If you have read my blog for any length of time, you know that I have no patience for illegal immigrants, especially those who demand the right to stay here.

But here is a group that has followed the rules, cooperated with the authorities, and has a reasonable expectation under the law for being granted visas.

But the delay is now somewhere around five years, because immigration authorities have not yet complete the Byzantine process of writing regulations and creating paperwork.

A group of illegal immigrants who were victims of violent crimes sued the Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday, demanding that immigration authorities issue them visas for cooperating with law enforcement.

Under a law passed in 2000, illegal immigrants are eligible for visas if they help law enforcement agencies in the investigation or prosecution of some crimes, including rape, domestic violence, murder and human trafficking. The visas would enable them to work and live in the United States without fear of deportation — and to apply for permanent residency after three years.

"It is outrageous and unconscionable that five years after the Crime Victims Act was passed by Congress, the government has not even issued an application form for crime victims to apply for visas," Peter Schey, the lead attorney for the nine immigrants in the suit, said at a news conference. "As a result, thousands of violent crimes continue to go unreported because immigrants are reluctant to cooperate with police, fearing they will be deported."

The suit was filed in federal court in Los Angeles, and the plaintiffs are from California, Texas and Arizona. Their attorneys are from three Southern California organizations that provide services to immigrants.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services acknowledged Tuesday that none of the special "U visas" for crime victims have been issued anywhere in the country because the department was hammering out the procedures. Spokesman Bill Strassberger said he did not know when the agency would finish writing the regulations but stressed that it was "not on the back burner" and that they needed to be "thorough, concise and clear."

"It's unfortunate that it's been a long time," Strassberger said. The potential visa "is a good law enforcement tool. But before we get the regulations out, they need to be properly written."

No. You know what the intent of Congress. Act upon it. Now.

And in the mean time, normalize the status of those cooperating aliens who have documented their assistance to law enforcement and who have no crimes outside of their immigration related violations.

ItÂ’s the right thing to do.

Posted by: Greg at 03:33 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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