” I really appreciate the work that you have done. For some time now, Nida had some lingering questions tucked away and you seemed to cover every single one. She feels more confident about her situation.”

From FoxNews.com, 4/12/2010:

Drug Label Accuracy Getting Lost In Translation

Monday, April 12, 2010

NEW YORK —  Computer programs pharmacists rely on to translate prescription labels for non-English speaking customers often produce potentially harmful errors, new research indicates.

 

Examples include translating “once a day” into “eleven times a day”; replacing “by mouth” with “by the little”; and translating “two times” into “two kiss.” While nearly all of the pharmacies surveyed in the study said pharmacists checked label printouts for accuracy, most of these pharmacists weren’t fluent in Spanish.

The consequences of such errors are “immediately apparent and frightening to any physician,” Dr. Iman Sharif and Julia Tse, who conducted the research, note in the journal Pediatrics. There has been at least one documented case of such consequences, they add; a man who was supposed to take his two blood pressure medications once a day took 11 pills of each instead. (The word “once” in English means “eleven” in Spanish.) 

“We’re not going to be able to reduce disparities in care if we cannot ensure that patients know how to use their medicines,” Sharif, formerly of Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, who is now at the Nemours A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware, told Reuters Health in an interview. “Medication errors are a huge problem and this is just one venue where this happens, and I think a really important one.”

 

In 2009, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed a law requiring pharmacy chains to offer translated medicine labels to customers speaking one of the seven top foreign languages spoken in the city. Nearly half of New York City’s population speaks a language other than English at home.

To investigate whether Spanish speakers were being provided this service, Sharif and Tse, who is with Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, surveyed 286 pharmacies in the Bronx, New York — where 44 percent of the population speaks Spanish — about whether they provided medicine labels in Spanish to their customers who needed them. About three-quarters did so. Among these pharmacies, nearly 90 percent used computers to translate labels from English into Spanish, 11 percent used staff members, and 3 percent used professional interpreters.

Sharif and Tse then looked at 76 medicine labels they had generated using 13 of the 14 computer programs pharmacists reported using for translation.

They found that half of all the labels contained serious mistakes. Thirty-two of the labels included incomplete translations and six contained major spelling or grammatical errors.

Computer translation programs can clearly be improved, Sharif said, but this doesn’t mean a human being shouldn’t be checking the computer’s work. Ideally, she added, pharmacies should have professional translators on staff to ensure that labels are being translated properly. Figuring out how to pay for this, Sharif said, “is probably something that belongs within the health reform conversations.”

Standardizing how doctors write prescriptions and ensuring they use precise language will make accurate translation much easier, the researcher added. She also urges people to repeat back the instructions on medication use that their doctors and pharmacists give them to catch any potentially dangerous miscommunications. 

Non-English-speakers should demand help in interpreting their medication labels, according to Sharif. “Ask for a professional interpreter, don’t just accept that you don’t speak English and therefore you don’t get to have information about your medicine.”

For a link to the full article, click on http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,590762,00.html.

Special Humanitarian Parole Program for Haitian Orphans Draws to a Close at Request of Haitian Government
USCIS Update

WASHINGTON – The Haiti government has requested that the United States provide them with a final list of orphans being considered under the Special Humanitarian Parole Program for Haitian Orphans.  As a result, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will stop accepting new requests for consideration under the special program as of April 14, 2010, and will resume regular processing of intercountry adoptions.   

USCIS believes the vast majority of adoption requests for orphans who meet the criteria of the special program have already been submitted.  Since January 18, USCIS has authorized parole for more than 1,000 orphans under the special program, and as of April 5, approximately 340 cases are still being considered.  The unprecedented program included safeguards to ensure that each child granted parole was truly available for adoption and had been matched to a suitable U.S. citizen for adoption.  

In response to the emergency situation in Haiti following the January 12 earthquake, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano authorized the use of parole for two specific and limited groups of Haitian children: 

• Children who either had full and final adoptions completed by their U.S. parents before the earthquake and who were legally confirmed as eligible for intercountry adoption by the government of Haiti.
• Children who were far enough along in the adoption process that both the U.S. and Haitian governments could verify the identity and eligibility of the children for adoption, and the U.S. government could confirm the suitability of the adoptive parents.

