Author: paaiaadmin

Immigration Small Ball – The Liberal Patriot

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Cuban Adolis Garcia of the Texas Rangers

The Temporary Family Visitation Act may be incremental immigration reform, but it would be a grand slam for foreign-born MLB players.

Jordan Heller | November 1, 2023

Read the Original Article on The Liberal Patriot here

In this year’s World Series between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks, eight key players are representing their home countries of Cuba, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic. Four of those players will emerge victorious. Their natural-born American teammates will be surrounded by family, exulting in their loved ones’ success. But for these international players, victory won’t be as sweet.

Jose Alvarado, the hard-throwing left-handed relief pitcher of the Philadelphia Phillies, who made it to the World Series last year, explained why last month.

“It’s so hard, man,” an emotional Alvarado told reporters after he helped his team win the first game of the National League Wildcard Series. “After the game, I went home and my mom called me [from Venezuela]. She was crying because she missed the World Series last year. This year, I tried to bring her to the United States and the United States wouldn’t give her a visa.”

With nearly 30 percent of MLB players foreign-born, Alvarado is one of many who, despite their resources and importance in American culture, are unable to share their achievement with family. Right now, when a foreign national from a country for which the U.S. offers no visa waiver wishes to visit a U.S.-based relative, they must apply for a tourist visa. It can take years just to meet with a U.S. consular officer for action on an application, which oftentimes results in a denial. Paris Etamadi Scott, an immigration lawyer based in San Jose, California, told me that such consular rejections are “routine” for the many Persian-speaking immigrants she represents. She described for me a catch-22 in which strong family ties in the U.S. give an individual a valid reason to visit while those same family ties give a U.S. consular officer a reason to suspect the applicant intends to immigrate.

“This has been tearing Iranian families apart pretty much since the 1979 Iranian Revolution,” Scott told me. The same can be said for the many Dominican, Cuban, and Venezuelan families with relatives playing Major League Baseball.

But there’s hope for these families: the Temporary Family Visitation Act (TFVA), a tightly-focused bipartisan bill that would establish a new visa for U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to welcome loved ones from abroad.

Many of the above-mentioned tourist visa rejections fall under Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, whereby applicants with family ties in the U.S. are presumed to have intentions to immigrate unless they can prove otherwise. Proving your state of mind to a U.S. consular officer can be a heavy lift.

Instead, the TFVA would provide practical safeguards against visa overstays. During the course of their visit, which under the proposed visa would not exceed 90 days, the traveler would be prohibited from attempting to change their visa status. Also, responsibility for compliance would be shared by the relative based in the U.S., who must petition on behalf of the visa applicant. The U.S.-based petitioner would be required to sign an affidavit claiming financial responsibility for the applicant until they leave the U.S., and if an applicant overstays their visa, the petitioner would be forever barred from the program.

Beyond the moral imperative of allowing families to reunite with loved ones, the new visa would prove a boon to the U.S. economy. According to the U.S. Travel Association, each overseas traveler visiting the U.S. spends $5,000 on average during the course of a stay. With more than 1 million people expected to take advantage of the TFVA annually, that’s more than $5 billion a year in additional travel spending, which economists say would lead to the creation of thousands of jobs.

Passage of a targeted bill like the TFVA could also point the way toward piecemeal reformation of our sprawling and deeply flawed immigration system. Casey Higgins, who served as senior policy advisor to former House Speaker Paul Ryan, argued as much to a December 2022 immigration policy conference:

[With comprehensive immigration reform] every [House] member has a reason to vote no instead of every member having a reason to vote yes, and it has collapsed under its own weight…Instead, take steps in the right direction to do confidence building measures that show that we are not completely inept, that we can do this without the political ramifications burning the place down. We can build the confidence to do more, and more, and more.

I’ve heard this argument from many congressional experts, including lawmakers. Perhaps Dip Patel, who founded the nonprofit organization Improve the Dream to advocate for Documented Dreamers, sums it up best:

Over the last 20 years, imagine if every year we were able to get a narrow improvement in the immigration system. That, essentially, by now, would’ve taken care of most of what we want in comprehensive reform.

The plight of a few baseball players may seem small set beside these other concerns, but here, too, there is much to gain in passing the TFVA. After all, it’s not just the world’s best baseball players who come to the United States; America also attracts the world’s best innovators in medicine, science, and technology. It’s part of what has made this country great.

Regardless of who wins the World Series, there will likely be a post-game interview with one of its Dominican, Cuban, or Venezuelan stars, heartbroken that he couldn’t share the experience with the family he left behind. Other elites in their respective fields who live in India, China, and across Latin America, may be watching and will certainly empathize with the ballplayer’s distress. They, too, may be considering bringing their talents to the U.S. and decide not to come here at all.

But that’s something we can easily remedy.

In Order to Make it Back to the House of Representatives, this Immigration Bill had to Overcome an Unlikely Obstacle: The State Department – Ideaspace

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Stamping a Passport

Jordan Heller | October 23, 2023

Read the original article from Ideaspace

Last month, a bipartisan group of U.S. House members reintroduced the Temporary Family Visitation Act (TFVA), a bill that would create a new nonimmigrant visa for foreign nationals who wish to visit family members in the U.S. As Ideaspace first reported in June of 2022, the bill would address a catch-22 in which foreign nationals with a legitimate reason to visit the U.S. — to connect with relatives who are U.S. citizens OR LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENTS — are routinely denied a tourist visa precisely because of those family ties.

