing pamphlets to customers and passers-by.
Curious onlookers, who either had questions about the organization or applauded their efforts, stopped them at every corner. People passing in cars, either honked or waved to register their support.
"One of the main reasons of this march, apart from creating awareness about domestic violence, is creating community accountability," Manisha Kelkar, director of Manavi told Desi Talk. She said that more often that not, domestic violence is not reported because of silence, on the part of the victim and family members. "Silence is what we are getting to the root of."
Kelkar, who has volunteered with Manavi since 2002, was appointed director in 2004.
"Manavi's main focus is empowerment," she said, when asked about the procedure for treating victims. Victims are provided with counseling and advice, they can participate in legal clinics, are given referrals and can join appropriate support groups Kelkar, who believes strongly in women's issues, says one out of three women in the world experience an act of violence. "Manifestations of violence are different in different communities," she said.
"Domestic violence is very common in South Asian communities," Razia Meer, a transitional home coordinator at Manavi, told Desi Talk. "I am here today to get the word across."
Seven staff members and 50 volunteers who dedicate their time and services on a part-time or as needed basis, work at Manavi, Meer said, adding that Manavi works closely with the Legal Services of New Jersey, who work with the victims, offering them legal advice and accompanying them for their court appearances.
Surekha Vaidya, one of the board members of Manavi, who was at the march, said the issues of domestic violence and abuse touched closer to the heart as her sister faced a similar situation. "Fortunately she had family support, but there are a lot of women out there who do not. We are trying to help those women." Vaidya, who volunteers her time at Manavi and handles all the accounting and auditing, added, "a lot of us are in denial, we prefer not to talk about it."
"We at LSNJ love Manavi," Gural said, adding that their partnership with Manavi has been "very productive".
"It is a great feeling dealing with the clients, when we can be of help and can make a difference in their life," Rahim said.
Manavi also manages a transitional safe home called 'Ashiana' for the displaced victims and their children. It provides unrestricted and rent-free accommodation to victims who need time to get back on their feet. By creating a culturally familiar environment where women can share similar foods from the region, practice their religion freely, or speak a familiar language, Ashiana tries to create a safe space for South Asian immigrant battered women who may otherwise feel extremely socially isolated.
"To many of our women, Ashiana is like a lifeline, where they can learn new skills and try and make themselves self-sufficient," Kelkar said, adding that the location of the home is kept confidential for the security of the residents.
A legal coordinator at Manavi, who was marching with Manavi for the first time, said, "This is an effective way to get across to the community. They are not going to come to us, so we have to take the first step."
Dimpal Patel, a volunteer at Manavi, said she was marching to support the cause. Patel, a second-year medical student at Robert Wood Johnson, added, "since the incidents of domestic violence and abuse are so much in the community, it is absolutely necessary to create awareness about it."
Published in DESI TALK Dated:10/26/2007

Theater Off Broadway debut by Sameer Sheikh follows theater roles in India

2007-10-25T22:05:00.000-07:00

Sameer Sheikh, who makes his Off Broadway debut in Abingdon Theatre Compa ny's fall production of Tom Coash's politically charged drama, ‘Cry Havoc', combines native talent with rigorous training.
A product of the young and vigorous English language theater of Bangalore, he caught the discerning eye of India's New Wave guru Naseeruddin Shah, landing a role in Shah's film ‘What If?' Sheikh's Bangalore and Mumbai theater credits include among over a dozen lead roles in India, Herb Morrison in ‘Blackbird 13' at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Mumbai, and Valere in ‘The Flying Doctor' at the Taj Residency in Bangalore.
His theater tools were forged in India but honed in New York where he took a two-year course in the Mesiner Technique. Behind his Off Broadway appearance are years of intense hard work; while taking acting and voice lessons, he works long hours in a Manhattan gym as a personal trainer and weekend evenings tending a bar. Not least of his gifts are speed at picking up accents and at actual combat.
Sheikh is the Egyptian male lover of an expat English writer (played Keith Miller) living in Cairo in the shadow of religious intolerance and political dictatorship, confronting timeless issues that are particularly relevant today. ‘Cry Havoc,' the title of the play, has Shakespearean echoes; the words are a military command unleashing soldiers to go berserk, freed from any rules of war, licensed to mindless rape, pillage and destruction.
Merrill, who appeared in Irish Repertory Theatre's Beowulf and The Bells of Christmas in Manhattan, will play Nicholas Field, the British ex-pat. Sheikh will play Mohammed El-Qahira.
Cry Havoc will run Oct. 20-Nov. 11 in the Dorothy Strelsin Theatre.
The drama had its world premiere in 2003 in a production by Philadelphia's InterAct Theatre Company.
"Surrounded by poverty, religious fundamentalism and political repression, these educated, morally-centered yet disenfranchised men pursue divergent paths toward escape and extremism," according to earlier InterAct notes.
S ameer Sheikh, who makes his Off Broad- way debut in Abingdon Theatre Compa- ny's fall production of Tom Coash's politically charged drama, ‘Cry Havoc', combines native talent with rigorous training. A product of the young and vigorous Eng- lish language theater of Bangalore, he caught the discerning eye of India's New Wave guru Naseeruddin Shah, landing a role in Shah's film ‘What If?' Sheikh's Bangalore and Mumbai theater credits include among over a dozen lead roles in India, Herb Morrison in ‘Blackbird 13' at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Mumbai, and Valere in ‘The Flying Doctor' at the Taj Residency in Bangalore. His theater tools were forged in India but honed in New York where he took a two-year course in the Mesiner Technique. Behind his Off Broadway appearance are years of intense hard work; while taking acting and voice lessons, he works long hours in a Manhattan gym as a personal trainer and weekend evenings tending a bar. Not least of his gifts are speed at picking up accents and at actual com- bat. Sheikh is the Egyptian male lover of an ex- pat English writer (played Keith Miller) living in Cairo in the shadow of religious intolerance and political dictatorship, confronting timeless issues that are particularly relevant today. ‘Cry Havoc,' the title of the play, has Shakespearean echoes; the words are a military command unleashing soldiers to go berserk, freed from any rules of war, licensed to mindless rape, pil- lage and destruction. Merrill, who appeared in Irish Repertory Theatre's Beowulf and The Bells of Christmas in Manhattan, will play Nicholas Field, the British ex-pat. Sheikh will play Mohammed El-Qahira. Cry Havoc will run Oct. 20-Nov. 11 in the Dorothy Strelsin Theatre. The drama had its world premiere in 2003 in a production by Philadelphia's InterAct Theatre Company. "Surrounded by poverty, religious funda- mentalism and political repression, these edu- cated, morally-centered yet disenfranchised men pursue divergent paths toward escape and extremism," according to earlier InterAct notes.

Hindu Activists Accuse Their Leader In India Riots - New York Times

2007-10-25T20:39:00.000-07:00

Hindu Activists Accuse Their Leader In India Riots - New York Times