The longest-serving British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, passed away last week. The Queen leaves a complicated legacy that has touched many aspects of life in Britain and the world beyond. She became queen in 1952, when women with power were few and far between. For the next seven decades, she steered the monarchy into the modern era. While she served as a spiritual and moral leader for her nation and the British Commonwealth, she rarely opined about political issues. Perhaps her effort to stay “above” politics helped her serve as a unifying force in Great Britain, where she remained widely respected, admired, and loved until her death last week at age 96.
In this post, I want to remember one small, but significant, incident from the Queen’s long life–the very first public speech she gave as a 14-year old princess on BBC’s Children’s Hour.
The year was 1940, and Britain had recently gone to war with Germany. France had fallen to the Nazis that June and the Battle of Britain–the air war where Germany attempted to bomb the Brits into submission–was in full swing. This period was known as Britain’s darkest hour.
To escape the Blitz, many thousands of children were evacuated from London and the South to safer areas in the countryside. Over the course of the war, more than 1.5 million people–mostly children and their caregivers–were evacuated. Most stayed within Great Britain, but more than 20 thousand were evacuated overseas.
Two of those who left their home and went to the British countryside were the future Queen and her sister Margaret. They first went to Scotland for a few months, but by 1940, the royal sisters had re-located to Windsor Castle, where they spent most of the War.
In October 1940, in the context of the Blitz and the evacuations, Princess Elizabeth was tasked with addressing her fellow children. She spoke on a popular BBC program called Children’s Hour and addressed young Britons in the UK and overseas. With her sister by her side, Princess Elizabeth delivered the following message–
Thousands of you in this country have had to leave your homes and be separated from your fathers and mothers. My sister Margaret Rose and I feel so much for you as we know from experience what it means to be away from those we love most of all. To you, living in new surroundings, we send a message of true sympathy and at the same time we would like to thank the kind people who have welcomed you to their homes in the country.
All of us children who are still at home think continually of our friends and relations who have gone overseas – who have traveled thousands of miles to find a wartime home and a kindly welcome in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the United States of America. My sister and I feel we know quite a lot about these countries. Our father and mother have so often talked to us of their visits to different parts of the world. So it is not difficult for us to picture the sort of life you are all leading, and to think of all the new sights you must be seeing, and the adventures you must be having.
But I am sure that you, too, are often thinking of the Old Country. I know you won’t forget us; it is just because we are not forgetting you that I want, on behalf of all the children at home, to send you our love and best wishes – to you and to your kind hosts as well.
Before I finish, I can truthfully say to you all that we children at home are full of cheerfulness and courage. We are trying to do all we can to help our gallant sailors, soldiers and airmen, and we are trying, too, to bear our own share of the danger and sadness of war. We know, everyone of us, that in the end all will be well; for G-d will care for us and give us victory and peace. And when peace comes, remember it will be for us, the children of today, to make the world of tomorrow a better and happier place….
Goodnight, and good luck to you all.
The purpose of the future Queen’s speech was to encourage and steel the children of Great Britain during a difficult time for them personally and for their country. But her words still have meaning today. Worldwide, there are currently more than 89 millions refugees and internally displaced people, including more than 36 million children. These individuals live in great uncertainty, dreaming of home and relying on the kindness of their host communities.
The words of the young Princess remind us that in many ways, the issue is quite simple: People need help and we should help them. We should not use them as political pawns or demonize them in order to avoid the moral culpability that comes with a failure to act. Even a child can understand that people displaced by war, violence, and environmental catastrophe are not bad; they are us. Princess Elizabeth recognized as much in her first public speech, and we should remember and learn from her example.
Loosing someone close is a terrible experience and I feel sorry for her family, I am sure they are going through rough time.
That is the extent of my empathy with the tax exempt, tax sucking, entitled British royal family.
She is talking about caring for the refugee children and for the next 70+ years she just watched her country ripping the Middle East and Africa apart while she could have done something to help. They only stopped because the country is much weaker now.
Out of the 89 million refugees today, half if not even more can be traced to something that the British did.
The unfortunate reality is that European countries (with very few exceptions) only care about refugees when they are white, and the UK is the best example on that.