Paris Etemadi Scott, an immigration attorney based in San Jose, California, told Ideaspace that the predicament is commonplace among the many Persian-speaking immigrants she serves. When an applicant for a tourist visa has family ties in the U.S., she explained, a U.S. consular officer will oftentimes reject the application on the basis that because of those family ties the applicant intends to immigrate. Congress itself detailed the issue in a 2014 CRS report.

“And for these families, when that tourist visa gets denied, they have no other option but to apply for that rigorous immigrant visa,” said Scott, explaining how the government is inadvertently driving up Green Card applications by individuals who have no intention to immigrate.  

The TFVA was originally introduced in the House of Representatives in May of 2021, and ultimately garnered 31 House Democrats and 18 House Republicans as co-sponsors — broad bipartisan support by any measure. But the bill floundered in the waning days of the 117th Congress after the House Judiciary Committee asked the State Department — the agency that would be tasked with issuing the new visas — for technical assistance. Among other concerns, State objected on the grounds that the new law would compromise the discretion of U.S. consular officers. Furthermore, State claimed there was no need for the bill as the tourist visas were meeting demand. Fearing the prospects for the bill would be dim without State’s support, TFVA authors did not feel confident advancing the bill out of the Judiciary Committee. 

It’s a situation that frustrated supporters of the TFVA, as unelected government officials were effectively obstructing the legislative process. 

“I’m not sure the State Department sees it the same way as our citizens do,” said Rep. Scott Peters, a Democrat from southern California who reintroduced the TFVA with Republican congresswomen Stephanie Bice and María Salazar. “People can’t get the ability to visit family because they’re denied a visa. And parents should be able to attend their kids’ weddings, and children should be able to attend their parents’ funerals. And I would just say to the State Department, that’s not happening right now. And they may think that that’s fine, but I think a lot of us in a very bipartisan way don’t believe that that’s fine.

“And as far as [State’s] discretion,” continued Rep. Peters. “I guess that it’s the Congress that sets these priorities in conjunction with the president.”

John-Mark Kolb, the deputy chief of staff to Rep. Salazar, one of the two Republican congresswomen who reintroduced the TFVA with Rep. Peters, also disputed State’s position on the bill.

“Our constituents are pissed,” said Kolb, whose boss’s congressional district covers much of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, home to a large immigrant population with roots in Latin America. “We have one constituent with a family member in Bogotá, Colombia. Last time I checked, the wait to get an appointment just to see if you qualify for a visitor visa was over two and a half years. And then if the consular officer says, ‘No. Denied,’ then you’re saying you have to go through that process again? It’s absurd.”

Kolb went on to explain how the COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated the problem. With consular offices shut down due to pandemic protocols and no online processing put into place, the backlog grew to historic proportions.

“If [State] is going to tell people to work from home, you need to figure out a process to do this [online],” said Kolb, whose office introduced a separate bill to address the extended wait times. Kolb said that on this issue, too, State denied the existence of a problem. “And then when Congress has to step in and say, ‘Okay, we’re going to fix this,’ don’t tell me there’s not a problem.”   

Nevertheless, after the conclusion of the 117th Congress, TFVA authors set about addressing the State Department’s concerns. If for nothing else, so that if and when the bill reaches the White House, the president can push aside any remaining concerns of the State Department. 

Regarding the claim that tourist visas are meeting demand, lawmakers added an amendment to the FY24 State, Operations Appropriations Bill requiring the State Department to audit its rejections of nonimmigrant visa applications based on the presumption that those applicants intended to immigrate, which falls under Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Currently, records do not show the reason a consular officer invoked Section 214(b). TFVA supporters expect the audit will show that a significant number of those 214(b) rejections were based on applicants’ family ties to the U.S. In addition to neutralizing State’s claim that tourist visas are meeting demand, TFVA supporters believe that such an audit will help garner more congressional support for the bill. 

TFVA authors also added revisions to the bill itself, including language that would require petitioners to state that a family member wishing to visit the U.S. had not previously overstayed a visa, and, most importantly, language meant to retain the discretion of consular officers. If an applicant meets all requirements needed to avoid a  214(b) rejection, a consular officer will have other grounds for denial, like national security concerns.

Despite their frustrations with State, both Rep. Peters and Deputy Chief of Staff Kolb are ultimately happy that State had the opportunity to offer input on the latest iteration of the bill.    

“Agencies have the right to give their opinions on legislation when asked,” said Kolb. “And I know [that State] made technical changes to the bill to make it better. Writing bills can be hard sometimes, and there’s little lines that you can tweak and things that members of Congress don’t see on the front end, and that’s part of the legislative process. So they did provide valuable feedback on actually, if this bill becomes law, changing this word here would make it better.”

Said Rep. Peters: “At the end of the day, it’s the State Department that’s going to be implementing the law. And so it’s good to have them on board and ready to be able to successfully implement it, if those laws are going to make a difference.”

With the State Department’s concerns addressed and the bill reintroduced in the House, now the challenge for the TFVA is navigating the 118th Congress. The Republican conference’s failure to unite behind a speaker shows that the House remains in thrall to some of the GOP’s most extremist, anti-immigration elements, so getting the TFVA to a vote on the House floor would seem an uphill climb. But some in Congress, including Rep. Peters, see an impasse on comprehensive immigration reform as an opening for smaller, more niche pieces of legislation like the TFVA.

