最近我们(http://www.donkeyroad.com)花了很多时间研究这个区的判决情况,我们一直知道这个区对移民很好,但最近接连的动作证明他们名不虚传.先是在暑假判了几个,然后在2007年12月,就我们所掌握的就有10个案子判决有利于移民,只有1.5个是不利于移民的.1个是公民案子(Judge James T. Giles ---实际上还有一个公民案子被同一个法官撤消了,但那时候Name Check已经做完了,法官不想强行规定移民局安排面试,更主要的是原告没有反驳政府律师的MTD,所以这个不算. 为什么有个是0.5个呢?因为在一个判决中,法官判定USCIS有义务在一定时间里处理移民案子,但没有条款证明FBI有义务在一定时间内完成NC.现在这个案子还在处理,不知道最后会是什么结果.我们会继续跟踪这个案子.
最有利的是有一个法官,他是共和党的左翼--按熟悉他的律师的话:就是比民主党还民主. 他在10月判了一个没面试的公民案子后(当然是政府败了),可能是因为随后有好几个同样的案子陆续到他手上,更气愤的是政府律师不顾本庭其他类似的已经判决的案子,照样写了MTD,他接连在11月,12月写了两个opinion,把六七个案子归在一起,连着开了两次听证会,还把USCIS在总部的律师也逮来了,狠狠的摧残了他们一番.下面是他的一些摘录:
"At the hearing, I expressed concern about briefings in there case filed by the US Attorney's Office which failed to discuss or even mention recent, on-point decisions redenered by other judges of this Court ..."
"For the reasons stated at the hearing and in this Memorandum, I have reached a tentative conclusion that Defendant USCIS, overwhelmed by these applications, has adopted a strtegy of favoring delay by litigation, instead of developing an orderly and transparent administrative resolution. Although this strategy is often evidencce in private party damage litigatio, it si improper in these cases. Congress didn't intend that the path to citizenship be conducted along a detoured and rocky road of litigation. Given the resources of the government and the technology availabe in our digital world, it is necessary and proper under the APA that I inquire in the availability and reasonableness of administrative remedies to these cases"
从听证会和其它的证据显示,因为移民局不能及时处理移民申请,他们就采取一种通过官司来拖延,给他们争取时间,而不是花时间去建立一套合理,透明的管理办法.虽然这真手段在平时的私人间的官司很常见,但国会的本意绝对不是要给移民申请人加上这段曲折的官司.
"USCIS also appears to favor "retaining the valuable time fo Assistant U.S. Attorneys to litigate each fo these cases. Although the cost may not come out of the USCIS budget, it certainly alleviates USCIS from having to give its administrative atention to there Plaintiffs until and unless they reacha critical point in the ligitation."
很明显移民局很趋尚于政府律师来打每一个案子,虽然可能钱不是直接从他们的财政上出,但是肯定浪费资源....
"The complaints in there cases attest to the difficulty the Plaintiffs have have in getting an accurate status of their application for naturalization. None of them expect this process to be completed overnight, and none of them deny the importance of appropriate investigation. Indeed, these Plaintiffs appear to be hardworking, law abiding citizens. On the fact they present, we would be priviledge to count them among our fellow citizens."
从原告的壮子来看,这些申请人都已经经历了不少困难,他们也没指望申请能一夜完成,他们也知道检查的重要性.确实,这些原告都辛苦工作,遵纪守法的好人,我们应按为他们成为我们一份子感到很荣幸.
"At the hearing, the Court raised as to whether there cases should be maintained as a class action which obviate individual cases, but require the filing of an amended complaint. THe Court believes that similar cases in other districts have been filed as a class actions....."
听证会上我们也提到过class action 可行性.法庭也知道其他庭有类似的class action .
"It appears that in most cases, before a final judgement is reached, the government finds a way to resolve the case, usually by granting the naturalization petition and having the oath administtered, so as to make the case moot".
很明显,对大部分案子,在法官快要做出判决是,移民局会先想办法避免法庭审判,通常是赶快把申请了解.
"For the reasons stated on the record and above, I have reached the tentative conclusion that summary judgment as to liability will likely be granted in favor of Plaintiffs in there cases under the APA..."
综合上述原因,我基本上已经作出决定,判决将会偏向于移民原告.
"The government argues continually that the Plaintiffs in there cases want deadlines but that federal judges are not authorized to, and should not, even if they have discretion,set deadlines Setting deadlines is not my preferred intent. Rather, the purpose should be to encourage, or if necessary, order, USCIS to put in place a transparent, open and user-friendly administrative process so that an individual will know easily, quickly and indexpensively, his or her status in the immigration process"
政府律师在多个案子中辩驳是说这里原告想要法官给这些案子设定期限,但联邦法官没有权力这么做.确实设定一个期限不是我的本意,我的本意是通过这些案子的审理,鼓励,甚至是命令移民局建立起来一套透明,简单,块捷的移民审理系统.
--- 在2008年1月的听证会上,移民局还特从华盛顿移民总部起来了所谓电脑专家,想当庭显示他们的系统是如何很好的管理申请人的材料,结果7个被告中,只有一个人的材料他们能找出来,其他人的找不到了,可见他们所谓的安全背景检查都是借口,根本原因是官僚主义,加上管理混乱,你的材料可能被某人弄丢了,或是放在一个没人踩的角落里,你平时光写写信,多了他们自然就不睬了,只有有压力--法庭判决, 他们才会真正行动.
-- 在2008年1月的听证会上,这法官还提到,NC完全是没必要,或是没什么实际效果的, 因为,1. 名字不是独一无二的,光从名字上查是意义不大,指纹倒是可以理解和可行.2.这些人在申请前都已经在美国逮了很长时间,
-- 他也多次在听证会上强调,很多实质问题不是安全检查,而是移民局官僚主义做怪.
--- 他说他最近花了俩个星期专门研究这类案子
在两次听证后,他还是没作出最终判决,而是要移民局回去反省,两个星期后提交报告,希望他们能提出建设性的建议.在第一次之后,第二次之前,他还特意命令原告不能在听证前处理完这些案子而因来逃避听证.
从种种迹象来看,这位法官想把这个案子成为全国的经典(最少是本法庭的经典案例).所以如果你NC等了两年,不管是I-485还是公民案子(虽然这里大部分都是关于公民的情况,他在2007年12月已经判决了一个I485案子,当然是移民原告胜利),你都应该搭上这班车.我们的一个客户,通过我们的服务,自己把移民/FBI告了,结果法官把这给案子和其他6个案子绑在一起审理,而其他都有律师,什么事有6个律师张罗,相当与搭了一趟免费车(free ride).
所以如果你是这个法庭,申请卡在name check上,不再想无止镜的等下去,和我们联系 (http://www.donkeyroad.com),我们争取一个星期之内帮你把案子递上去,赶上这次好形式.
