EIIC News

The Celtic Cruise to Benefit the EIIC, June 6, 2012

Celtic Charity Inc & AOH div. 7 Present

The Celtic Cruise – Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Music, Dancing, Great Food and Fun Aboard The Spirit of New York to Benefit the Emerald Isle Immigration Center!

Featuring Live Music by Celtic Cross The Cunningham Brothers The Shay Mac Band The Chris Kelly Band

Full open Bar – Hot & Cold Buffet Dinner – Dessert

General Admission, Presale: $100, After April 30: $110

For more info visit: www.celticcharity.com or call 212-717-9955

Board at Chelsea Piers, Pier 62, West 23rd Street & 12th Ave. NYC
Board 6:00 pm/Sail 6:45 pm Return 10:00 pm Party ‘til 10:30

Amazing raffle prizes 1st prize: Two R/T tickets to Ireland 2nd prize: $500 gift certificate to Broadway.com 3rd prize: Dine around Manhattan

USCIS to Accept H-1B Petitions for Fiscal Year 2013, Beginning April 2, 2012

Petitioners are Reminded to Follow Regulatory Requirements

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it will begin accepting H-1B petitions subject to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 cap on Monday April 2, 2012.  Cases will be considered accepted on the date that USCIS takes possession of a properly filed petition with the correct fee.  USCIS will not rely upon the date that the petition is postmarked.

The congressionally mandated numerical limitation on H-1B petitions for FY 2013 is 65,000.  Additionally, the first 20,000 H-1B petitions filed on behalf of individuals who have earned a U.S. master’s degree or higher are exempt from the fiscal year cap.

USCIS will monitor the number of petitions received and will notify the public of the date on which USCIS received the necessary number of petitions to meet the H-1B cap.  If the number of applications received exceeds the numerical cap, USCIS will randomly select the number of petitions required to reach the numerical limit from the pool of petitions received on the final receipt date.  USCIS will reject cap-subject petitions that are not selected, as well as those received after the final receipt date.

Petitions for new H-1B employment are exempt from the annual cap if the beneficiaries will work at institutions of higher education or related or affiliated nonprofit entities, nonprofit research organizations or governmental research organizations.  Petitions filed on behalf of beneficiaries who will work only in Guam or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands are exempt from the cap until December 31, 2014.  Employers may continue to file petitions for these cap-exempt H-1B categories seeking work dates starting in FY 2012.

Petitions filed on behalf of current H-1B workers who have been counted previously against the cap also do not count towards the congressionally mandated H-1B cap.  Accordingly, USCIS will continue to process FY 2012 petitions filed to:

  • extend the amount of time a current H-1B worker may remain in the United States;
  • change the terms of employment for current H-1B workers;
  • allow current H-1B workers to change employers; or
  • allow current H-1B workers to work concurrently in a second H-1B position.

H-1B petitioners should follow all statutory and regulatory requirements as they prepare petitions to avoid delays in processing and requests for evidence.  USCIS has developed detailed information, including a processing worksheet, to assist in the completion and submission of FY 2013 H-1B petitions.

U.S. businesses use the H-1B program to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialized fields, such as scientists, engineers, or computer programmers.

For more information on the H-1B nonimmigrant visa program and current Form I-129 processing times, visit www.uscis.gov or call the National Customer Service Center at (800) 375-5283.

Petitioning Cuomo, at City Hall, to get involved in the Dream Act in Albany

Petitioning Cuomo, at City Hall, to get involved in the Dream Act in Albany

Capital New York.

BY ELIZABETH GONZALEZ 1:06 pm Mar. 21, 2012

Against a backdrop of more than 50 students holding banners and chanting “si se puede” on the steps of City Hall at high noon on Tuesday, council members and immigration advocates took turns demanding passage of the so-called New York State Dream Act, a proposal on which Governor Andrew Cuomo has yet to take a position.