As Rep. Peters told me in a previous article about the prospects for immigration reform in the 118th Congress, many members often refrain from spending their political capital on narrow reforms like the TFVA, out of fear that such votes will weaken their leverage for passing bigger priorities like the DREAM Act. “But it’s been pretty clear over the last 10 years that comprehensive immigration reform is maybe an elephant that has to be eaten one bite at a time,” said the congressman. “So, for me, I’m willing to take smaller bites.”

As the thinking goes, with comprehensive immigration reform being a non-starter in the 118th Congress, there’s plenty of appetite for reforming the immigration system piecemeal. Furthermore, smaller bills like the TFVA do not generate the same political heat as comprehensive reforms. 

“A lot of this [small] stuff goes under the radar,” said Rep. Peters.

Beyond the smallness of the TFVA, Kolb believes the bill has qualities that are uniquely attractive to Republican House members. Namely, its focus on family, economics, and security.

“Republicans believe in family values,” said Kolb. “But we also have security to think about. And this bill helps bridge that gap and allow families to see their loved ones, but in a way that protects the integrity of our immigration system because these are temporary visas. And there are safeguards put in place to protect against visa overstays. 

“Of course on the economic side, the U.S. brings a lot of tourists every year,” said Kolb. “But we have room to grow on tourism and this [bill would help that growth].

According to the U.S. Travel Association, each overseas traveler visiting the U.S. spends on average $5,000 during the course of a stay. With more than 1 million people expected to take advantage of the TFVA annually, that’s more than $5 billion a year in additional travel spending, which economists say would lead to the creation of tens of thousands of jobs.

But above all, Kolb believes the TFVA is unique because it doesn’t fall along the traditional dividing lines of immigration.

“Immigration is a very political topic,” said Kolb. “But this one is a simple, targeted, effective fix to a real problem that constituents are experiencing. So I think [passage is] more down to member interest, down to districts who maybe have more American citizens with families abroad and/or live in areas where tourism is bigger. At the end of the day, this bill is just the right thing to do.”

Reps. Peters, Bice, Himes, Salazar Reintroduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill to Ease Temporary Visits to the U.S. – Press Release

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Scott Peters Press Release

Representative Scott Peters Press Release | August 9, 2023

Read the original press release here.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representatives Scott Peters (D-CA-50), Stephanie Bice (R-OK-5), Jim Himes (D-CT-4), and María Elvira Salazar (R-FL-27) reintroduced the Temporary Family Visitation Act (TFVA) to ease obstacles for travelers looking to temporarily enter the United States to visit family. Under the current system, travelers to the United States must apply for a B-2 visitor visa and be assessed for potential intent to overstay their visit and remain in the United States permanently. Factors considered in determining intent to overstay include family connections or employment opportunities in the United States. This places applications at a higher risk of denial for those who wish to visit family solely for special occasions like graduations and the birth of a grandchild.

The TFVA would establish a new B-3 nonimmigrant visa category specifically for relatives of U.S. citizens and permanent residents that would allow stays of up to 90 days per calendar year. The application would require a U.S. family member to sign a letter of financial support for the applicant and would be prohibited from sponsoring an applicant if a previously sponsored relative overstayed their visa. The bill also requires applicants to purchase travel medical insurance for the duration of their stay. Finally, the TFVA would prohibit travelers entering the country on a B-3 visa from filing a change of status application while in the United States.

“Hundreds of constituents have asked my office to help them obtain a visitor visa for family members so they can attend meaningful events such as weddings, graduations, and childbirths. The bill we introduced today will make practical changes that make it easier for families to be together for these special occasions while strengthening our tourism-driven economy in San Diego,” said Rep. Peters. 

“Allowing family members of U.S. citizens or permanent residents to temporarily visit the United States to be reunited for a funeral, a wedding, or to meet a new grandchild, is the right thing to do. The current visa options significantly limit the amount of time an individual can stay in the country. This legislation allows for visitation up to 90 days and ensures that the U.S. family member is responsible for the financial and medical support of the visitor during their stay,” said Rep. Bice.  

“Life’s most meaningful moments are meant to be shared. This legislation would help families living across national borders come together for weddings, graduations, childbirths, and other special occasions without opening a door for visitors to overstay their VISAs. I am proud to join this bipartisan group of lawmakers in introducing this important legislation to help my constituents reunite with their loved ones,” said Rep. Himes.

“Thousands of my constituents in South Florida have families overseas they have not seen in years – including many that have come here as refugees from some of Latin America’s most brutal regimes.The Temporary Family Visitation Act finally gives those families a chance to reunite, boosts our economy, and ensures our visa laws are respected and enforced,” said Rep. Salazar.

U.S. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) plan to reintroduce the Senate companion to this bill soon.

Family members allowed to apply for B-3 nonimmigrant visas under the TFVA would include spouses, children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, siblings, uncles, aunts, nieces, and nephews.

“The TFVA advances the interests of Iranian Americans and all Americans who have loved ones who live abroad. This much-needed legislation will boost our local economies while also underscoring the United States’ commitment to family values. Thanks to the efforts of Representatives Peters, Bice, Himes, and Salazar, and Senators Paul and Blumenthal, the TFVA provides the opportunity for loved ones to finally come together for life’s most important moments. PAAIA encourages Congress to take swift action to pass this legislation,” said PAAIA Executive Director Neda Bolourchi.