Going forward, intercountry adoption cases involving Haitian orphans will again be processed through normal procedures.  The government of Haiti has already begun accepting new documents for adoption cases and the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince has resumed regular processing. 

More information about humanitarian parole and intercountry adoption is available online at www.uscis.gov/humanitarianparole and www.uscis.gov/adoptions, or by calling USCIS toll-free at (800) 375-5283.

Introduction  

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will stop accepting new requests for parole under the Special Humanitarian Parole Program for Haitian Orphans effective April 13, 2010, because the Haitian government has requested that the United States bring the program to a close.  While USCIS believes that the vast majority of requests for special parole have already been submitted, any remaining prospective adoptive parents or adoptive parents will have until April 14, 2010, to submit a request under the special program.  

Background 

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) established the special parole policy and process as part of the overall U.S. government response to the January 12, earthquake.  The policy and process was designed to address the circumstances of a specific group of vulnerable Haitian children: 

• those who either had full and final adoptions completed by United States citizen parents before the earthquake or,
• who were far enough along in the adoption process that both the governments of Haiti and the United States could verify the identity and eligibility of the children for adoption, and the United States government could confirm the suitability of the adoptive parents.  

To date, more than 1,000 Haitian orphans have been approved for travel to the United States to join their adoptive families under this expedited process.  USCIS is in the process of considering several hundred more requests and anticipates that ultimately some 1,200 children will benefit from this program. 

USCIS will process all requests for parole under the special program received at HaitianAdoptions@dhs.gov by April 14, 2010.  USCIS is no longer accepting “walk-in” requests at the USCIS embassy in Port-au-Prince. 

Initiating a Case 

If initiating a case by sending an e-mail to the HaitianAdoptions@dhs.gov mailbox, please include in the subject line the last name of the prospective parent(s) and the name of the child to be adopted. 

Please also provide the information below to help us process the case as expeditiously as possible: 

• The name(s) and date(s) of birth of the adoptive parent(s);
• The name(s) and date(s) of birth of the orphaned child(ren);
• The address and contact information for the adoptive parent(s), the adoption service provider, if applicable, as well as the caregiver for the child(ren) in Haiti;
• A signed Form G-28 or privacy waiver if you wish USCIS to communicate about your humanitarian parole request with an attorney or other representative;
• A recent photo(s) of the child(ren); and,
• Documentation showing that the child was either:
  • Being adopted prior to January 12, 2010 and was legally confirmed as an orphan available for inter-country adoption by the government of Haiti through an adoption decree or custody grant to suitable U.S. citizen adoptive parents; or
  • Identified by an adoption service provider or facilitator as eligible for inter-country adoption and matched to prospective American adoptive parents prior to January 12, 2010.

Please see the Fact Sheet on the Humanitarian Parole Policy for Certain Haitian Orphans for additional details on the evidence that supports a request for parole.  If you do not have all of the evidence necessary to establish eligibility for parole and are in the process of gathering that evidence, you may still submit a request to the e-mail box before the deadline, with an explanation of the evidence you are seeking to obtain.  You should also, at a minimum, provide the following information: 

• Full name(s) and date(s) of birth of the Haitian child(ren);
• Full name(s) and date(s) of birth of the U.S. prospective adoptive parents;

Contact information for the prospective adoptive parent(s).

USCIS to Accept H-1B Petitions for Fiscal Year 2011 Beginning April 1, 2010

 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it will begin accepting H-1B petitions subject to the fiscal year (FY) 2011 cap on April 1, 2010.  Cases will be considered accepted on the date that USCIS takes possession of a properly filed petition with the correct fee; not the date that the petition is postmarked. 

The fiscal year cap (numerical limitation on H-1B petitions) for FY 2011 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 H-1B 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 needed, USCIS will randomly select the number of petitions required to reach the numerical limit from the 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 Marianas Islands are exempt from the cap until Dec. 31, 2014.  Employers may continue to file petitions for these cap-exempt H-1B categories seeking work dates starting in FY 2010 or 2011. 

