RandyK
02-16 11:46 AM
Am I understanding this right ?
FOR H1/L1 They do a FBI background check
FOR I-485/CP They do a Name Check
Please someone clarify, I do have a loooong name just wanted to know what I am getting into here.
FOR H1/L1 They do a FBI background check
FOR I-485/CP They do a Name Check
Please someone clarify, I do have a loooong name just wanted to know what I am getting into here.
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ameryki
09-21 05:27 PM
Just a quick update for future readers incase they get in to a similar situation as mine. Upon finding out that "transportation letter" might be a possibility my wife approached the United States Embassy in New Delhi (Key here is Embassy) the reason I say that is TL's are issued from Dept of Homeland Security which is always based out of an Embassy outside the US and not consulates. One has the option of applying for this at a consulate but they turn around and send all the informtion to DHS (at the embassy). This just takes too much time. At the embassy it wasn't too much trouble or no convincing needed however just to get the process done and receive the paper work in hand it took a good 4 business days and persistance. Also once you receive a transportation letter it is recommended that you shoot for a non stop flight since the TL's are 2 copies in a sealed envelope (1 for the immigration from your departure destination and the other for your immigration at the port of entry) before issuing a TL the embassy will ask you for your port of entry since the TL is addressed to that port. Lastly they did not charge anything for this but upon reading some other old posts in some forums if you go to a consulate they charge $180 for this. Hope no one has to go through this but if you do above is a debrief of what to expect.
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milmuk
02-06 07:35 PM
Hello experts,
My situation:
1) H1- I have completed 6 years on H1 in Oct 2010.Out of six years,I stayed out of US for more than 1.5 years.
2) EAD- I had ead since 2007 but started using it since Oct 2010 for first emplyer.
Now using ead for working with the present (second) employer as a permanent employee.
3) AP- getting AP regularly since 2007.Used AP twice in 2010 and once in 2011.Initially my H1 emplyer asked me to use it,since I was not on project.
In 2011, I used it,since my H1 was also expired.
4) I-485 - filed in July 2007 only for myself on EB3( my family didn't able to come to US during that period)
PD July 2006
Earlier my family was situated in India and had H4, so they were able to travel.Since kids are studying ,they prefered to stay there for education.
Now I am in difficult situation, since if family decides to come to US after the education, they won't be able to travel , since they lost their dependent status.
Using travel visa won't be helpful for longer stay.
My previous H1 emplyer told me that the family greencard applications could be filed once the PD becomes current.Based on present dates,it is going to take 5-6 years.
Options: Is it possible to convert from ead to H1?[I want to use H1 only for the family to maintain their H4 status.With H4, they could be able to travel as per the situation.
Since I am working as a permanent employee, it will be easy to renew/maintain H1.
Is it possible to convert ead to H1? What could be the consequences?
Please advice.:confused:
Thanks
My situation:
1) H1- I have completed 6 years on H1 in Oct 2010.Out of six years,I stayed out of US for more than 1.5 years.
2) EAD- I had ead since 2007 but started using it since Oct 2010 for first emplyer.
Now using ead for working with the present (second) employer as a permanent employee.
3) AP- getting AP regularly since 2007.Used AP twice in 2010 and once in 2011.Initially my H1 emplyer asked me to use it,since I was not on project.
In 2011, I used it,since my H1 was also expired.
4) I-485 - filed in July 2007 only for myself on EB3( my family didn't able to come to US during that period)
PD July 2006
Earlier my family was situated in India and had H4, so they were able to travel.Since kids are studying ,they prefered to stay there for education.
Now I am in difficult situation, since if family decides to come to US after the education, they won't be able to travel , since they lost their dependent status.
Using travel visa won't be helpful for longer stay.
My previous H1 emplyer told me that the family greencard applications could be filed once the PD becomes current.Based on present dates,it is going to take 5-6 years.
Options: Is it possible to convert from ead to H1?[I want to use H1 only for the family to maintain their H4 status.With H4, they could be able to travel as per the situation.
Since I am working as a permanent employee, it will be easy to renew/maintain H1.
Is it possible to convert ead to H1? What could be the consequences?
Please advice.:confused:
Thanks
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rsdang
06-17 09:17 AM
Call customer service - select the address change option and when you get to a customer service agent give them the receipt number and they will verify the information on it. If it doesnt match they will advise you. Then you know if its your receipt number or not.
more...
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Leo07
07-07 08:23 PM
I don't agree with what mbawa2574 has to say,but I certainly disagree banning mbawa for expressing views. I think, mbawa2574 is well within limits of posting anything that could hurt IV image/goals. ( On this thread, I mean).
What's the damage caused to your effort?( apart from deleting threads )
I'd rather help channel his thoughts and energies in a direction that helps IV than ban him.
mbawa2574, can you get in touch with some one in IV Core and put your thoughts on paper?
I'm sure you understand by now that IV is made of just you, me and bunch of other anonymous keyboard monkeys.
Cheers!
mbawa,
We regard IV website as an important tool to reach our goal. Please be cautioned that if we find you damage our effort, we will be forced to ban you from this website.
IV Team
What's the damage caused to your effort?( apart from deleting threads )
I'd rather help channel his thoughts and energies in a direction that helps IV than ban him.
mbawa2574, can you get in touch with some one in IV Core and put your thoughts on paper?
