Freeoples ....
Thread 313
Posted on 05/28/2002 8:56:08 AM PDT by Mo1
Freeoples ....
Thread 313
The change, which took effect without advance notice last week, is the result of an Immigration and Naturalization Service decision to begin enforcing a statute that has been on the books for years.
Under federal law, immigrants coming to the United States to study cannot be classified as visitors, but they can't be called students unless they carry a full course load of at least 12 credits.
For years, border points like Buffalo have made exceptions for part-time Canadian students, but following the Sept. 11 attacks, the Buffalo field office of the INS sought a clarification of the policy.
``Since 9-11, there's been a lot more stress on following the letter of the law,'' said Francis Holmes, the Buffalo office's district director.
On May 22, Holmes was told to enforce the policy. The office notified about 20 regional colleges and NAFSA, the National Association of Foreign Student Advisers.
It is unclear how many Canadian and Mexican students will be affected by the change.
Administrators said that while there had been rumblings about policy changes involving foreign students since Sept. 11, they were taken aback at the lack of notice.
``This was just sort of sprung on all of us,'' said Elizabeth White, assistant director of international admissions at the University at Buffalo.
D'Youville College in Buffalo, near the Peace Bridge to Fort Erie, Ontario, has actively recruited students for its nursing and education programs from Canadian hospitals and other work sites for 15 to 20 years.
``As it stands now, we can't recruit part-timers,'' said Robert Murphy, vice president for student affairs. He estimated that 160 of the private college's 2,300 students were Canadians studying part-time during the spring semester. Most are nursing students.
Students already enrolled in courses that began before May 22 will be allowed to complete the summer session, Holmes said. But they will have to stop at INS offices to check in, meaning they'll need to give themselves more time to get to school.
White said the change would affect a small percentage of the university's 3,000 international students, or 30 to 40 people.
``But it's still significant for those students who began their studies here with the assumption they could complete the program part-time and now, in the middle for some of them, they're being told sorry you can't do it that way any more,'' White said.
The INS said it is working with Congress to allow an exemption for part-time commuter students residing in border countries.
In the meantime, D'Youville administrators are discussing ways to allow part-time Canadian students to finish their degrees. Internet courses are a possibility, Murphy said, as is an exchange program that would allow students to take classes at a Canadian college and receive D'Youville credit.
``Our desire is not to leave them out in the cold,'' he said. ``Many have invested a lot of money to be here.''
05/29/02 19:57 EDT
Jill Stein, a physician who has never held public office, could use the money to boost her campaign with television and radio ads.
Stein, 52, said Wednesday that voters care more about hospitals that are closing and skyrocketing housing costs than about maintaining the Democratic Party's dominance in Massachusetts.
``It's convenient for them to blame it on me, but let's not blame this on a candidate who has yet to appear,'' she said. ``The Democrats are already behind. They're losing this election on their own.''
Five Democrats are seeking the party's nomination. The candidate was already likely to face a tough general election campaign against Republican Mitt Romney, former head of the Salt Lake City Olympics.
Democrats worry the Green Party's liberal stances on issues such as the environment, homelessness, and economic inequality will attract Democratic voters.
``If the Green Party gets $3 million in public financing, they don't have a ghost's chance of winning the election, but they'll almost certainly turn the governor's office over to Mitt Romney,'' said Democratic state Rep. James Marzilli.
In the 2000 presidential race, Green Party candidate Ralph Nader did well in Massachusetts, winning 174,000 votes. Nationwide, many people blame Nader for the Democrats' loss, saying his support came at Al Gore's expense.
``Apparently the Green Party wasn't satisfied with putting George Bush in the White House. Now they want to burden us with Mitt Romney in the governor's office,'' said state Democratic Party Chairman Phil Johnston.
It would likely take only a fraction of Nader's total to sway the governor's race this year. Republican Paul Cellucci won in 1998 over Democrat Scott Harshbarger by a mere 65,000 votes.
Stein would get the public money under the state's Clean Elections law, a voter-approved measure that gives public money to candidates who limit their spending and fund raising.
She says she has collected about 6,800 contributions of less than $100, well above the 6,000 the law requires. The state is certifying them now.
Only one statewide candidate has qualified for Clean Elections money so far, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Warren Tolman. The other Democratic candidates are Treasurer Shannon O'Brien, former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich, Senate President Tom Birmingham and businessman Steve Grossman.
Stein and Romney are unopposed in their party. The primaries are Sept. 17, and the general election is Nov. 5.
05/29/02 18:56 EDT
And with them coming into the US at the rate of a million a year (legally) and us rolling out the food stamp wagon complete with free health care and any number of other benefits at tax payer expense that poor Americans often cannot even get, how long do you think we will continue to be the richest country in the world?
A dead pilot is in control of nothing!
I don't think that McGaw and Mineta get that part. They're in the "the bad guy might take the gun away from you" school of idiotic thought. To which I usually reply, "How stupid would I be to let the dirtbag get that close? (before firing, that is)?" and I suppose it's better to have the plane shot down after having the plane taken away from the pilot? But at least the hijacker didn't take the gun away from the pilot!! What a relief...
Why is a bear attracked to to honey (or in the Puptser's case trash cans) .. because it tastes good
The welfare sytems in some States are really easy to get
Example would be CA .. why do you think so many illegals go there .. it is easy to get
They welfare sytems WAS ment to help people till they got back on their feet .. but Americans have become lazy and welfare is now a way of life .. heck why work when the government will pay you to sit on your ass all day ..
Now throw a little liberal civil rights and discrimination in the mix and now it becomes a way of life for illegals
Not sure if I am making sense here .. the problem is not the hard working illegals .. it's the lazy fat ass ones .. and you can thank the socialist commie liberal for that .. also known as the voters
Gee what would the genius senators be saying then
I'm thinking a piliot with a gun has a better chance of not having a plane crash
LOL! Works for me.
Well there is always that 50/50 chance of that happening .. but I figure what is there to lose in taking the chance
And Gee wasn't it these genius that always told people not to do anything .. to stay sited and not confront these terrorist
Just think if Todd Beamer and the rest on that plane did that .. there might not be a Capital Building or a White House
If it wasn't for these brave folks .. there could have been a few dead senators right now
I can't even imagine what they'd be seeing if that plane went down in a residential neighborhood. Probably that passengers should remain seated and not try to attack the poor terrorists, they'll make them crash the plane.
LOL .. good point .. never thought of that
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.