On March 6th, American males must submit US Gov paperwork to be introduced to foreign women

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[GermanBusiness]

The Violence Against Women Act signed by President Bush on Jan. 5 contains an almost unnoticed attachment.

Subtitle D, also known as the International Marriage Broker Regulation Act of 2005 (IMBA), will become law when VAWA is enacted. The IMBA is an ostensibly noble measure with a surprising and ominous twist.

The scant attention directed toward the IMBA has been positive.

A headline in Washington State's The Daily Herald announced, "Mail-order brides gain protection" with the subtitle "The mother of a murdered immigrant hopes that pending federal legislation will keep foreign brides from abuse, neglect and slavery."

The "murdered immigrant" refers to Anastasia King, a "mail-order bride" from the former Soviet Union. In 2000, King was murdered by her husband in Washington State where the case created a sensation largely because the husband had violently assaulted a previous "mail-order bride."

Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., and Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., who championed the measure for years, introduced the IMBA to Congress.

Some parts sound reasonable. For example, U.S. consulates will provide "mail-order brides" with brochures that explain their legal rights.

Other parts sound draconian. For example, the IMBA requires American men who wish to correspond with foreign women through private for-profit matchmaking agencies to first provide those businesses with their police records and other personal information to be turned over to the women.

Corresponding with a foreigner is legal. Marrying a foreigner is legal. Immigrating spouses and their husbands go through rigorous and lengthy screening before visas are issued. U.S. laws against violence protect "mail-order brides."

Now American men who wish to pursue a legal activity must release their government files to a foreign business and foreign individuals for their personal benefit.

(Note: The act's language is gender-neutral but its clear purpose is to protect foreign women from predatory American men. Application to "male-order husbands" would be incidental as such 'brides' are relatively rare.)

The disclosure requirement is detailed under the provision entitled "Obligations of International Marriage Broker With Respect to Mandatory Collection of Information."

An international broker cannot provide contact or general information on a foreign woman to an American man unless that broker first collects and discloses to the woman the following information about the man:

Every state of residence since the age of 18; Current or previous marriages as well as how and when they terminated; Information on children under 18; Any arrest or conviction related to controlled substances, alcohol or prostitution, making no distinction on arrests not leading to conviction; Any court orders, including temporary restraining orders, which are notoriously easy to procure; Any arrest or conviction for crimes ranging from "homicide" to "child neglect"; Any arrest or conviction for "similar activity in violation of Federal, State or local criminal law" without specifying what "similar" means. U.S. law will provide foreign women with extensive government information on American suitors that is not similarly offered to American women — which it shouldn't it be either.

Contacting a woman for romantic purposes — internationally or domestically — is not a crime. Those who do so are not a priori criminals who must prove themselves innocent before being allowed an e-mail exchange.

How many American men will be impacted by the IMBA?

[spanalot]

I live in NY too - who sponsors the Magnolia Ball - I would love to attend.

[GarySpFc]

There's always somebody available to clean up the record. The only thing switching the process to Moscow did was up the cost of the bribe. It's just a few bad apples ruining it for the rest of them.

I don't doubt that for a second.

[x5452]

Bottom line is this law the end of the world or just another not particurally big hurdle (when compared to the K-1 process)?

[Paul C. Jesup]

LOL. You forgot to mention bad breath. The last person I knew who traveled to Russia to meet women had very unfortunate breath. He got married over there (his first date in years) and it was wonderful for about three years. She brought her family over and then she flew the coop.

OTOH there are millions of men who have met and married foreign brides and it has worked out very well.

It is amazing, however, the FR men who feel it is okay to hide their nefarious past from their brides.

So to you, a man with bad breath is proof he has a "nefarious past".

That's sexist of you.

[Paul C. Jesup]

I think the issue in the USA is literally competition for feminist women who are in denial that NORMAL men have no interest in anything leftist or feminist.

At least you understand what is actually going on.

[GermanBusiness]

[I think the issue in the USA is literally competition for feminist women who are in denial that NORMAL men have no interest in anything leftist or feminist.

At least you understand what is actually going on.]

