RSS
 

Archive for May 23rd, 2007

The Trouble with Visas

23 May

Jill’s going to love this story:

A millionaire couple accused of keeping two Indonesian women as slaves in their luxurious Long Island home and abusing them for years have been indicted on federal slavery charges…The women legally arrived in the United States on B-1 visas in 2002; the Sabhnanis then confiscated their passports and refused to let them leave their home, authorities said. Identified in court papers as Samirah and Nona, the women said they were promised payments of $200 and $100 a month, but federal prosecutors said they were never given money directly.

So B-1 (business) visas are being used to bring in slaves? Great. Just a little reminder of what B-1 visas are for:

The definition of “business” under immigration law is limited, and does not generally allow for gainful employment, labor for hire or productive activity such as operating a business or consultancy work. Specifically, in the applicable U.S. law the term “business” is limited to the negotiation of contracts, consultation with business associates, litigation, and participation in scientific, educational, professional or business conventions, conferences or seminars and other legitimate activities of a commercial or professional nature.

 

I am not an expert!

23 May

I saw this (late) followup comment on Aqoul, regarding the discussion about movie assistant salaries:

[anon] Liosliath’s blog is par for the course. This is what happens regularly when westerners insist on using their POV to determine what is “right” and “fair” for MENA. She is consistently ignorant on such topics, and Laila, well, she is useless, which is always unfortunate when you hope a native can offer something more than the western line on these sorts of things.

You know, I never claimed to be a Morocco expert. I’ve said many times that my posts are based on personal experience, and should be taken as such. As for comparing me with Laila [Lalami], that’s the best compliment that this anon loser could have given.

P.S. They didn’t provide their email address in the comment, or I would have written to them asking to share some of their OWN stunning insights about MENA. I’m sure they’re completely free from bias.

 
5 Comments

Posted in Blogroll

 

Casa Consulate News

23 May

I saw this on VisaJourney.com, but can’t vouch for its reliability:

remember the consulat closed in april 16th while there were people who passt there interviews and who were told to be back to there visa in monday april 16th or to bring other papers and to comeback to get there visa.what s happening now is that the consulat is calling that people and asking them to come and bring there passeports to have visa,at the same time they r
giving the passseport with visa to people who left there passeport there waiting the consulat to print visa in it.i know to people who got there visa yesterday and an other one who got it this afternoon,and he s the one who called the X to tell him this news.for X,they didn t call him yet but may be next days cause there was people who were asked to comein tuesday and others in wednesday.

 
No Comments

Posted in Blogroll