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 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 possible requests for evidence.  USCIS has developed detailed information, including a processing worksheet, to assist in the completion and submission of a FY2011 H-1B petition, which can be found on our website.  

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. 

Humanitarian Parole
Fact Sheet

Introduction  

Humanitarian parole enables an otherwise inadmissible individual to enter the United States temporarily due to urgent humanitarian reasons. Parole is not intended to be used to avoid regular visa-issuing procedures or to bypass immigration procedures. Parole does not confer any permanent immigration status, but does enable a recipient to apply for and receive employment authorization. 

Humanitarian parole is typically granted for the duration of the emergency or compelling situation at issue. Anyone granted humanitarian parole must depart the United States prior to its expiration date or risk being placed on removal proceedings.  An individual paroled into the United States, however, may submit a request for reparole to USCIS to extend his or her stay in the United States. 

Anyone may file an application for humanitarian parole, including the prospective parolee, a sponsoring relative, an attorney, or any other interested individual or organization. 

Questions & Answers 

Q.  Where can I find the law about humanitarian parole?
A.  The legal foundation for humanitarian parole comes from the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Section 212(d)(5)(A) of the INA states USCIS has discretion to parole an individual into the U.S. temporarily under certain conditions for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit on a case-by-case basis. 

Q.  If I have a pending or approved relative petition, but I need to get my family member to the United States more quickly than waiting for the normal immigration and visa processing, should I apply for humanitarian parole?
A.  Humanitarian parole normally cannot be used to avoid normal visa-issuing procedures or to bypass immigration procedures.  The course of action in such situations is usually to request expedited processing of your relative petition and/or visa.  

Q.  How do I request humanitarian parole?
A.  You file a request for humanitarian parole using Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, with the Form I-134, Affidavit of Support, following the instructions on the Form or the USCIS website.
For complete instructions on how to apply, see the Humanitarian section at http://www.uscis.gov. 

Q.  Where can I receive forms to request humanitarian parole?
A.  The Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, and Form I-134, Affidavit of Support and instructions are available to download from http://www.uscis.gov/forms. You may make a request online to have the forms mailed to you, or call USCIS’ Forms Request line, 1- 800-870-3676. 

Q.  Is there a fee and, if so, can it be waived?
A.  Yes, all Form I-131s must be accompanied by a fee. Regulations do not permit USCIS to waive the fee. For more information on the fee, see the Form I-131 page on http://www.uscis.gov/forms. 

Q.  How long does will it take to get an answer on my application?
A.  USCIS generally will make a decision on a request for humanitarian parole within 90-120 business days from the time USCIS receives the application. Urgent cases may be processed within days when necessary. 

Q.  How can I find out the status of my application?
A.  To check the status of your application, contact the Chief of the Humanitarian Affairs Branch at the following address.  

Department of Homeland Security, USCIS
Attn: Chief, Humanitarian Affairs Branch
20 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Suite 3300
Washington, DC 20529-2100 

Please provide specific information about your application, such as the case number of the humanitarian parole application, the name, and date of birth of the petitioner, the date of application, and a brief explanation of the reasons for seeking parole. 

Q.  How will I be notified if my request is approved?
A.  If you are the applicant, you will receive a written notice when your application has been adjudicated. 

Q.  For what period of time will I be granted humanitarian parole?
A.  Humanitarian parole is typically granted for a set period of time that corresponds with the duration of the urgent situation at issue. It is seldom granted for longer than one year. 

Guidelines 

A Humanitarian Parole application package should contain ALL of the following: 

• Original Form I-131, Application for Travel Document
• Original Form I-134, Affidavit of Support
• Filing fee
• Detailed explanation of the reasons why you are applying for Humanitarian Parole and the length of time for which you need Humanitarian Parole (the maximum time is usually limited to one year)
• Detailed explanation of why you cannot obtain a U.S. nonimmigrant visa from the Department of State including:
  • when and where you attempted to obtain visas,
  • if you were denied, send a copy of the denial letter given to you
• Detailed explanation of the reasons why you cannot obtain any required waiver of inadmissibility (if applicable) and a copy of the denial letter if you received one
• Copies of any previously approved immigrant petitions (Forms I-130, I-140, I-360)
• Copies of supporting documents (tax returns, doctor’s letters, etc) can also be referred to as evidence.

