Neighbors

Portrait of President Lyndon B. Johnson

No nation in the world has had greater fortune than mine in sharing a continent with the people and the nation of Canada.

President Lyndon Baines Johnson

On September 16, 1964, President Johnson visited the International Peace Arch in Blaine, WA. He was there to sign the Columbia River Treaty, an agreement between Canada and the United States on the development and operations of dams in the upper Columbia River Basin for power and flood control benefits in both countries. President Johnson and then Canadian Prime Minister Lester Pearson

were on the podium along with Senator Warren G. Magnuson and Senator Henry M. Jackson. More than 25,000 people attended the ceremony including me. It was a great day except for the rain. It was not a downpour, but more than what the Blaine Journal described a “heavy drizzle.”

One of memories I take away from that day is Lyndon Johnson who in a ten-gallon hat and because of his size dominated the podium with his presence. And the second memory is his words: “We of the United States consider ourselves blessed. We have much to give thanks for. But the gift of providence we cherish most is that we were given as our neighbors on this wonderful continent the people and the nation of Canada.”

In my immigration practice the majority of my clients are Canadians. Many of them are business persons expanding or creating businesses in the United States.

Other are individuals who have married an American. In many ways my Canadian clients are a breath of fresh air – they don’t take themselves as seriously as many Americans do today. They stand ready to see the humor in the human condition. We need each other.

U.S. Postal Service

Americans have an expectation that the Postal service will abide by its well-known, although unofficial motto – a commitment to deliver.

John M. McHugh

This past month, on July 26, 1775 was the anniversary of the U.S. postal system.

Established by the Second Continental Congress, Benjamin Franklin was the first postmaster general. Today the United States has over 40,000 post offices and the system delivers over 212 billion pieces of mail each year to over 144 million homes and businesses in the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, The American Virgin Islands and American Samoa.

I want to give a shout out to the U.S. Postal Service. Since I have been practicing immigration law they have been an integral part of my business. I depend on them to get my clients’ visa applications to the right offices and in a timely manner.

When I first started my immigration practice, the lines of customers were long. It was the beginning of the popularity of Ebay and countless persons with garbage bags full of packages would show up. As I started out for the post office I would say a little prayer that I wouldn’t get in line behind an Ebayer or horrors of horrors, more than one!

Eventually the postal system addressed the problem and today I seldom see such a vendor in line. Now when I or my assistant goes to the post office, it is normally a quick process and leave with the confidence that my correspondence with USCIS or the State Department will be delivered correctly and punctually.

Thank you U.S. Postal Service and happy anniversary!

Change is the Law

Change is the law of life. And those who look to the past or the present are certain to miss the future.

John F. Kennedy

A couple of weeks ago, I had a client come to see me to start the fiancé visa process. He had just returned from Eastern Europe where he had his first face to face meeting with his internet girlfriend. He was so excited about her, the trip and his conclusion that this woman was the one he wanted to marry.

In my years of immigration practice, many of my clients seeking fiancé/e visas met their intended over the internet through sites like eharmony, match, zoosk, and OurTime. The fiancé/es come from all over the world: Asia, Africa, Europe, South America, Australia, Mexico and of course Canada because of its geographic closeness.

It used to be you met your partner through school, events, trips and friends. Now technology has changed all that. My wife and I had lockers next to each other in high school. How times have changed. I only hope I can keep up.

Indispensable

Immigrants and foreigners have always been an indispensable part of our country including its great record in scientific research.

Michael Rosbach

When I read this quote, immediately Albert Einstein came to mind. He was born on March 14, 1879 in Ulm, Germany. He was the greatest physicist of the twentieth century. His theoretical work on the photoelectric effect, Brownian motion, quantum energy, light, gravity, relativity of space and time and the conversion of matter into energy (E=MC2) transformed modern science and he became a symbol of scientific genius.

He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921. His fame brought not only lectureships throughout the world, but also negative attention from Nazi Germany. As a result, he and his wife immigrated to the United States in 1933 where he accepted a position at the Institute for Advanced Study in New Jersey.

Einstein took his citizenship test and was naturalized on October 1, 1940.

At the same time as he took his citizenship test, he gave a talk for the government’s “I Am an American” radio series. In that broadcast he said,” Immigration increases consumption as much as it does demand labor. Immigration strengthens not only the internal economy of a sparsely populated country, but also its defensive power.” It is something to think about.