Full text of the legislation here.

The Temporary Family Visitation Act (TFVA) Reintroduced with Bipartisan Support – PAAIA

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TFVA was Reintroduced with Bipartisan Support

PAAIA Press Release | July 25, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 
Contact: Shannon Kuehn  
Position: Director of Communications, PAAIA 
Email: [email protected] 
Phone: (202) 828-8370 

Washington, D.C. — The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) welcomes the reintroduction of the Temporary Family Visitation Act (TFVA) in the House. Led by Representatives Scott Peters (D-CA), Stephanie Bice (R-OK), Jim Himes (D-CT), and Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), this bipartisan legislation will establish a new visa category specifically designed to allow family members of U.S. citizens and permanent residents to temporarily visit the United States.  

“For years, PAAIA has spearheaded efforts to address the flaws in our nation’s visa system. Today’s reintroduction of the TFVA is a tremendous step in the right direction as we work with members of Congress to find solutions to the high visa denial rates faced by many in our community,” said PAAIA Executive Director Neda Bolourchi. “Establishing a new visa category for family members to temporarily visit the U.S. will benefit all Americans with loved ones abroad as well as boost our local economies through travel and tourism while simultaneously addressing Homeland Security issues.” 

Originally introduced in the 117th Congress, the TFVA previously had 48 cosponsors and has been endorsed by 21 organizations. The bill has gathered much support among ethnic communities and the tourism industry as it not only embodies the principle of family reunion but also has the potential to bring in billions of dollars and create millions of jobs. In fact, the U.S. Travel Association estimates that each overseas traveler spends approximately $4,300 when they visit the U.S. and in 2018, international travel spending directly supported 1.2 million U.S. jobs. 

Currently, family members wishing to visit their relatives in the U.S. must do so through B-2 visitor visas under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).  Unfortunately, B-2 visitor visa applicants face unnecessarily high denial rates due to the presumption that applicants with family in the U.S. intend to immigrate. In response, many end up applying for immigrant visas as the only path to visit their loved ones in the U.S. 

The TFVA addresses this issue by creating a new B-3 nonimmigrant visa category specifically allowing U.S. citizens and permanent residents to petition for their relatives to visit them in the United States.  The bill requires petitioners to sign a letter of financial support and mandates that applicants make specific and realistic plans and purchase travel medical insurance. To dissuade visa overstays, the TFVA prevents visitors from changing their visa status, limits the duration of the stay to 90 days, and prohibits petitioners from using the TFVA if they had a relative that previously overstayed their visa. 

“PAAIA takes immense pride in its leadership role in driving the introduction of TFVA, a transformative piece of legislation that stands to positively impact American families, businesses, and communities,” said Bolourchi. “PAAIA remains dedicated to advancing the interests of the Iranian American community and advocating for the unification of families through secure, enhanced visa policies.” 

PAAIA would like to thank Atoosa Vakili, Esq. and Ali Rahnama, Esq. for their counsel and assistance in helping draft TFVA.   


 

Making American visits and vacations possible for all travelers and families – San Jose Spotlight

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Mineta San Jose International Airport

By Elham Sadri | June 21, 2022

Read the original article here.

When President Joe Biden repealed the Muslim travel ban in 2021, the Persian community rejoiced. Our family members abroad could finally visit loved ones in America. After years of separation, mothers, sons and grandparents looked forward to reuniting and hugging each other at long last.

But there was a catch. If you live in 155 countries, including my native Iran, you need a tourist visa to come to the U.S. These can take months to procure, and applications are denied at high rates, according to the government. For example, the denial rate for Iran was over 85% in 2020. That’s because the United States is incredibly picky about who it lets into the country—especially long term. So even if you simply want to come here for a few weeks or months, the U.S. government might claim you are trying to immigrate permanently.

This puts families in a terrible position. It means residents of dozens of countries are restricted from visiting their family members in America for weddings, birthdays and graduations. Events that come up on short notice—like funerals and births—are even harder to get to.

Thankfully, a piece of bipartisan legislation could help: the Temporary Family Visitation Act would establish a new nonimmigrant category—the B-3 visa—allowing U.S. citizens and green card holders to bring their families here for up to 90 days. It has accountability measures built in, requiring each applicant to sign an affidavit of financial support and purchase travel medical insurance for their loved one.

This bill recognizes how vital family connections are to a person’s overall wellbeing. It’s something we all understand, especially after pandemic quarantines.

Today, every American knows how painful it feels to be separated from family and friends who are sick or dying. We know the sadness of having to meet a new baby or attend a wedding through a screen. It’s why this new proposal was co-authored by a strong, bipartisan team: Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Rand Paul (R-KY) and Representatives Scott Peters (D-CA-52), María Elvira Salazar (R-FL-27), Stephanie Bice (R-OK-05) and Jim Himes (D-CT-04). The Temporary Family Visitation Act isn’t an immigration bill, it’s a human bill.

There are other reasons this bill is a good idea. Currently, anyone who manages to get a green card through family could potentially apply for a single-entry tourist B1/B2 visa. Many people submit such an application so they can visit again in the future without the bureaucratic hassle of applying for another single-entry tourist visa. But there is currently a massive backlog for family-based visas. Millions are waiting “in line,” and some have been waiting as far back as 2001. Every temporary visitor who applies for permanent residency just because they can hurts those who truly need that status.