PLEASE NOTE: 

• All supporting documents should be included with the application when it is submitted to USCIS or the application may be rejected. Applications will not be processed until all documents are received.
• Medical Parole:  If you need humanitarian parole for medical reasons, you must submit the following, with documentation to support any assertions, where available:
  • An explanation from a medical doctor stating the diagnosis and prognosis, and how long the treatment is expected to last;
  • Information on the reasons why you cannot obtain treatment in your home country or in a neighboring country;
  • The estimated cost of the treatment and an explanation on how the treatment will be paid for;
  • How you will pay to return to your country. 

Parole for children with medical needs:  Parole of children, including for medical needs, requires the consent of a parent or legal guardian.  Parole of orphans from Haiti, including for medical reasons, may require approval from the government of Haiti.  For information on a special parole program for certain orphans in Haiti, please see Questions & Answers: Information for U.S. Citizens in the process of adopting a child from Haiti on the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov/haitianearthquake.

USCIS Centralizes Processing of Orphan Adoptions Change will Streamline Processing

WASHINGTON — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that on April 1, 2010, it is centralizing processing and adjudication of all new orphan (Non-Hague) petitions with the agency’s specialized adoptions team in Missouri.  

Prospective adoptive parents will continue to file their Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative (Form I 600) and Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition (Form I 600A) with USCIS’ Dallas Lockbox facility. The Lockbox will forward the case to the Orphan Unit at USCIS’ National Benefit Center (NBC) for processing and adjudication. The applicant will receive a  receipt notice with the NBC address and contact information for follow-up correspondence. 

While this takes place behind the scenes, adoptive parents will benefit because it allows USCIS to: 

• Process applications and petitions more efficiently,
• Streamline and standardize work processes, and
• Offer more consistent service.

Parents will also benefit from the specialized skills and experience of the NBC Non-Hague Adoption Unit, based on the NBC’s implementation of the USCIS Hague Adoption Convention program in 2008. 

USCIS has dedicated a toll-free NBC Adoption telephone line, 1-877-424-8374 and published an Orphan Home Study Tip sheet (Form M-760) to aid adoption service providers and prospective adoptive parents. 

Local USCIS field offices in the United States will continue to accept requests for extensions and change of circumstances for approved Form I-600A applications in accordance with the current filing instructions.  Overseas U.S. citizens may continue to file Form I-600 at a U.S. Embassy, consulate or USCIS office abroad that has jurisdiction to accept the petition. However, in order to file a Form I-600 petition abroad, the petitioner must have an approved Form I-600A and be physically present in the adoptive child’s country.  

Prospective parents who reside abroad may continue to file the Form I-600A with an overseas USCIS office or the Dallas Lockbox facility. 

For more information on orphan adoptions visit: http://www.uscis.gov/adoptions. 

From USCIS, 3/22/2010:

Change of Filing Location for Form I-131, Application for Travel Document

WASHINGTON – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced revised filing instructions and addresses for applicants filing an Application for Travel Document (Form I-131).  The change of filing location is part of an overall effort to transition the intake of some USCIS forms from USCIS local offices and Service Centers to USCIS Lockbox facilities.  By Centralizing form and fee intake to a Lockbox environment, the agency can provide customers with more efficient and effective initial processing of applications and fees. 

Beginning March 19, 2010 applicants will file their applications at the USCIS Vermont Service Center or at one of the USCIS Lockbox facilities.  Detailed guidance can be found in updated Form I-131 instructions page at www.uscis.gov.  

The USCIS Service Centers will forward incorrectly filed Form I-131 applications to the USCIS Lockbox facilities for 30 days, until Monday, April 19, 2010.  After April 19, 2010, incorrectly filed applications will be returned to the applicant, with a note to send the application to the correct location. 