I am inclined to be more generous to her. She had very limited power over UK policy and she believed her first duty was to Britain. Also, by the time she was queen, the colonies were long established. That said, there is no doubt that British policy caused a lot of harm around the world. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
Thank you for this platform. We appreciate you.
Quick question. My asylum based green card is pending and my EAD will expire in 30 days. My spouse who is the dependent received his green card 4months ago.
So should i renew my EAD or i can use my I-94 until i receive my green card. Will I be penalized for working without EAD if I was granted asylum.
Please help
Thank you.
If you have asylum, you are legally allowed to work without an EAD (see https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-resources/handbook-for-employers-m-274/60-evidence-of-status-for-certain-categories/63-refugees-and-asylees). However, many employers and DMVs do not understand this, and so it makes life easier if you have the EAD card. Whether you want to renew the card is up to you. If you can live without it for a while, hopefully, you will get the GC soon. But if you feel you need it, you should file to renew before it expires, so you get the receipt and the automatic extension of the card (assuming this is a category a-5 card based on asylum approved). Take care, Jason
You can use your I 94 form, but if you want to renew your driving license at dmv, you should take the i 94 form , and the letter that you applied for gc and you are still waiting
We applied affirmative asylum application along with presence my family member in 2017 March after we arrived here. To date, we didn’t hear anything to attend for interview. Its saying online, we will inform you when you’ll need to attend the person interview in USCIS office. My question is, do you know how long will take to resolve this issues and when will we able to complete at least first interview with USCIS office?
Last year, its took my 7 month to get my EAD. Next year August 2022, my renewed EAD will be expire so when its good time to apply and receive it before expire my EAD?
Thanks for your great help.
You can apply for the EAD up to 180 days before the old card expires. You will get a 540-day extension of the old card (as long as you file before it expires) and it will probably take 14+ months to get you the new card. In terms of the case, no one can say when the interview will be or when the case will be resolved. They supposedly hired officers to deal with old cases filed before 2016. When/if they finish those, they should move on to 2016 and 2017 cases. Also, we have been lobbying for them to hire more officers, and so if that happens, maybe it will help. If you want to try to expedite the asylum case, I did posts about that on March 23, 2022 and March 30, 2017 – maybe those would help. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
Thank you for the great job you are doing.
I have a question.
I want to expedite my green card. How do go about it.
Do you have any email addresses that i use.
Your help will be much appreciated.
It is not easy, but you can try. I did a blog post about expediting with USCIS on January 29, 2020 – maybe that would help. Take care, Jason
Hi Jazon, thanks for everything you do,
I’m in need of urgent help. So I got my refugee travel document stolen. I’m on a short trip abroad and I need to get back to the USA. I already missed my flight because of my lost refugee travel document since the airline refused to board me on the plane. I contacted the US embassy for help and they said there’s nothing they can do to help and told me to contact USCIS. However, I contacted USCIS and they said there’s nothing they can do and I should contact the US embassy. I’m stuck in this cycle and don’t know what to do. I have pending AOS and I got RFE for medical exam to do but I’m stuck here. Has anyone been in my situation and how did you get back to the USA?
I would try again at the embassy. I think you should have as much evidence as possible about your status: asylum or refugee approval documents, copy of RTD if you have it, RTD receipts and approval letter, passport and other identity documents, work permit, etc. If they are refusing to help, you might ask for a supervisor, or try contacting the US State Department in the United States. For the State Department, you can Google and find the main phone number and then ask for the “desk officer” for your country. Sometimes, those people are reachable and – if they are nice – they can contact the embassy on your behalf. I am not sure how USCIS could help with the RTD, but you can try calling them too and asking to elevate the issue because you are stuck overseas. In terms of the medical exam, you can Google the list of designated physicians to see if there is one in your country, but I really do not know if there are such doctors outside the US. If you cannot get it done in time, you can send a letter to USCIS with a copy of the RFE and ask for more time due to the current situation. Good luck, Jason
Hi Jason,
Thanks for your fast reply. What document should I request from the embassy. From what I read the only document they can issue is the form I-131A “ boarding foil ” but I’m not sure if I qualify for that since it’s is meant for GC holders who either lost their green card or their re-entry permit abroad and need to get back to the USA. There’s basically nothing said about Asylee who lost their refugee travel document while being abroad and need to return to the USA as it is in my case.
