Ah, the diabolical things SI readers do, both on the blog and off the blog.
One of SI’s non-sisters Arpitha send me the below depressing e-mail a little while ago with aggressive plans to boost unemployment for my fellow Americans.
Hi SI,
I have been following your website for the news. I like the way how you put it together with your good sense of humor.
Me myself as an individual love to read what you publish on the website. So saying that, there might be many Indians who are following your website like I do and may be you are my best source to get the maximum signatures from our fellow Indians on the petition which is been created in the below link:
I dont know how really the petitions work here by getting the signatures needed.
But, I am doing my part as being an Indian to help my brothers & sisters (of course, my hubby and SI are not in that category of brothers and sisters) get their immigration status stabilized.
As you know how important it is to keep up with the immigration laws, status, green card issues…..oh well the list goes on and on.
I would really appreciate if you can publish the above link on your website which might help to get maximum number of signatures needed.
Thank you so much for all the news you bring to us and all the bolly, holly, tolly, kolly…ets masala you bring to us.
Sincerely Thanking you,
Arpitha
Say No to Arpitha if you want to keep unemployment low! 😉
One of the justifications offered in the White House Petition:
Allowing to file for these two applications upon I-140 approval would make lives of several thousands of people waiting in line for priority dates more secure and stop/limit sending money to overseas and spur investment in US, especially in housing industry resulting in more US jobs.
Ha, ha, ha. I have not stopped laughing! Indians investing in ‘our’ housing industry. Or, maybe Arpitha is thinking of the monthly rent she pays.
No, I did not go searching for Arpitha’s Facebook profile!
Please do not ask for Arpitha’s full name.
Remember, you’re all her brothers and sisters (see her e-mail above). 😉
Please, Do Not Sign Arpitha’s Petition added by SearchIndia.com on
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Signed it 😉
I think she knew this is gonna happen!
Arpitha over SI anyday, even if we are her brothers 😛
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. I’m launching a White House Petition to award Major Jagga a.k.a. Vijay the Medal of Honor (highest U.S. military award) for ‘encountering’ over a dozen Sleeper cell Terrorists in Thuppakki! 😉
2. I knew if I asked you guys not to sign Arpitha’s petition you’d do just the opposite. Worked, didn’t it?
I wanted to sign it, but it is asking for a sign in. Too lazy to do that.
– Amazingly Rocking & Perfectly Impressive Brother.
LOL
>> Ha ha ha .. Indians investing in ‘our’ housing industry.
Two of my Indian colleagues at work one on H1B already bought a house and the other on EAD (still waiting to get the GC) is debating whether to buy one given his temporary status.
I doubt whether signing petitions like these would make any difference in the end 😛
However, I did get a mail back from a local senator after signing one such petition:
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. I’m not sure if the Housing market has hit bottom yet. Maybe, your friends ought to have waited a bit longer. But they won’t lose even at current prices.
2. I suspect along with the coming Amnesty for the Illegal Immigrants there will also be some changes in the H1B and GC process.
Most likely, there will be a higher quota for H1B and faster GC processing.
3. But what I’d love to see is a good increase in both H1B and GC Fees.
The H1B fees should be a minimum of $5,000 plus another $3,000 for Premium Processing Fees.
GC fees should be $10,000.
Remember, our (i.e. U.S.) Debt stood at $11.41 trillion at the end of October 2012. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_public_debt
Who better than our Indians to help us (the U.S.) tackle our humongous debt crisis.
As my not-so-favorite actor Ajith Kumar has said, Indians are here to help the U.S. Economy recover. 😉
Pl see below video of English Vinglish from 4:15-4:29
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf2EQg0DHsY
I must confess Ajith was a million times better than Amitabh Bachchan in the Hindi version of English Vinglish.
LOL .. I should try that line from Ajith at the port of entry next time around. I’m sure I’ll be deported though 😛
>> The H1B fees should be a minimum of $5,000 plus another $3,000 for Premium Processing Fees.
Be careful what you wish for. The fee increase could turn into a deterrent and less employers/people would be interested? Take the case of my friend who was ready to gamble with $3000 of his savings towards H1 fees trying to convert his wife’s status from H4 to H1. I’m not sure if he would have tried that if the fee were so high.
If Ajith is right we are already doing the US govt. a big favor by our mere presence / expenditure here 😛 there is no need to pay even more in fees.
>> GC fees should be $10,000.
Please, can I pay in installments? 🙂
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. Whether we like it or not, there will be a big Immigration overhaul soon.
Obama made no secret of it in his press conference yesterday….He said it’s a priority. If the Republicans don’t support him they can kiss goodbye to all hopes for the future.
Along with the immigration overhaul, I expect there will be an all-round increase in Fees for various services…H1B, H4, L1, EAD, 485 etc etc.
H1Bs and GC holders are a non-voting bloc….so the politicians have no reason to fear a backlash from them.
2. You write: The fee increase could turn into a deterrent and less employers/people would be interested?
Where are all these H1Bs gonna go? Tanzania, Ethiopia, Timbuktu, Bangladesh?
They’ll bitch and moan and whine for a few days on various forums and Nasscom will put out a few press statements blah blah blah….but at the end of the day they can’t do diddly.
Bottom Line – You need us more than we need you.
Of course, the fees will not rise as dramatically as I’d like but I suspect there will be an increase.
Y’all have to just grin and help our economy recover since most of you are gonna make Amreeka your future home.
BTW, the movie in the movie is Source Code.
That’s a great time travel kind of movie.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Source Code?….I didn’t realize that.
I liked the film.
There’s an Indian connection in Source Code too as I mentioned in the below review:
http://www.searchindia.com/2011/04/01/source-code-review-interesting-thriller/
Another Indian on his way to join Raj Rajarathnam and Rajat Gupta?
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/NRIs-energy-drink-under-lens-for-13-deaths-in-US/articleshow/17234950.cms
SearchIndia.com Responds:
We don’t know yet.
Just saw his interview with Fox News:
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/11/15/5-hour-energy-ceo-denies-reports-his-drink-linked-to-deaths-says-caffeine-is/
But what I find amusing is that the company claims 5-Hour ENERGY is not an energy drink. 😉
Neither Republicans nor Democrats count on votes from Indian immigrants to win elections.
If you are a hispantic illegal immigrant then Obama’s administration will shower you with pathway to citizenship, healthcare and other such benefits.
If you are any other legal tax paying immigrant who contributes to social security, medicare and other programs then you have to wait in a long line that moves slower than a snail.
Arpitha’s petition is a mild form of blackmail. If you wish to immigrate based on the fact that you will invest in the US then you should consider applying under a different classification of Green Card that is meant for investors -> http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=cf54a6c515083210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=cf54a6c515083210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD
If you are looking for a faster immigration by seducing the White house with your home ownership promises then the next guy in line Mr Shanmugasundaram Velpandian Kattabomman will ask for a faster path and promise to buy snacks from an American retain chain instead of asking his close friend Kanakasabhapathy Krishnaswamy to get Kai-Murukku, Thattai and Badhusha on his return from India.
By the way, if you are saying that you send money to India then maybe IRS will be interested to know how much, how frequently and ask for your tax returns to see if you declared your offshore accounts and the interests it earned. Under some circumstances, such incomes are liable to US tax. 🙂
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Even if Obama throws in an Amnesty for illegal immigrants, which he undoubtedly will soon, the path to citizenship is going to take a long time.
The newly legalized immigrants will have to go to the back of the line…..get GC first……wait 5 years and only then they become citizens.
The good thing is that they will all vote for a Democrat.