If you are currently in removal proceedings or have been previously removed from the United States, submit your request to the Department of Homeland Security/Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of International Affairs, Attn: Section Chief, Law Enforcement Parole Branch, 800 N. Capitol Street, Washington, DC 20536. 

When filing Form I-131 at one of the USCIS Lockbox facilities, you may elect to receive an email and/or text message notifying you that your application has been accepted.  You must complete an
E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance (Form G-1145), and attach it to the first page of your application. 

For more information on USCIS programs, visit www.uscis.gov or call the National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283. 

From USCIS, 3/30/2010:

USCIS Holds Special Naturalization Ceremony for the 30th Anniversary of the Refugee Act

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), in a special naturalization ceremony today, celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Refugee Act of 1980. USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas welcomed 27 former refugees and asylees from 10 different countries as new United States citizens and acknowledged the dedication of USCIS’ Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate (RAIO) officers. 
 

“Our nation continues its distinguished tradition as a place of refuge for women and men from around the world,” said Director Mayorkas. “We stand as a beacon of hope and opportunity for many who seek a better life for themselves and their love ones.” 

“I want to commend these officers for their dedicated service on behalf of refugees and asylum seekers and for working tirelessly to achieve our precious humanitarian mission while maintaining the integrity of the immigration system,” said Lori Scialabba, RAIO Associate Director. “Last year alone, USCIS processed 110,000 refugee applicants in 79 countries and completed 33,867 asylum applications.” 

As part of the USCIS humanitarian mission, USCIS officers interview refugee and asylum applicants to determine those eligible for protection. RAIO officers have assumed a level of risk themselves, working and traveling around the globe to interview vulnerable populations.  Since the enactment of the Refugee Act of 1980, the United States has offered protection to approximately 2.5 million refugees and 500,000 asylees. 

The new citizens naturalized at today’s ceremony hailed from the following countries: Bhutan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Pakistan, Philippines, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan and Vietnam. 

For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit www.uscis.gov or call our National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283. 

USCIS Announces Revised Forms I-600 and I-600A

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced that it has published new versions of the Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative, Form I-600 and the Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition, Form I-600A .  The new date on the bottom of both forms is “12/30/09 N.” Due to the changes on the forms, previous versions will no longer be accepted after a 60 day transition period.  

Beginning today, April 1, 2010, until June 2, 2010, USCIS will provide a transition period during which previous versions of the forms will continue to be accepted.  After June 2, 2010, only the 12/30/09 version of these forms may be used.  If someone attempts to file any previous version of either form after June 2, 2010, USCIS will reject the filing. The rejected form, supporting evidence, and any filing fee will be returned with a copy of the 12/30/09 version so that the person can file using the correct form. 

USCIS has modified the forms to be more user-friendly and to permit prospective adoptive parents to request accommodations for disabilities or impairments during interviews. 

Prospective adoptive parents residing in the United States must continue to submit Forms I 600, I 600A, and all supporting documents to the USCIS Dallas Lockbox facility for initial processing, using one of the following addresses: 

USCIS
P.O. Box 660088
Dallas, TX 75266 

Courier and Express Mail Deliveries: 

USCIS
ATTN: Adoption
2501 S. State Hwy. 121 Business
Suite 400
Lewisville, TX 75067 

After Forms I-600 and I-600A are received at the USCIS Dallas Lockbox facility, they will be routed to and adjudicated at the USCIS National Benefits Center, in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.  

Prospective adoptive parents residing abroad can also file the Form I-600A or Form I-600 through the Dallas Lockbox facility. 

Prospective adoptive parents residing abroad can also file the Form I-600A and Form I-600 as follows: 

Form I-600A can still be filed at the overseas USCIS office having jurisdiction over the overseas place of residence. 

Form I-600 can still be filed at the overseas U.S. Embassy, consulate or USCIS office having jurisdiction to accept the petition. However, in order to file a Form I-600 petition abroad, the petitioner must have an approved and valid Form I-600A and must be physically present at the time of filing in the adoptive child’s country. 

Please contact the USCIS National Benefit Center at (877) 424-8374 or visit www.uscis.gov for more information on USCIS and its programs.