As a native-born Iranian and the founder of a San Jose-based immigration law firm, I see these situations every day. My clients who are facing serious medical issues can’t wait months or years for their family members to get visa approval. In fact, my own beloved parents in Tehran can’t come to visit without suffering through an elongated, difficult process.

It’s also personal for my family. When I finished law school 10 years ago, my parents couldn’t attend my graduation. Over the last decade, they’ve been able to visit me just once, in 2015. From start to finish, the tourist visa process took more than a year: filing the application, getting an interview, doing an administrative background check and finally getting to the U.S. It was so overwhelming and stressful that they didn’t want to repeat the experience.

My youngest sister, who came to the U.S. to get her PhD in biomedical engineering in 2017, hasn’t seen our parents in five years. That’s because the nonimmigrant visa for international students is single entry, like 90% of other Iranian PhD students in the U.S. She has not been able to travel back to Iran to visit family even during summer vacation, Christmas and the New Year when everyone spends time with their family. Both of our grandmothers passed away over the last couple of years, and she was not able to go to Iran to grieve with our family.

The situation is especially frustrating because citizens of 38 countries, largely across the European Union, can bypass the tourist visa process altogether. They’re eligible for a visa waiver, meaning they simply complete an online form and hop on an airplane.

Finally, the Temporary Family Visitation Act would benefit the U.S. tourism industry—something we also need in the wake of COVID-19 shutdowns. The U.S. Travel Association estimates that every overseas traveler who visits the United States spends about $4,200 over the course of an 18-night stay. The same organization estimated that, in 2019, international travel indirectly supported 1.2 million U.S. jobs and $33.7 billion in wages annually.

Tourism jobs and the 2.2 million additional jobs in other sectors such as construction, accounting and marketing would be positively affected. It’s good for the economy when visitors stay in our hotels, eat in our restaurants and visit our museums and other attractions.

The Temporary Family Visitation Act isn’t perfect; a visa that is good for six months instead of three would be more useful. But I’m still pleased lawmakers across the aisle recognize the importance of familial bonds—whether it’s a new mother who needs the support of her mom or a dying sibling who craves his brother’s smile. We are already separated by thousands of miles. Government bureaucracy shouldn’t make the distance worse.

Elham Sadri is the founder of Sadri Law, a law firm specializing in immigration issues in San Jose. She’s also chair of the Santa Clara Valley chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and co-founder of the Iranian Lawyers in North America group. 

Now is the Moment for Action to Unite Jewish Families – Jewish Journal

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Jewish Iranian American Elected Official in California Pens Op-Ed on Temporary Family Visitation Act

October 12, 2021

Read original version on Jewish Journal website here.

By Sunny Zia

The Jewish high holy holidays mark the beginning of a new year—a quintessential time to unite community and family in culture and faith. 

Sadly, holidays such as graduations, weddings, and bar and bat mitzvahs are often a painful reminder of the barriers that prevent our loved ones from being able to share special moments with family here in the United States. Current legislation before Congress aims to solve this problem. Bi-partisan legislation introduced this year in both the U.S. House and Senate seeks to establish a new, non-immigrant B-3 visa category to allow family of U.S. citizens and permanent residents to temporarily visit them. The Temporary Family Visitation Act (TFVA), supported by more than 20 ethnic and economic organizations, is estimated to impact between one to two million visa applicants per year—supporting efforts to strengthen both families and our nation’s economy. According to the U.S. Travel Association, in 2018 international travel spending directly supported about 1.2 million U.S. jobs and $33.7 billion in wages.

AS A PROUD MEMBER OF THE NATION’S VIBRANT PERSIAN JEWISH COMMUNITY, I HAVE SEEN FIRST-HAND THE ISSUES CREATED BY OUR COUNTRY’S FLAWED VISA SYSTEM. – Sunny Zia

A new B-3 visa category will make it easier for husbands and wives, siblings, grandparents and uncles and aunts to visit family in the U.S. while at the same time dissuading visa overstays. This is extremely important to me because, as a proud member of the nation’s vibrant Persian Jewish community, I have seen first-hand the issues created by our country’s flawed visa system. 

Recently, a friend of mine made Aliya and was attempting to return to the U.S. with her Israeli partner to spend time with her family for the High Holy Days. Unsurprisingly, their trip was stalled after her partner experienced difficulty obtaining a visitor visa. 

The sad truth is that Israelis and Iranians, among others, are frequently denied visas because of the assumption that they will overstay their visa term. In fact, every year, millions of people are denied the ability to visit family in the United States because there is no visa category specifically designed to allow their travel. This forces family members of U.S. citizens and permanent residents to apply for B-2 visitor visas under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which is not specific to family reunions and results in an unnecessarily high denial rate since it is presumed the applicant intends to immigrate, according to a Congressional Research Service (CRS) report.

This frustrating process has resulted in a “why bother” attitude among many. Why bother with the headache of uniting grandparents with their grandkids? Why bother with repeatedly trying to fly in aunts and uncles for weddings? Why bother with hopeless attempts to bring relatives together for the holidays? Why bother when it always ends in confusion, pain and, ultimately, disappointment? 

While the travel ban of the previous administration only complicated things further, obtaining a visa for loved ones to temporarily visit has always been a challenge. In fact, there are countless policies in existence today that unjustly target individuals traveling to the U.S. based on their ethnicity, religion and country of origin. These policies separate families and fan the flames of xenophobia and antisemitism across the country.    