The legislation would give undocumented young immigrants access to tuition aid, and Cuomo’s support is crucial if the bill is to get through Albany. But the governor has kept his distance so far, possibly out of concern that support for it could adversely affect a bid for president in 2016.

Participants in the event included Council speaker Christine Quinn and Councilmen Ydanis Rodriguez and Daniel Dromm. Most of them appealed to the governor directly, urging him to include the act in the state budget.

“It makes economic sense,” Councilwoman Gale Brewer. “It makes student sense. It makes all kinds of sense.”

“Governor Cuomo, we were so proud of you with what you did with gay marriage last year,” said Jose Calderon, of the Hispanic Federation. “Do the same thing you did for the gay community, for the immigrant community.”

An hour after the rally, a portion of the same crowd filed into a committee room at 250 Broadway, where a joint hearing of the Council’s committees on immigration and higher education pursued the subject further, calling for a “New York Dream Fund” to accompany the act.

“New York has always been a leader in immigration law,” said Quinn. “We must continue to be.”

While Dream acts have been passed in California and Texas, and a fund created in Illinois, New York State’s immigration population arguably stands to benefit the most from passage of such a bill.

Of the nearly 1.8 million young undocumented immigrants in the United States, 400,000 of them could benefit from a New York Dream Act, according to Emerald Isle Immigration Center, an organization that advocates for the legislation.

According to the EIIC, workers in New York with a bachelor’s degree earn a median income of $25,000 more than those with only a high school diploma.

(See EIIC written testimony in support of NY DREAM Act and Fund)

Ydanis Rodriguez, chair of the Council’s higher education committee, said it’s vital to provide tuition help to give the immigrant population a chance to enter the middle class.

Katherine Tabares, who spoke at the rally and at the committee hearing, called the legislation “investment in intellectual capital.”

“The money you spend now will be returned,” she said.

Tabares, 16, emigrated from Colombia two years ago and is now a senior and president of her class at International High School at La Guardia Community College, with a 3.9 grade-point average and hopes of a career in environmental engineering.

“With the G.P.A. that you have, there shouldn’t be any obstacle,” said chairman Ydanis Rodriguez, standing up and addressing Tabares along with three other students who testified.

“You will graduate from college,” Rodriguez said, pointing at the students. “You are a role model.”

EIIC written testimony in support of NY DREAM Act and Fund

Free Public Immigration/Tax Seminars March 15, 2012

April 17, 2012 Tax Deadline

THE EIIC WILL BE HOSTING FREE PUBLIC INFORMATION SEMINARS AT OUR WOODSIDE AND WOODLAWN OFFICES ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14th  AND THURSDAY, MARCH 15th , RESPECTIVELY, FROM 6-8pm.

OUR IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY, IMMIGRATION COUNSELOR AND PRIVATE ACCOUNTANTS WILL BE ATTENDING TO PROVIDE UPDATES AND INFORMATION AND ANSWER QUESTIONS ON GENERAL IMMIGRATION AND TAXES.

FOR FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE CALL THE WOODLAWN OFFICE AT 718-324-3039 OR THE WOODSIDE OFFICE AT 718-478-5502.

Download as PDF: Public Information Seminar Queens 2012

Download as PDF: Public Information Seminar Bronx 2012

All immigrants residing and working in the United States are generally required by law to file income taxes every year, which are due around mid-April. Besides the legal requirement, there are other good reasons to file income tax returns, including eligibility for citizenship and other immigration benefits and potential tax refunds, credits or exemptions.

Lawful permanent residents, or green card holders, must demonstrate that they have complied with the tax laws to apply for US citizenship and to maintain their permanent resident status. To become an American citizen, they will have to show evidence that they have filed taxes during the five years prior to their application for naturalization or proof that they were not required to file a tax return. Failure to file a required tax return may be considered an act of bad moral character which is a temporary bar to attaining U.S. citizenship.

