I requested and received permission to copy this post from reckless on FSU:
Some of you know that I’ve been working with the legal team that has been representing Tanith Belbin in the efforts to obtain citizenship in time for the Olympics. We have been working with different organizations and members of Congress since earlier this year and, until now, have not explained our efforts in detail. Now, however, we really are facing our last chance to get something done in time, so we need help from fans, particularly those from Michigan and Illinois. There is very little time remaining to get this done.
The legislative proposal is very simple. The proposal is consistent with the immigration service’s recent steps to process Green Card and citizenship applications more efficiently. The change would affect several thousand people who received Green Cards as people of “extraordinary ability” who used to be required to file piecemeal applications for temporary and then permanent residency. After the people affected by this proposed legislation applied, CIS changed the rule to accept and process these applications simultaneously, greatly speeding up Green Card processing times. The legislation proposes that the people who had to receive multiple approvals of their applications would be treated as if they had applied only once and the approval of their initial approval would become the date from which the time to become a citizen would run. This is not a private bill that would affect Tanith; it would correct an inequity that affects several thousand people who are waiting for citizenship.
CIS has indicated that the provision would not create a processing burden for them. However, it is up to the Department of Homeland Security (in which CIS is housed), the Administration and Congress to propose the measure. We are seeking to have it included in an Appropriations bill, because Appropriations bills must, by law, be enacted each year.
We need people to contact Tanith’s and Ben’s family’s home members of Congress and urge them to support the measure. We are asking people in Michigan and Illinois to call the local offices of their senators. For people in the districts of Congressmen McCotter (Michigan) and Kirk (Deerfield), we also are asking people to call the local offices. These numbers are:
Senator Levin (MI): (313) 226-6020 (Detroit)
Senator Stabenow (MI): (313) 961-4330 (Detroit)
Senator Durbin (IL): (312) 353-4952 (Chicago)
Senator Obama (IL): (312) 886-3506 (Chicago)
Congressman McCotter (MI): (734) 632-0314 (Livonia)
Congressman Kirk (IL): (847) 940-0202 (Deerfield); 847-662-0101 (Waukeegan)
If anyone in any other state wishes to call and express support, we ask that you call the Washington, DC offices of these members of Congress. The numbers are:
Senator Levin (MI): (202) 224-6221
Senator Stabenow (MI): (202) 224-4822
Senator Durbin (IL): (202) 224-2152
Senator Obama (IL): (202) 224-2854
Congressman McCotter (MI): 202.225.8171
Congressman Kirk (IL): 202-225-4835
If anyone would like more information, please feel free to email Barney Skladany and Jessica Weisel, the attorneys representing Tanith. The email addresses are: [email protected] and [email protected].
Some of you know that I’ve been working with the legal team that has been representing Tanith Belbin in the efforts to obtain citizenship in time for the Olympics. We have been working with different organizations and members of Congress since earlier this year and, until now, have not explained our efforts in detail. Now, however, we really are facing our last chance to get something done in time, so we need help from fans, particularly those from Michigan and Illinois. There is very little time remaining to get this done.
The legislative proposal is very simple. The proposal is consistent with the immigration service’s recent steps to process Green Card and citizenship applications more efficiently. The change would affect several thousand people who received Green Cards as people of “extraordinary ability” who used to be required to file piecemeal applications for temporary and then permanent residency. After the people affected by this proposed legislation applied, CIS changed the rule to accept and process these applications simultaneously, greatly speeding up Green Card processing times. The legislation proposes that the people who had to receive multiple approvals of their applications would be treated as if they had applied only once and the approval of their initial approval would become the date from which the time to become a citizen would run. This is not a private bill that would affect Tanith; it would correct an inequity that affects several thousand people who are waiting for citizenship.
CIS has indicated that the provision would not create a processing burden for them. However, it is up to the Department of Homeland Security (in which CIS is housed), the Administration and Congress to propose the measure. We are seeking to have it included in an Appropriations bill, because Appropriations bills must, by law, be enacted each year.
We need people to contact Tanith’s and Ben’s family’s home members of Congress and urge them to support the measure. We are asking people in Michigan and Illinois to call the local offices of their senators. For people in the districts of Congressmen McCotter (Michigan) and Kirk (Deerfield), we also are asking people to call the local offices. These numbers are:
Senator Levin (MI): (313) 226-6020 (Detroit)
Senator Stabenow (MI): (313) 961-4330 (Detroit)
Senator Durbin (IL): (312) 353-4952 (Chicago)
Senator Obama (IL): (312) 886-3506 (Chicago)
Congressman McCotter (MI): (734) 632-0314 (Livonia)
Congressman Kirk (IL): (847) 940-0202 (Deerfield); 847-662-0101 (Waukeegan)
If anyone in any other state wishes to call and express support, we ask that you call the Washington, DC offices of these members of Congress. The numbers are:
Senator Levin (MI): (202) 224-6221
Senator Stabenow (MI): (202) 224-4822
Senator Durbin (IL): (202) 224-2152
Senator Obama (IL): (202) 224-2854
Congressman McCotter (MI): 202.225.8171
Congressman Kirk (IL): 202-225-4835
If anyone would like more information, please feel free to email Barney Skladany and Jessica Weisel, the attorneys representing Tanith. The email addresses are: [email protected] and [email protected].