A recent poll in Arizona shows a 59% of the 409 registered voters questioned support a guest-worker program proposed by three members of the state’s congressional delegation.  The legislation would provide visas for workers entering the country legally who would be matched with employers.  The workers could apply for permanent residency after three years.

Workers who have entered the country illegally would have to register with the government and a pay a $1,500 fine.  These individuals would have to work two three-year periods before being able to apply for permanent residency.

The results of the poll shocked Kathy McKee, the leader of the Protect Arizona Now initiative drive, which would require the state to deny many services to those not here legally.  She claims that those surveyed do not understand that the proposed legislation amounts to amnesty for those who have broken the law by entering the country illegally.

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The consulate in Tunis is now handling immigrant visa processing for Libya and Algeria.

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Victor X. Cerda has been named the Acting Principal Legal Adviser to the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security.  Cerda had been serving as the Chief of Staff for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement within the Department of Homeland Security.  In his new position, Cerda oversees over 600 lawyers nationwide who represent the DHS in removal proceedings and advises enforcement officials within ICE.

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The Washington Farm Bureau is backing two bills currently before Congress that would make changes to the guest worker program for workers already in the country and offer immigrant workers a special visa and the chance to apply for legal permanent resident status.

Recent federal raids of Wal-Mart stores have motivated farmers to take action, as there are thoughts that agriculture might be next.  It is estimated that in Washington there are as many as 100,000 undocumented workers.  Washington has a higher minimum wage than most states, as well as many crops that must be handpicked.

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Thousands of foreign nationals have complained about the people who staff the toll-free phone line provided by the immigration agency, saying they provided wrong information.  The immigration service established the line in late 1999 to make it easier for foreign nationals to find out the status of their cases.

In June, authorities shifted almost all calls about the status of cases to the customer-service line rather than letting some officers at regional document-processing centers handle some, pushing the number of calls up to more than 50,000 calls a day.  Private contractors provide employees to staff the line, under an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security.

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The United States Consulate in Istanbul has suspended its visa operations.  It remains fully staffed to provide any emergency services necessary to American citizens.

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The Department of Labor has informed the American Immigration Lawyers Association that it does not expect the PERM labor certification regulation to be published until early 2004 and for regulation to take effect 120 days after its publication.

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Because of a lack of resources, the United States Chamber of Commerce is calling for a reexamination of American visa policies that may be damaging the U.S. economy by putting too many restrictions on the free movement of legitimate travelers. The Chamber is saying that there needs to be a balance between keeping the nation safe and not setting hurdles for international travelers because so many industries depend on overseas travel.

Currently, the State Department Consular officers conduct face-to-face interviews with every visa applicant, creating backlogs and delays for travelers from many countries with which the U.S. has business relations.  Beginning next year with the U.S. VISIT program, fingerprints will be required from every applicant.

There has been a drop in the number of visas issued since 2001 for visitors to the United States, from 6.9 million to 4.9 million.  Visa applications have decreased 15% from 2002 to 2003.  Starting in October 2004, visitors from Visa Waiver countries will be required to have machine-readable passports, although the United States itself is unable to make that deadline.  International travel into the United States yields $70 billion annually to the economy.