Yes. x5452 needs to finally understand what the purpose of these laws are and note that the Democrat Senators from Washington have openly revealed their feelings about men dating foreign women, period.

They want to legislate their hatred.

And they actually succeeded due to some backroom deal that screwed us possibly in favor of the Washington senator Cantwell voting no to a filibuster against Alito.

x5452 asks "is this the end of the world or just another hurdle?"

The answer is that the previous hurdles were outrageous attempts to stop the process at the visa stage.

This takes the hatred and the blockage of the pursuit of happiness right down to the "HELLO I'M JIM" stage!

There is no way this law can hold up in any court. It is so arbitrary. It would have to apply to chatting on the Internet with someone who is not American. It would have to apply to gay American males chatting on the Internet with gay foreign males.

Cantwell wanted to specifically destroy the marriage agencies. She is OK with gays chatting and she is OK with Match.com and Yahoo because "they do more than 50% of their business introducing American women to American men".

She is blatantly trying to protect American women from being bypassed on the dating scene.

This has nothing to do with Anastasia King being murdered any more than Nicole Brown Simpson's murder effected her logic.

She is blatantly trying to protect American women from being bypassed on the dating scene.

And our idiotic Republican Congressmen and our clueless President signed her law on January 6th.

Three days later, President Bush signed a vague law saying you can get two years prison for "annoying someone electronically". The liberals are now taking this to mean you cannot argue with them by email if they publish treason on their websites.

This is not conservative. President Bush needs to be VETOING many of the stupid laws that come to him. We should tell him that is job is to veto more legislation.

[Paul C. Jesup]

Three days later, President Bush signed a vague law saying you can get two years prison for "annoying someone electronically". The liberals are now taking this to mean you cannot argue with them by email if they publish treason on their websites.

This is getting more interesting by the minute.

[Romanov]

"I'm not certain when you brought these ladies over, but unless they have strong ties to home there is no way they qualify under the visa waiver program. I have seen doctors and lawyers turned down. A letter insuring the will guarantee their return has not been helpful. Indeed, we have suggested letters to use, which need to be modified for each case. The only single RW I have seen get a visa was when a man brought her by lying she was coming to help him write a book."

They came over as tourists and left as tourists. There's nothing wrong with that. My letters of support were strong enough that the consular officers had no doubt. Plus, they weren't connected in any way, shape, or form to a marriage agency. If you look past visa connected to marriage/dating agencies you'll see plenty of Russians actually get tourist visas, do a trip to the States, and come home in time. I see nothing wrong with Russians coming over as tourists.

[linda_22003]

My husband and I expect to spend our 20th anniversary this year doing the same thing, in St. Petersburg. :)

[linda_22003]

Well, not the McDonald's part. Just the strolling part.

[ladyjane]

a man with bad breath is proof he has a "nefarious past".

LOL Amazing leap in logic. I wouldn't put money on that if I were you.

Seriously, the poor guy I knew didn't have a good experience. I guess she took off as soon as she got her citizenship. It was three years later. I don't think she had a very good experience either. Not only did he have very bad breath but supposedly he had what they call an anger management problem.

[GarySpFc]

Maybe you had more pull at the consulate than anyone I have known, and that is how you were able to get visas. That said, neither do I see anything wrong with Russians getting tourist visas. I would love to see them be able to visit. However, I do know Russia does not qualify for the Visa Waiver Program due to the large number of Russians which do not return. Unless they have a strong compelling reason to return they will be denied a visa. Look it up for yourself under Visa Waiver Program. You likely are more familiar with this than myself, but the following is from the website of the Moscow Consulate.

Moscow Consulate: Frequently asked questions

A qualified applicant for a U.S. non-immigrant visa is able to demonstrate binding social, familial, and/or economic ties to Russia which, in the opinion of the consular officer, constitute a compelling need to return to Russia after a temporary visit to the United States. Section 214(b) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act requires a consular officer to presume that a visa applicant intends to immigrate to the United States until the applicant provides sufficient evidence to the contrary. For more information, please see the section on supporting documents that can accompany a visa application.

and

Consular officers must evaluate the qualifications of the visa applicant. Section 214(b) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act requires the consular officer to presume that all applicants for a non-immigrant visa do, in fact, intend to immigrate. Applicants may overcome this presumption by presenting evidence of binding social, familial, and economic ties to Russia that are sufficiently strong to compel the applicant to leave the U.S. after a temporary visit. The burden, therefore, is on the applicant to present such evidence at the time of the visa interview. Assurances from friends, family members or associates in the United States do not affect the applicant’s eligibility for visa issuance.