I have no idea, but hopefully they can provide something. I think it is very unlikely that you are the first asylee to lose their RTD overseas, and the embassy should have some procedure for that. Maybe they can issue you some type of visa or advance parole. Maybe you can also try with USCIS as well, but I do not know how they can help if you are overseas. Maybe they can also issue an AP document, such as “humanitarian parole” (form I-131, available at http://www.uscis.gov. I just have no idea if that would work in this situation. My thought is that if you do not have luck pretty quickly with the embassy or USCIS, you need to talk to an immigration lawyer who knows about consular cases, and it would be especially helpful if the lawyer has some knowledge of the US embassy in the country where you are now. Take care, Jason
Hello Jeff,
You might have already tried these but still have a look at this link it might help. It says “in cases where an advance parole document was lost, stolen, or destroyed while overseas, requestors should contact the closest USCIS international office or U.S. embassy or consulate.”
https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/uscis-response-to-covid-19
Hi Jeff,
I hope you are able to sort this out soon.
If I may add another suggestion, email your Senator or congress person and explain, to see if they can get the embassy to assist you.
Can’t they reissue the RTD and cancel the missing one?
Was this like a vacation or for work/business/ family emergency trip?
https://al.usembassy.gov/visas/lawful-permanent-residents/boarding-foils/
Read this. Seems oversea USCIS offices have jurisdiction and are able to help you.
Hi, everyone.
Quick question for anyone who recently received GC.
How long did it take to hear back from USCIS after responding to RFE?
I received RFE very quickly after my initial submission for AOS, but it took me about 2 months to respond(not by choice). Almost 2 months now since I responded to RFE, and no updates.
Timeliness would be appreciated, please.
It is being processed at NBC, by the way.
Hi Tina,
I have a similar asylum case as you in terms of timeline. You won asylum two weeks before me. 🙂 My GC is at NBC but i have not heard back about anything neither RFE. If you care to share your timeline, id appreciate. In very anxious. Thanks in advance!
Hi Kay Kay,
I received the medical RFE in less than 3 months after submitting my application.
Responded 2 months later, but not heard back since then – almost 2 months.
I can relate to your anxiety, but from what Jason said below, it doesn’t seem like receiving RFE fast is an indication of fast adjudication.
When did you apply?
I hope you get your GC soon.
Hi Tina,
Thank you! I applied early April. Mine just says fingeprints applied to your case. Hopefully because I am so tired of waiting as you are too!
Hello Tina,
Hope you’re good. It took USCIS 1 week to approve my case after receipt of my RFE. But again, I was a member of the group stuck in TSC for years who got transferred to NBC. But I read online that USCIS usually respond within 90 days.
Keep us posted.
Thanks, Cordy.
I sure will.
Hope all is well.
Tina, I filed RFE for my spouse less than 60 days ago. We accidentally missed few check boxes on the 489 form. Since then I have called several times but the rep told me to wait for 60days before I call them again. I will start making calls in a week. I have tried contacting them through my Congressman but still no answer. It is so frustrating that it costed my spouse months and stress because few boxes were not marked and guess what I sent the RFE through overnight mail and paid 30bucks for nothing. No clue whether I should cry of laugh! I hope you get your GC soon. I submitted my medical with the application and was approved in 11 months but they messed up my issue date. Now I am fighting to get the date fixed. Good luck!
I hope all is well. As to your question, I think it depends on the RFE. Usually RFEs from early in the case mean something obvious was needed, and so once it is submitted, you have to wait for them to process the case. We have seen such cases take 2+ years, but apparently, some people are seeing much faster processing times – maybe 6 months – and so hopefully this is a sign that things are improving. If you get an RFE after a long wait where they request the medical exam, that usually results in a decision within a month or two. Take care, Jason
Good morning, Jason
This is really helpful, because I have been reading that decisions follow in a few weeks after RFE response, so I started wondering why mine has taken 2 months so far and nothing yet.
