Guys if you can take a minute and copy and send this Press Release to all your congressmen/woman please help us get TSC processing again.
Thanks
TomTx
PRESS RELEASE
From: Hilary Dawson, V-Day Protest Spokesperson
Contact: 404-915-0243 Cell or 770-435-3825 Tel. or Avi8tornole@aol.com
If Hilary isn't available:
Contact Clant M. Seay 662-289-1091 Tel. or Sophisgent@aol.com
Date: For Release on February 14, 2003. (Distributed to media on February 10, 2003)
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Valentine's Day Protest--Texas Service Center-INS
"American Citizens' Fiancees Held Hostage By Government"
For Release--Friday, February 14, 2003--Mesquite, Texas--A group of American citizens gathered on Valentine's Day at the Texas Service Center(TSC) of the INS to protest their fiancees being held hostage.
"Our fiancees are being held hostage by the TSC" said protest spokesperson Hilary Dawson, a Delta airlines flight attendant from Atlanta, Georgia. "On September 19, 2002, the Texas Service Center, abruptly and without explanation, stopped approving Fiancee Visa Applications", she said. "Our lives are now on hold because the TSC branch of the INS is not doing its job." Dawson backed up her claims with information obtained from the INS internet case status search page which show that the INS stopped making decisions on the Fiancee Visa Applications with first notice dates of September 19, 2002. "Unfortunately, the TSC is officially saying it is still processing our Fiancee Visa Applications, but we have documentary proof that they are not," she said.
"Their work stoppage affects hundreds of American citizens who have waited for over four months for their Fiancee Visa Applications to be approved, and there is no word from TSC." Before September 19, 2002", said Dawson, "the average 'wait time' for processing a Fiancee Visa Application at TSC was approximately 35-45 days." "A person who submitted his Application on September 19, 2002 has now waited 148 days " she said, "and there is no end in sight." Dawson showed INS Notices to Petitioners saying Fiancee Visa Applications would take 60-90 days to process. Dawson said,
Dawson said the INS work stoppage has affected several thousand tax paying American citizens living in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas who have submitted Fiancee Visa Applications to TSC."
"We have strong suspicions that the INS is putting the requests of non U. S. citizens ahead of those of taxpaying American citizens, and this is not right," she said. "Wedding plans have been made and they are now being cancelled because of the lack of action by TSC".
Dawson explained that there are three other INS service centers in the U. S. located in California(CSC), Vermont(VSC) and Nebraska(NSC). Dawson said Texas Service Center(TSC) is the only one of the four INS service centers which has stopped processing Fiancee Visa Applications.
"We are all dismayed that TSC is not adjudicating the Fiancee Visa Petitions," she said, "and an immediate explanation from TSC is demanded."
"We want TSC to answer three questions:
1. Why did TSC abruptly stop processing Fiance Visa Applications on September 19, 2002.
2. Why is TSC telling Congress and other immigration groups that it is processing I-129F Petitions as of October 11, 2002, when it is not?
3. When will TSC resume processing Fiance Visa Applications."
"Each day thousands of American citizens call TSC and try to get answers to these three questions", she said, "and so far nobody can get official answers from the INS. Even our Congressmen and U. S. Senators cannot get us the answers", she said, "There is no end in sight. Our lives are on hold", she said. That's what we are doing here today, trying to get some answers and some relief. We are desperate for answers from TSC," said Dawson.
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