The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that a legal resident who makes a false statement on a tax return could not only face tax charges but also automatic deportation. The Court found that a criminal tax violation involving fraud or deceit against the government for more than $10,000 is considered an “aggravated felony” under immigration law. An “aggravated felony” under immigration law  makes a legal permanent resident deportable. This ruling sends a warning to legal immigrants, especially small business owners. For instance, legal immigrants could be deported for failing to report foreign bank accounts as required by the IRS.

Undocumented immigrants living and working in the United States are also required to file an income tax return to report their US earnings. They must apply for and use an Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) in place of a Social Security number to file a tax return and report income. An ITIN is a nine-digit number issued to people who are not eligible for a Social Security number. It does not authorize someone to work in the United States. An ITIN is used only for record keeping purposes and for filing taxes. One must complete a W-7 form and file it with their first tax return to get an individual tax identification number. Afterwards, the ITIN may be used to file future returns and also for opening a bank account, taking out a mortgage or for other financial transactions.

For the 2011 tax year, a single individual under 65 must generally file a tax return if his or her income was above $9,500 as a regular employee with no dependents. Individuals who are independent contractors, including those who are self-employed or whose employer does not report their income to the IRS, are required to file a tax return if they earned more than $400 last year. Those who do file a tax return may be eligible for a tax refund if taxes have already been deducted from their salary, may be eligible to claim the Child Tax Credit or exemptions for dependents.

The IRS does not currently share any information from taxpayers with other government agencies due to privacy provisions in the tax laws. It is also not in the IRS’s tax collection interest to disclose any information to the immigration authorities, since it will discourage those who are undocumented from filing tax returns.

It is in the best interest of undocumented immigrants to file their taxes in anticipation of a legalization program or other immigration reform. Tax filing may be used as evidence of physical presence in the United States and also demonstrates good moral character. Each may be a requirement towards a path to citizenship under new legislation.

2012 Briscoe Awards will take place on Monday January 30th at the “21 Club”, 6pm

View Photos from 2012 Briscoe Awards

For Immediate Release

1/19/2012

Emerald Isle Immigration Center will honor Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and Sandra March, Trustee of the New York City Teachers’ Retirement System at the 19th Annual Robert Briscoe Awards to be held at the “21 Club” on January 30th. The event celebrates the contribution of a member of the New York’s Jewish Community to better the lives of immigrants. Robert Briscoe, after whom the award was named, was elected the first Jewish Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1956.

Brian O’Dwyer, Esq. Chairman of the Emerald Isle said of the honorees that: “Each has contributed a great deal to immigrants in their respective areas. Sandra March has worked to educate immigrants and improve the education system. Marty Markowitz has welcomed immigrants to Brooklyn and worked with them closely throughout his career.” The event has previously honored such luminaries as Senator Charles Schumer, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Broadcaster Gabe Pressman.

Robert Briscoe was at the forefront of the movement for Irish Independence at the beginning of the Twentieth Century and played a significant role in the early days of the Irish Free State. He accompanied Eamon de Valera on his vital diplomatic mission to New York in 1919. Following the creation of Fianna Fáil he became a Member of Parliament and served until 1965, after which his seat was won by his son Ben.

The event supports the vital work of the Emerald Isle Immigration Center in assisting immigrants and supporting those on the margins of our community. Since its foundation in 1988, the Center has served the most vulnerable immigrants, providing legal services, seniors’ programs and comprehensive social services to the Tri-State Area. Over its twenty-four years in operation, Emerald Isle has worked to ease the pressure of immigration and to improve the position of immigrants in the US.

Reservations for the event are required and admittance is $125, with all net proceeds going to support the work of Emerald Isle. The reception will begin at 6pm and finish at 8pm.

RSVP online or for more information on the event and possible sponsorships contact Eoin Delap, Development Coordinator. Email: edelap@eiic.org; or phone: (718) 478 5502 ext 204.

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