Yes, the medical RFE was requested quite early.
I am well, I hope you and yours are too?
Still here, so that is something. Hopefully, the GC comes through soon, but they are quite slow, so I would not worry. Take care, Jason
Hopefully you will receive your GC after 10 months Sometimes, they print the card and they don’t mail it
H Tina
Here my time line
filed GC application 03/29/2021
fingerprint accepted 04/20/2021
RFE for medical exam 05/13/2022
received my result by USCIS 06/03/2022
and waiting from then.
Hello Jason,
I read your Jan 29th, 2020 article about expediting. I am trying to expedite my RTD application I-131 based on a family emergency situation. I followed the page and called Emma at the 800 number. I asked to expedite. Emma asked for what form I was calling about, and then she asked for my email to send the instructions on how to expedite. I received the email which clearly says I can expedite “by asking Emma after you have obtained a receipt notice”. Emma hung up after sending the email. I am in a dead loop, Emma referes me to the web page and the web page refers me to Emma and it looks like there is no hope of getting a hold of a human.
Are there secret keywords that I need to say before I can get my request processed? Are there any other channels to expedite? Can I do that using the USCIS Online Account? Any other advice?
You can try saying “Info Pass”, which is a way to get an appointment (which you probably need to get the case expedited). There are other words that could get you to a human, but I hate the online system and rarely call, so I do not remember. I do not think you can get the same results through your USCIS account; you have to call. Good luck, Jason
Thank you very much,
Using the word “Info Pass” worked perfectly and Emma transferred the call to an agent who helped me in submitting the expedite. I am very thankful for your charm advice Jason.
It does not always work, but I am glad it did this time. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
Thanks so much for all your support and advice. Greatly appreciate your assistance.
Quick Question: I’m applying for a travel document (Form I- 131) and wanted to find out if green card holders (asylee based) can apply for a re-entry permit thats valid for two years?
I have been applying for the Travel document and it expires on a yearly basis, but the re-entry is valid for two years.
Thanks so much!
Steph, Jason is going to respond soon.
The re-entry permit was never intended to be a substitute for the refugee travel document (RTD). This document was intended for lawful permanent residents (LPRs) who intend to stay outside of the US for a long periods of time- usually more than 1 year but not more than 2 years. It allows the LPR to maintain U.S. continuous residence and protects the LPR from being accused of abandoning his/her permanent resident status.
I am aware of one case where an LPR was denied naturalization because the officer accused him of misrepresentation. He was accused of misrepresentation because he used the re-entry permit like a regular passport or an RTD- meaning, he used it to frequently to take short trips outside of the US (he used it to re-enter the U.S. after short trips- less than 6 months- abroad).
If you are not able to use the RTD, or you can’t wait for the RTD, you can use your country’s passport, provided that you are not wanted by your government/you do not fear your government, and you should be fine. Though the cases are relatively new, the BIA and some Circuit Courts have ruled that: all LPRs must be treated the same, asylum status is terminated by virtue of voluntarily surrendering your asylum status for LPR status (therefore the asylee rules- like the inability to adjust your status because of changed country conditions, for e.g.- no longer apply), and that you are free to travel outside of the US without the permission of the U.S. Attorney General (I interpret that to mean you do not have to apply for an RTD/Advance Parole/re-entry permit). You can look up the cases.
@Jamie,
Thanks for your insights and contributions. What does it take to talk to you? Can Jason link us up? Thanks
As Jamie says, you would not normally use the Re-Entry Permit in lieu of a passport. It is only for entering the US and not for entering other countries. USCIS issues the Re-Entry Permit for one or two years, depending on how long you had the GC and how much time you previously spent outside the US. I forget the formula, but if you have already been spending a lot of time outside the US, they will likely issue it for one year. If you’ve had the GC for a few years and have not been outside the US much, I think they should issue it for 2 years. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
Thank you for all your work and support youve given asylees! Greatly appreciate it!
Quick Question: I’m applying for a travel document (Form I- 131) and wanted to find out if green card holders (asylee based) get two years on the travel document or its still one year like asylees.
Thanks so much!