TFVA is an opportunity to support a policy that welcomes inclusion and greater connectivity between Americans and their relatives abroad. It’s time we stop punishing Americans for wanting their families to come visit and break down the barriers that continue to disconnect us from those we love. 

Congress, much like our nation, is deeply divided, especially on issues involving immigration. It will take all of us to make the case for congressional leaders to come together to prioritize and advance TFVA. I am encouraged by the bill’s bipartisan sponsors—Senators Rand Paul and Richard Blumenthal and Representatives Scott Peters, Lou Correa, Stephanie Bice, Jim Himes and María Elvira Salazar—and hopeful their unity on this issue will inspire others to do the same. 

Please join me in supporting TFVA and tell your legislators today why they should too. It will take our collective voice to push this bill forward, but the opportunity to get this critical legislation across the finish line has never been greater. Now is the moment to bring our families together by passing TFVA.

Sunny Zia is the first Jewish-Iranian American woman elected official in California and a past executive board member of the Jewish Federation of Long Beach. 

Opinion: It’s time to let U.S. immigrants’ families abroad visit them more easily – San Diego Union-Tribune

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PAAIA Board Member Haida Mojdehi Pens Op-Ed on Importance of TFVA

October 20, 2021

Read original version on San Diego Union-Tribune website here.

By Haida Mojdehi

As we close out National Immigrant Heritage Month and prepare for the Fourth of July, there is much cause for celebration but also an urgent need for action on the barriers that continue to prevent immigrants from achieving the full promise of the American dream.

Discriminatory policies enacted by the previous administration stifled progress within immigrant communities. By unjustly targeting individuals based on their ethnicity and country of origin, families were separated and the flames of xenophobia were fanned across the country.

As an Iranian American, having fled to this country on the eve of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, these actions were particularly hurtful and alarming to me. Banning my community’s ability to reunite with loved ones caused pain, confusion and heartbreak.

Repeal of the travel ban on President Joe Biden’s first day in office was a refreshing step in the right direction. And while the president’s action opened the door to greater acceptance and inclusion, it did not erase substantial challenges facing immigrant communities who wish to stay connected to those abroad.

Every year, millions of people are denied the ability to visit family in the United States, as there is no visa category specifically designed to allow their travel to the U.S. This forces family members of U.S. citizens and permanent residents to apply for B-2 visitor visas under the Immigration and Nationality Act. These visas do not target family reunions and result in an unnecessarily high denial rate, for it is presumed the applicant intends to immigrate, according to a Congressional Research Service report.

This problem with our nation’s visa system is nothing new. It has plagued American immigrant communities for decades, but it became increasingly burdensome during the travel ban era which formalized denials through a blanket policy. The result? Countless weddings were missed, seats remained empty at graduation ceremonies, and grandparents are yet to meet their grandchildren.

Recently introduced legislation by Rep. Scott Peters, D-San Diego and a bipartisan team of House and Senate colleagues will solve this problem. The Temporary Family Visitation Act, supported by more than 20 ethnic and economic organizations, would establish a new, non-immigrant B-3 visa category to allow the loved ones of U.S. citizens and permanent residents to temporarily visit them.

Estimates show that the B-3 category could impact between 1 to 2 million visa applicants per year — supporting efforts to both strengthen American families and build back our nation’s economy. According to the U.S. Travel Association, in 2018, international travel spending directly supported about 1.2 million U.S. jobs and $33.7 billion in wages. At a time when America is looking for ways to rebuild local economies and support the U.S. travel and tourism sector, creation of this new visa category could significantly boost the economy through indirect spending and create a sizeable number of U.S. jobs — an attractive feature that has captured the attention of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, Los Angeles Business Council and the Asian Business Association of San Diego, among others.

And while the Temporary Family Visitation Act is attractive to American immigrant communities, it includes safeguards to dissuade immigration. Visits must be temporary, a letter of financial support must be signed, and the applicant must purchase travel medical insurance, make specific and realistic plans for the course of their visit and limit their stay to 90 days. Further, the Temporary Family Visitation Act would prohibit individuals traveling under the B-3 visa from changing their visa status and would prohibit the petitioner from using the visa category if they had previously sponsored a relative who overstayed.

E pluribus unum, which in Latin means out of many one, has traditionally been the motto of our nation, which was built and enriched by immigrants. However, despite recent progress, barriers continue to separate many Americans from their loved ones abroad. It is time to bring these families together; it is time to let families visit. The Temporary Family Visitation Act can safely and effectively do just that.

PAAIA Celebrates Bipartisan, Bicameral Introduction of the Temporary Family Visitation Act – PAAIA

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PAAIA Celebrates Bipartisan, Bicameral Introduction of the Temporary Family Visitation Act

PAAIA Press Release | May 13, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact:  Emily Pappas
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (231) 357-6330

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA), a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization serving the interests of the Iranian American community, applauded the introduction of the Temporary Family Visitation Act (TFVA) in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate by a bipartisan team of sponsors including Reps. Scott Peters (D-CA), Stephanie Bice (R-OK), Jim Himes (D-CT) and Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). TFVA will establish a new visa category to allow the loved ones of U.S. citizens and permanent residents to temporarily visit the United States – a win for American families and our nation’s economy. 

