The US House of Representatives has passed a Bill (HR4437 pdf) of which an amendment (#37 Goodlatte/Herseth pdf) seeks to do away with the Diversity visa lottery. As most of you know, Sweety and I participate every year in pursuit of our dream to move to the US.
The decision to do away with the Visa Lottery system was voted on comfortably, 273 to 148. One of the arguments for getting rid of this Visa Lottery was that terrorists were using the scheme to enter the US.
That's just weird logic. So everything terrorists are using to enter the US should be banned? Did you know that terrorists use shoes when entering the US?
Tell me which terrorist actually entered the US based on a Visum won with the Lottery. It makes no sense to use the Lottery since it's a process that takes at least two years. Why would a terrorist do that if they can enter illegally with a false ID within days.
Please take the time to see how your representatives voted.
More info:
CNN
Hindustan Times
MichNews
:(
isn't it interesting that you, as Dutch, really want to immigrant to USA and me, as American, really want to emigrate to Netherlands?
seems like we should be able to make the exchange... too bad that Immigration Authorities get in the way :/
btw, been looking at your blog for more than a year and it's fun to see your life together with Sweetie evolving in such a nice way :)
cheers and may you have a very happy year 2006!