Jason, I am on my husband’s asylum application and it is in court. We got divorced, now my question is ; will my EAD still get approved which we sent for renewal 8-9 months ago when we were not divorced. What will happen to my case now? How should I proceed to keep myself employed? My attorney said since we both are in court I don’t need to file separate application. And if I insist him to make my application he will do it but as per him it is not necessary. Is that correct?
USCIS will likely not know about the divorce, and so they will probably issue the EAD. However, this is actually improper, since you are no longer a dependent on your husband’s case and thus you do not have a case pending at this time (and are technically not eligible for an EAD). I am very concerned about the advice the lawyer gave you. Since you are off your husband’s case, you must file for relief on your own or you will be deported. Moreover, when a lawyer represents a married couple and they then divorce, the lawyer is not permitted to represent either person going forward unless the lawyer explains the conflict of interest and gets written permission from you both to continue representing your ex-spouse. Maybe something else is going on here and the lawyer’s advice is reasonable, but it sounds very wrong to me based on what you wrote. I strongly recommend that you talk to another lawyer to get a second opinion. Take care, Jason
Thanks for reply. My attorney will be different. I talked to another attorney and he said if I have to apply my own application he will help. My only concern is do I have to wait 150 days for new EAD application? How my kids will get their EAD they are with me and under 21.
You would have to wait 150 days after filing your I-589 to get an EAD based on your own I-589. Technically, the old EAD becomes invalid once the divorce is final (since you are no longer a dependent on your spouse’s case), though you will still have the card and it will still work on e-verify (since USCIS will not know about your divorce). As for the children, they an remain dependents on your spouse’s case or can become dependents on your case (or possibly, both, but I am not sure), and they can get their EADs based on one of their parents. Take care, Jason
Hello,
I am an LPR based on asylum (GC holder) and will travel outside the US using my COP passport as I cannot wait for the RTD for family medical emergency reasons.
1- What is the default when I return to the US? Do I have to give my COP passport along with the GC to the immigration officer, or I have to give only my GC and not to give them my COP until they ask me?
2- When I return, there will be only 4 months left only for my COP before it expires. Does it matter?
1 – I think you will need to present the passport and GC. 2 – I do not think this will matter, since you have a GC. I wrote more about traveling with the home country passport on May 25, 2022. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason, I filled naturalization application and submitted it. I checked no the the question for the question that said have you ever been arrested, detained, and cited. I forgot I had old citation for a speeding ticket from about 3 years, I plead non guilty and the court removed the points but I paid a fine which was less than $500. Should I tell the officer about it at the beginning of the interview or never bring it up and how to be prepared for it from your expertise.
Thanks,
I do not think it will be a problem, but I do recommend that you bring a copy of the disposition (final outcome of the case) and give it to the officer at the beginning. You can explain that you forgot about it when you filed the case. I think the only issue with this citation is if the USCIS thinks you are lying about it (since the citation itself would have no effect on your citizenship case). Therefore, telling them when you arrive at the interview will eliminate the possibility that they will think you are lying. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
My friend is the principal and her asylum application was granted in 2021. She filed a petition 6 months ago for her husband who lives in the COP to bring him to the USA. Can her husband apply for a tourist visa while waiting for the result of the petition?
He can, but it will be unlikely to succeed. The embassy will generally not issue a tourist visa if they believe you have an intention to remain permanently in the US. The fact that the spouse filed a petition for him is a good indicator that he wants to stay permanently in the US. Anyway, he can try, but he will need to reveal his spouse’s presence in the US (if he lies and tries to pretend that he does not have a spouse in the US, this will almost certainly block him from coming to the US on the tourist visa or based on his spouse’s petition, so he needs to reveal her presence here and hope for the best). Take care, Jason
Thank you Jason for everything you do for us here, I will like to ask about how to file an I-131 expedite request for my Travel Document, I applied since February and I will be traveling to see my grandma that is sick in a third country. Please advice. Thanks Jason
You will probably need to call USCIS to ask them to expedite (800-375-5283). This is not easy. I wrote more about expediting with USCIS on January 29, 2020 – maybe that post would help. Take care, Jason
Jason, I just read that EOIR is opening a new court in Sterling Virginia next month with 19 new judges. They will transfer some cases from Arlington to Sterling. This is amazing news.