“Today’s introduction of TFVA in both the U.S. House and Senate marks a tremendous victory for our community and all Americans with family abroad,” said PAAIA Executive Director Leila Austin. “For nearly three years, PAAIA has been a lead advocate for solutions to address our nation’s deeply flawed visa system because we recognize that establishing a new temporary visa for visits will benefit families, local economies, and U.S. travel and tourism. Thanks to the efforts of Reps. Peters, Bice, Himes and Salazar and Sens. Paul and Blumenthal, TFVA offers families hope that someday soon they may be able to share weddings, holidays and much more with those they love.”     

PAAIA is joined in its support of TFVA by Emgage, Hindu American Foundation, Republican National Hispanic Assembly, United Macedonia Diaspora, U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce, Greater Naples Chamber, Lodging & Hospitality Association of Volusia County, Los Angeles Business Council and the Naples Visitor’s Bureau, among others – a list that underscores the bill’s appeal to ethnic communities as well as local economies. These proponents of TFVA are among those that formed Let Families Visit, a campaign aimed to raise awareness about the legislation and encourage other organizations and individuals to take action in support of TFVA. Watch the first Let Families Visit video here.  

TFVA would establish a new B-3 nonimmigrant visa category allowing U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents to petition for their family members to visit them temporarily. The family members included are spouses, children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents, siblings, uncles, aunts, nieces, and nephews. The application requires that the petitioner sign a letter of financial support and for the applicant to purchase travel medical insurance for the duration of stay. The requirements ensure that the applicants make specific and realistic plans for the course of their visit and dissuade visa overstays by prohibiting individuals traveling under the TFVA from changing their visa status, limiting the duration of stay to 90 days, and prohibiting the petitioner from using the TFVA if they had previously sponsored a relative who overstayed their period of authorized admission. 

Currently, there is no visa specifically designed to temporarily reunite U.S. citizens and permanent residents with their relatives. Family members are obliged to apply to visit their relatives in the U.S. through B-2 visas under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). However, B-2 visitor visas lack consideration for family reunion resulting in an unnecessarily high denial rate for it is presumed that applicants with family members in the U.S. intend to immigrate.A Congressional Research Service (CRS) report found that the presumption of immigration has resulted in a very high rate of denials and pushed some to apply for immigrant visas as the only path to visit their relatives in the U.S.

“For far too long, our community has had to settle for policies that seek only to undo harmful laws that should have never been enacted in the first place,” added Austin. “TFVA advances the interests of Iranian Americans and countless other communities while also promoting a core American value – family. PAAIA will continue to be a strong proponent and vocal advocate for TFVA, and we urge Congress to move swiftly to enact this much-needed legislation.” 

According to the U.S. Travel Association, each overseas traveler spends approximately $4,200 when they visit the U.S. and stays on average 18 nights. In 2018, international travel spending directly supported about 1.2 million U.S. jobs and $33.7 billion in wages. Based on PAAIA’s estimates of potential people who could take advantage of this new visa as well as tourism spending, TFVA could significantly boost the economy through indirect spending and create a sizeable number of U.S. jobs.

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Paul and Blumenthal Bill would Create Temporary Visas for Families to Reunite – Washington Examiner

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Paul and Blumenthal Bill would Create Temporary Visas for Families to Reunite

by Emily Brooks, Political Reporter  |  May 13, 2021

A bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Sens. Rand Paul and Richard Blumenthal, introduced a bill on Thursday that aims to make a new category of temporary visas to allow family members to visit the United States for major life events such as weddings, funerals, and births more easily.

The Temporary Family Visitation Act would create a new 90-day B-3 visa category for family members of American permanent residents and citizens. Under the current system, many family members must apply for a B-2 tourist visa to attend major life events in the country or visit their family. But the current system’s measures to prevent visa overstays include assessing those with personal ties in the U.S., having the effect of high denial rates to family members and keeping families apart.

“We’ve heard constant complaints from our members that they have such a difficult time trying to get visitor’s visas for family members to come and visit them for special occasions,” said Morad Ghorban, director of government affairs and policy at the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans, which was instrumental in crafting the bill. “If you have family in the United States, it weighs against you because there is a sort of intent-to-emigrate clause within the B-2 tourist visa, and that’s why you see a lot of denial rates for B-2 visas that are connected to people that have family in the United States.”

“The Temporary Family Visitation Act is a great step forward in allowing family members of U.S. citizens/permanent residents to responsibly visit the United States for memorable occasions such as weddings, births and graduations,” Paul said. “The legislation will strengthen our economy through indirect spending and has the support of a large coalition of groups who agree that it is time to allow family members to visit the United States under responsible enforcement mechanisms to ensure that applicants do not overstay their visa.”

Under the bill, a U.S.-based family member must get an affidavit of financial support for their family member for them to receive a B-3 visa. And as a self-enforcement mechanism, applicants may not create new petitions for admission of more relatives if a previous relative overstayed a visa.

“The birth of a child, and the marriage of two people, I think, are seminal moments in the lives of people. And right now, those are not qualifying criteria for a visa,” said Daniel Garza of the Libre Initiative.

Proponents of the bill argue that it would benefit the U.S. economy.

“The expanded travel opportunities that the bill enables would benefit thousands of American businesses as more international travelers visit family in the U.S.,” Garza said. “International travel indirectly supports 1.2 million U.S. jobs and over $30 billion in wages.”

Additional measures in the program to prevent visa overstays include requiring applicants to get travel medical insurance and preventing visa recipients from changing their visa status while in the U.S.