I’m Back

I’m back

Jack Nicholson in “The Shining”

I’ve taken a couple of months off from writing my blog. I don’t know whether the reason is thatI’ve been busy with visa and citizenship applications, the weather, writer’s block or a combination of the three. But now I’m back.

The 17th of this month is St. Patrick’s Day and I wanted to recognize the countless Irish immigrants who came to America. They were discriminated upon, but they persevered and many of them and their descendants made important contributions to this Country. Probably the most outstanding example isJohn F. Kennedy the 35th President of the United States and first Catholic President.

My wife Mary tells the story of her mother Catherine and how excited she was about his candidacy.They were Lutherans and Lutherans because of religious doctrine were suspicious of Catholicism.One Sunday prior to election day, her mother, brother and she were in church and the minister admonished the congregation to not vote for Kennedy because he was Catholic. Catherine motioned to the kids to get up and she marched them out of the church. Catherine, a daughter of Swedish immigrants, could not tolerate religious or any other kind of discrimination. We need more people like her in this world we live in today.

P.S. I loved Jack Nicholson in “The Shining”

Hopeful Resolutions

James Lafferty

My New Year’s resolution is to stick to a good workout plan that will keep me healthy and happy.

James Lafferty

It is the first month of 2019 and a time for new beginnings and hopeful resolutions.  I see the reality of these goals as the athletic club I attend.  Every January there is a surge in attendance – the parking lot is full and frustration builds trying to find a place to park.  By March the task of parking is much easier.  But I always have a pange of guilt – I’m happy to have an easier time parking, but I worry for the health of the exercise dropouts.

Exercise has become an important part of my life, especially as I have gotten older. It makes me feel so much better; helps achieve discipline; and brings balance to my life –all of which contribute to helping me in my professional life.

My Wish

This is my wish for you: peace of mind, prosperity through the year, happiness that multiples, health for you and yours, fun around every corner, energy to chase your dreams, joy to fill your holidays!

D.M. Dellinger

It has been a busy and successful year. There have been some tense times; long waiting times for governmental officials to get back to us: and changes to procedures and forms, but we have persevered. I have enjoyed meeting my new clients and clients that have returned. It is rewarding to me to help them and to see them achieve their dreams.

I want to thank my clients and the folks who come to my website to read my blog. I hope you experience the above wish by Dellinger and have the happiest of holiday seasons and a fruitful and memorable new year.

Business Plans

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in Toulouse, France

A goal without a plan is just a wish.

Antoine de Saint-Exupery (Writer & pioneering aviator)

December is National Business Plan Month and I wanted to emphasize how important a business plan

is for any entrepreneur. A plan not only helps in the daily business activities, but also when a business person is applying for an E-1 or E-2 investor visa.

A well-written and thoughtful business plan sends a signal to the reviewing officer that the applicant is a serious and viable business owner. My clients have taken this advice to heart (I admit I had some dreamers too, but we were able to get them to see the light) and produced business plans that continue to guide them to their successful futures.

Thanksgiving

Linus van Pelt with his blanket

Ours was the first country in the world to make a national holiday to give thanks.

Linus, Peanuts

In 1621, the Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving. In addition to the honored guests, Elder William Bradford and Captain Miles Standish, they invited the great Indian chief Massasoit and ninety of his brave warriors. The Indians reciprocated with a great abundance of food and goodwill.

Americans have continued the tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving. Each family has its special traditions and foods. As I was growing up we had a very overweight cat named Tom. As Thanksgiving day approached, he would start pacing around the kitchen. It paid off; he always received the first piece of meat off the Thanksgiving turkey!

On a more serious note, I want to mention the importance of gratitude, not just on Thanksgiving day, but everyday. It is important to stop and think about, people, events, and things that make our lives meaningful and memorable. In conclusion, I would like to thank all of my clients who believe in me and make my work so rewarding.

Melting Pot

Portrait of President Lyndon B. Johnson

The land flourished because it was fed from so many sources – because it was nourished by so many cultures and traditions and peoples.

Lyndon Baines Johnson

As an immigration attorney I am amazed at the number of clients I have assisted with immigration needs who come from foreign lands – China, India, Southeast Asia, Australia, Russia, Africa, Japan, Mexico, South and Central America and Europe. Of course, the majority of my clients are from Canada since we share a common border and Bellingham is so close to British Columbia.

As I serve each client I learn about their parent country and often times its culture and traditions. I enjoy this aspect of my work. Each client is an individual whose life story is unique. And each one contributes to this great melting pot – the United States of America.