Actually, it is a due process disaster and I hope to write a post about it soon. So many cases are being scheduled and rescheduled that lawyers cannot keep up, and we cannot get the work done for our clients. But if your lawyer is not so busy or you are doing the case yourself, and you want a sooner date, there is a good chance you will get it (but probably they will not give you much notice). Take care, Jason
Dear Jason,
I am on F2 status and my asylum application is Pending since 2020. I have used my EAD from Asylum to work for the past year. My husband EB-based I-140 recently got approved and now he wants to file adjustment of status based on that. Our I-140 lawyer says she cannot file my I-485 and state that I am on F-2 on the form. Instead she says that we should claim that a timely filed asylum application satisfies maintenance of status requirements. My question is if I file I-485 myself and claim that I am on F2 status, if USCIS believes that I have violated my F2 by working using my EAD and rejects my AOS application, will I have the opportunity to bring up the “timely filed asylum application maintenance of status requirements” at that time and request for reconsideration or if I want to use that exception I should claim that upfront and I cannot wait to see what USCIS believes about the validity of my F2 status?
I do not do employment-based immigration and so I really do not know. I do not know that USCIS takes a consistent position on whether working with an EAD violates students status. Hopefully, the lawyer looked into this as much as possible to maximize the chances for success. Take care, Jason
Jason,
Interesting and eloquent speech! And it was all about today’s world. The irony is that most if not all of the refugees you mentioned (89 millions) were displaced due to the unrest and political intervention her country and the Allie’s (US) are creating to the poor countries and due to their ambition to stay superpower forever. But, the good thing is that the world has some good people to avert the cruelty and to show compassion for needy.
Thanks,
Certainly the Great Powers have caused their share of harm in many places (and continue to do so), but I think we cannot allow that to excuse the agency of many different leaders and people from great and small nations who have contributed to the ongoing displacement of millions. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
Thank you for for all your help and your efforts. I have a very weird situation and I am so nervous about it despite of the fact that this should not have happened. I was a J1 student ( with 2 years home-residency) back in 2012, I left US and came back in 2014 before completion of 2 years residence rule was completed. My asylum got approved in 2020 and applied for green card. I was interviewed by the office and now I have recieved a NOID indicating that I have not completed my 2 year home residency. What a stupid thing an officer can do?? Isn’t it waived automatically due to the fact that my asylum was approved and I applied GC based on approval of asylum. Now I have 33 days to respond to the NOID otherwise my GC will be denied. What should I do? Do I need to apply for a waiver or should I write back to the officer that 2 year home residency does not apply on me? If so, what does the US immigration law says? Thank you for your help and response in advance. Remy
Hi Remy,
This should not have happened. I also saw a similar case in a different immigration forum. I think these days, many green cards applications are being forwarded to national benefit centers and interviews in local offices. As they normally do not deal with asylum based green cards, so they do not understand that two-year home residency does not apply to such cases. Jason will answer to your query, but I think you should be fine.
Thank you Soul
If you have asylum, you are exempt from the two-year home residency requirement. There is a specific section of the CFR that states this, but unfortunately, I cannot remember what section (I did a quick Google search with no luck). You may need to do a consult with a lawyer to find this for you, but I know that USCIS is wrong on this point and if I can find the section later today, I will try to post it here. Take care, Jason
Thank you Jason. This is such a great relief. I did some google and found this code ; 8 cfr 212.7 (8). Is the right code to apply based on my asylum approval. It looks like the officer didn’t know much about it. But it should have been reviewed by a supervisor. Idk how they can do that. Thank you and waiting for your response
Here it what I have: 8 C.F.R. § 1209.2 – “Adjustment of status of alien granted asylum… (b) … An applicant for adjustment who has had the status of an exchange alien nonimmigrant under section 101(a)(15)(J) of the Act, and who is subject to the foreign resident requirement of section 212(e) of the Act, shall be eligible for adjustment without regard to the foreign residence requirement.” Take care, Jason
Thank you so much. You are just like an angel for all the Asylee in this country. You deserve much appreciation for what you do
Shucks. You are making me blush…