A deeply divided Congress creates a tough road ahead for the bill, but early bipartisan support makes advocates of the legislation optimistic.

“This is a small change,” Ghorban said, “but a very practical solution. And that is why we’re getting bipartisan support, not only from members of Congress but different community groups, from progressive organizations to conservative organizations.”

The bill also has support from the Republican National Hispanic Assembly, Muslims for America, the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the Pars Equality Center, among other groups.

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Reps. Peters, Bice, Himes, Salazar Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill to Ease Temporary Visits to the U.S. – Press Release

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Reps. Peters, Bice, Himes, Salazar Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill to Ease Temporary Visits to the U.S.

Representative Scott Peters Press Release | May 13, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representatives Scott Peters (CA-52), Stephanie Bice (OK-05), Jim Himes (CT-04) and María Elvira Salazar (FL-27) introduced the Temporary Family Visitation Act (TFVA) to ease obstacles for travelers looking to temporarily enter the United States to visit family.

Under the current system, travelers who plan trips to the U.S. must apply for a B-2 visitor visa. Before a visa is approved, applicants are assessed for potential intent to overstay their visit and remain in the United States permanently. Factors considered include an applicant’s financial and personal ties to their home country, as well as any indicators they would want to move to the U.S. indefinitely, such as family connections or employment opportunities within the U.S. This makes visa approval difficult for those who wish to visit their family solely for special occasions; their applications are at a higher risk of denial because they have family ties in the United States. The process can also be costly, forcing many applicants to apply multiple times, which results in a new fee with each application.

The Temporary Family Visitation Act would establish a new B-3 nonimmigrant visa category specifically intended for relatives of U.S. citizens and permanent residents. The application would require the U.S. family member to sign a letter of financial support for the applicant. U.S. family members are prohibited from sponsoring an applicant if a previously sponsored relative overstayed their visa. The bill would also require applicants to purchase travel medical insurance for the duration of their stay. This requirement would add a small amount to the overall cost of a trip but would streamline the process, ultimately saving applicants money by reducing the need for multiple applications. The TFVA would prohibit travelers entering the country on a B-3 visa from filing a change of status application while in the U.S.

“Hundreds of constituents have asked my office to help them obtain a visitor visa for family members so they can attend meaningful events such as weddings, graduations, and childbirths,” said Rep. Peters. “The bill we introduced today will make practical changes that make it easier for families to be together for these special occasions while strengthening our tourism-driven economy in San Diego.”

“Allowing family members of U.S. citizens or permanent residents to temporarily visit the United States to be reunited for a funeral, a wedding, or to meet a new grandchild, is the right thing to do. There is no current visa that allows for temporary family reunification and the Temporary Family Visitation Act fills this gap. This legislation limits visitation to 90 days and ensures that the U.S. family member is responsible for the financial and medical support of the visitor during their stay,” said Rep. Bice.

“Our immigration laws should reflect our country’s values. That’s why I support making it easier for families to reunite for weddings, graduations, family reunions, and other special occasions. This pandemic has separated millions of families across international borders for over a year. When it’s safe to travel internationally, we should make it easier for families to see each other. I’m proud to co-sponsor this bipartisan legislation,” said Rep. Himes.

“We must make it easier for relatives of U.S. citizens to visit their families. The South Florida community has family members all over the world, including many that have been separated by brutal regimes in Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua and unable to see their loved ones for years,” said Rep. Salazar. “The Temporary Family Visitation Act offers a practical solution to help re-unite families, has critical safeguards to prevent visa overstays, and grows our economy through increased travel and tourism.”

The bill was also introduced in the Senate by U.S. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).

“The Temporary Family Visitation Act is a great step forward in allowing family members of U.S. citizens/permanent residents to responsibly visit the United States for memorable occasions such as weddings, births and graduations,” said Dr. Paul. “The legislation will strengthen our economy through indirect spending and has the support of a large coalition of groups who agree that it is time to allow family members to visit the United States under responsible enforcement mechanisms to ensure that applicants do not overstay their visa.”

“This bill is pretty simple: we want to make it easier for close family members to see their grandchildren baptized, their children married or their nieces and nephews graduate from college. As we’ve learned over the last year, it’s possible to celebrate these kinds of special occasions from afar, but it just isn’t the same as being there in person,” said Sen. Blumenthal. “I’m glad to join such a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers in introducing legislation to make it a little easier for families to mark life’s big moments together.”

Family members allowed to apply for the B-3 nonimmigrant visa category under the TFVA would include spouses, children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents, siblings, uncles, aunts, nieces and nephews.

​The bill is supported by the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) and 21 other organizations.

“Today’s introduction of the Temporary Family Visitation Act (TFVA) in both the U.S. House and Senate marks a tremendous victory for the Iranian American community and all Americans with family abroad,” said Leila Austin, Executive Director of the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA). “The current system for bringing our relatives to the U.S. for a temporary visit is deeply flawed. The new, nonimmigrant B-3 visa established by TFVA will advance the interests of Iranian Americans and countless other communities while also strengthening local economies and promoting a core American value – family. Thanks to the efforts of Reps. Peters, Bice, Salazar and Himes and Sens. Paul and Blumenthal, TFVA offers hope that someday soon, we may be able to share weddings, holidays and much more with those we love. The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) urges Congress to move swiftly to enact this much-needed legislation.”

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