Once again, I am not doubting that you were able to do this, I am just saying I have known hundreds of men's ladies who have been turned down, and only one approved.

[Paul C. Jesup]

LOL Amazing leap in logic. I wouldn't put money on that if I were you.

Well you gave no other examples for your logic in your previous post than "bad breath".

[MensRightsActivist]

"Good. it's about time and I don't care how you try to spin it. It's about time foreign women were protected from animals within our own country.">

Sieg Heil, Femi-supremacist domestic violence industry Nazis uber alas.

I wish you were as concerned about protecting American men from the Feminazi devils (animals) running America's domestic violence industry, ruining men's lives with lies, scams, hate crimes, fraud, violence, man-hating, etc. This is just one more example of pure Nazism being supported by America's elected representatives. You may notice the complete lack of protections for American men in this legislation, protecting them from scamming foreign and domestic women. Once again, this sexist, man-hating law is pure Nazism in America.

[Freebird Forever]

what I'm making light of is the attitude of some Freepers that if you don't agree with them on every issue, then you aren't a conservative.

In my first post to you, I challenged your commitment to Conservatism based upon your support of this leftist-sponsored legislation.

Since then, you've had several opportunities to change my mind and you have squandered every one.

LOL

This last comment from you in particular has me laughing as well.

what I'm supporting is protecting women from the creepy guys that need to get mail order brides.

I can't fathom anyone short of MurryMom utilizing such leftist, feminazi spin to justify her opinion. (somewhere in the distance we can still hear hillary chanting, "It's for the children.")

LOL

But being the forgiving sort that I am, I'm going to provide you with one last opportunity to redeem yourself.

This is a link to an on line copy of our United States Constitution.

Show me where our Founding Fathers authorized the federal government to enact legislation that empowers the fedgov to protect foreign nationals from United States citizens in matters such as this.

Any response to me which does not include a logical justification for this law based on Constitutional principles will be viewed as a complete failure on your part to prove that:
1) this law is Constitutional;
2) you even have a clue what it means to be a Conservative.

[Freebird Forever]

I just wrote Democrat Senator Maria Cantwell asking her how people like me can report themselves when they break her law on March 7th.

Let me know when you receive a reply.

Thanks.

[x5452]

Every resource I've ever used has echoed the same, that it's a guilty until proven innocent interview, and that they must have proof they will return.

They do suggest the following will support your case:
Documents that provide evidence of the applicant’s social, economic, and/or family ties to Russia, as well as correspondence from relatives or business associates you plan to visit, may facilitate the consular officer’s decision. Some examples of documents that may be helpful include:

Evidence of employment. A letter from your employer can be useful.
Evidence of income (and in some cases evidence of your spouse's income), such as earnings statements.
Evidence of immediate family (spouse, children) in Russia.
Evidence of ownership of property.
Evidence of ongoing studies if applicant is still a student.
Evidence of ongoing projects for those in entertainment fields.
Your old passport bearing earlier visas and entry stamps indicating the date on which you returned to Russia (for those who have traveled to the U.S. previously).

[x5452]

Any chance you can help me write the letter of support when we invite my brother in law to come visit? :))

[Romanov]

I can email you the template I used for my mother-in-law... ;)

[Search4Truth]

(H) Notification of the requirement under subsection (d)(3)(A) that international marriage brokers provide foreign national clients with background information gathered on United States clients from searches of Federal and State sex offender public registries and collected from United States clients regarding their marital history and domestic violence or other violent criminal history, but that such information may not be complete or accurate because the United States client may not have a criminal record or may not have truthfully reported their marital or criminal record.

Subtitle D, also known as the International Marriage Broker Regulation Act of 2005 (IMBA),