August 2, 2014 - Studio Movie Grill, Dallas, Texas. Roscon Foundation, Inc. and the Professional Group of Companies teamed up to co-sponsor this pre-screening of "Documented", a film produced by Jose Antonio Vargas, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, filmmaker and founder of Define American, a campaign that seeks to elevate the conversation around immigration.
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Here are some of the members of the Team that watched the pre-screening at the Studio Movie Grill at Technology Drive, Dallas, Texas.
In June 2011, Jose Antonio Vargas wrote an unfiltered essay in the New York Times Magazineabout his experience as an undocumented American in the hopes that someone would listen, would care, would question our broken immigration system. The result? A movement of communities, individuals and organizations coming together not just to question, but to take action.
Since our founding in 2011, Define American has used the power of story to transcend politics and shift the cultural conversation about immigration, identity and citizenship in America. Politics is driven by culture, and we're convinced that facts and policies aren't enough. We need culture and media around immigration and citizenship to catch up to the politics and policy around immigration.
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In just three years our campaign has had more impact on the media's coverage of immigration and on debate in the highest political circles than any other campaign of the last decade--and now we've grown from an all volunteer campaign, into a national non-profit organization.
We are telling the incredible, compelling, inspiring and authentic stories that are not currently being read, heard seen or told in the mainstream outlets of media and art. Define American is telling America's whole story!
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Our major victories are widely regarded by strategist, activist, media personalities and political leaders as genuinely game changing. We were inspired as TIME magazine highlighted the importance of immigrants in our culture, as the Associated Press officially stopped using the word "illegal” when referring to people, as celebrities actively discussed their concept of citizenship, and as countless others publicly came out as undocumented. We harnessed the energy of those around us through over 250 events in 44 states to hear from people with varied stories and opinions just how complicated our immigration system is. And we produced and proudly screened Documented in theaters around the country, and soon on CNN, reaching wider audiences and widening the debate.
Undocumented and hiding in plain sight
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He earned a college scholarship, he pays taxes and he even won a Pulitzer prize. A few years ago Jose Antonio Vargas revealed he did all this as an undocumented immigrant.
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargasbegan working on "Documented" shortly before "outing" himself as undocumented in a groundbreaking New York Times Magazine essay, "My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant." Vargas has traveled around the United States, telling his story in solidarity with the more than 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the country. As he connected with others -- particularly those who, like Vargas, came to the United States as children -- his personal reflections compelled him to reconnect with his mother, whom he had not seen in 20 years.
WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY
(Opening the door of the United States for you)
We offer free services to give you information about this country you adopted as home. It is indeed a wonderful place to live in - democracy, opportunity to improve one's self... and retirement benefits. No other country in the world can offer these privileges. Our non-profit organization will coach you on the process to get your citizenship - and you get our assistance free! Contact us today and set up an appointment. We love to help you!
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U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Customer Service and Public Engagement
Directorate
Washington, DC 20529-2260
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Webinar on Paying the USCIS Immigrant Fee
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Customers who receive an immigrant visa packet at an overseas U.S. Embassy or Consulate must pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee in order to receive a Permanent Resident Card (commonly referred to as a Green Card) in the United States. On May 19, 2013, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) incorporated the payment process for the USCIS Immigrant Fee into USCIS ELIS, the USCIS Electronic Immigration System. Payment of the USCIS Immigrant fee in USCIS ELIS allows us to better serve our customers by simplifying and centralizing the payment process and by providing customers with up-to-date and detailed processing status information.
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USCIS will host a series of webinars to inform customers how to pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee in USCIS ELIS and to answer questions about the system:
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DateTimes:
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Tuesday, August 279:30-10:30 a.m. EDT
Tuesday, August 273-4 p.m. EDT
Wednesday, August 283-4 p.m. EDT
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To Participate in a Session
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The webinars are open to the public, but each webinar is limited to the first 125 registrants. If you wish to attend, please email the Public Engagement Division at Public.Engagement@uscis.dhs.gov by Monday, August 26. Please reference one of the following subject lines:
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• “USCIS ELIS August 27 – morning” if you plan to attend the first session,
• “USCIS ELIS August 27– afternoon” if you plan to attend the second session, or
• “USCIS ELIS August 28– afternoon” if you plan to attend the third session.
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Please include your full name and the organization you represent in the body of the email.
Following your registration, we will provide an email confirmation with additional details about how to participate in the webinar you selected.
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We look forward to engaging with you!
UPDATED DATA ON DEFERRED ACTION FOR CHILDHOOD ARRIVALS
Dear Stakeholder,
We appreciate your ongoing interest in the USCIS Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals process. Today, USCIS has posted updated data on requests for consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals at www.uscis.gov/data. The data include: the cumulative number of requests received and accepted for processing, biometrics appointments scheduled, and requests under review. The data also shows the number of accepted requests from the top countries of origin and states of residence.
For further information regarding Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, please visit www.uscis.gov/childhoodarrivals.
Kind Regards,
Public Engagement Division
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Please do not reply to this message. Contact us at Public.Engagement@uscis.dhs.gov or USCIS-IGAOutreach@uscis.dhs.gov with any questions.
To learn more about the Public Engagement Division, visit us online at uscis.gov/outreach.