I'm sure you understand by now that IV is made of just you, me and bunch of other anonymous keyboard monkeys.
Cheers!
mbawa,
We regard IV website as an important tool to reach our goal. Please be cautioned that if we find you damage our effort, we will be forced to ban you from this website.
IV Team
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iv_only_hope
09-30 03:24 PM
there was a thread yesterday discussing this news. It is indeed welcome news. Atleast now USCIS should concentrate on FIFO approvals. There are just too many 2003/4/5 EB-2I applicants waiting in line when 2006 applicants got approved in a frenzy last couple of months...what a cruel joke! and for EB-3I, this news may reveal the total number of cases pending. Nobody seemed to know the accurate count...
Sorry I didnt see the thread. Still dont actually. Where is it? Thanks.
Sorry I didnt see the thread. Still dont actually. Where is it? Thanks.
more...
derrick rose tattoos on his neck. derrick rose tattoos on his
baburob2
10-07 08:11 PM
My son is a US citizen/passport holder and we are planning on applying for a PIO for him at the SFO consulate. I have the following questions on how he could use the PIO card
1. How can he use the PIO card to enter and exit India?
a. Does he simply show the PIO card, US passport to enter and exit India?
2. Incase if the PIO card processing takes a lot of time I know that he can apply for visa. I was wondering anyone has experience on how visa could be applied if PIO processing takes a long time at the SFO consulate.
a. Do they return the PIO application and its supporting documents before visa could be applied?
b. Should a new visa application+visa supporting documents need to be resent for getting a Indian visa?
1. How can he use the PIO card to enter and exit India?
a. Does he simply show the PIO card, US passport to enter and exit India?
2. Incase if the PIO card processing takes a lot of time I know that he can apply for visa. I was wondering anyone has experience on how visa could be applied if PIO processing takes a long time at the SFO consulate.
a. Do they return the PIO application and its supporting documents before visa could be applied?
b. Should a new visa application+visa supporting documents need to be resent for getting a Indian visa?
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nav_kri
03-23 03:10 AM
Folks,
I read in this (http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=170404&catid=3) report that none of the 4 students were wearing seat belts. Please always wear your seat belts.
My prayers are with their families
I read in this (http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=170404&catid=3) report that none of the 4 students were wearing seat belts. Please always wear your seat belts.
My prayers are with their families
more...
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yogeshmanohar
07-19 10:55 AM
We are travelling next month from SFO on advance parole and expired I 94 and expired visa stamp in passport (but valid I 797) . I 140 is approved and we have EAD.
I was little worried about PoE scrutiny.. Above posts have made me little more comfortable about the travel.
Thanks guys.
I was little worried about PoE scrutiny.. Above posts have made me little more comfortable about the travel.
Thanks guys.
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sparklinks
11-19 11:09 AM
I have been trying to change my address online for the last two days and it looks like the system is down. I called them up and they are not able to do it either. What a mess. I hope they don't mail our applications till the issues are resolved.
Also if I only want to change address on pending applications but not AR-11, there is no such option (other than calling them).
It looks like their systems are down since yesterday. Today even case status wasnt working for a while (it seems to be working now).
Anyone else having issues?
Yes ,I had the same issue, try now its working good
Also if I only want to change address on pending applications but not AR-11, there is no such option (other than calling them).
It looks like their systems are down since yesterday. Today even case status wasnt working for a while (it seems to be working now).
Anyone else having issues?
Yes ,I had the same issue, try now its working good
more...
derrick rose tattoos on his neck. derrick rose tattoos on his
bp333
09-25 01:46 PM
Thanks BMS1.
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arc
10-25 05:30 PM
^bmp^
more...
derrick rose tattoos on his neck. +rose+tattoos+on+his+neck
amitjoey
07-11 12:17 PM
New Yorkers, do not let this opportunity pass by.
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pappu
02-02 02:54 PM
House Immigration Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Naturalization
On January 17, the House Immigration Subcommittee held its first oversight hearing of the year, and the subject was the naturalization processing backlogs. Due to a confluence of factors, including a very significant fee increase that went into effect on July 30, 2007, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) received approximately double the number of naturalization applications in its Fiscal Year 2007 than it had during the previous year. USCIS is saying that, as of now, anyone who applied for naturalization after June 1, 2007, can expect to wait 16 to 18 months to have their application processed.
Remarks by Subcommittee Members
In her opening comment, Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Chair of the Subcommittee, noted that one year ago, the Subcommittee had a hearing on the proposed fee increase, and was told by USCIS that it need the fee increase to increase efficiency. At the time, the processing time for citizenship applications was six months.
Representative Steve King (R-IA), the ranking Republican on the Subcommittee, played the role of immigration historian. In his opening statement (and in his questioning), he focused almost exclusively on the INS� Citizenship USA program of ten years ago�back in the day before computers were standard issue in the immigration agency. In that effort to deal with a naturalization backlog, some applicants were granted citizenship before criminal background checks were completed, and some who received citizenship were found later not to be eligible. (Since then, however, much more stringent processes have been put in place to screen applications for naturalization. And the agency now does have computers.)
USCIS Director Emilio Gonzalez
Emilio Gonzalez, Director of USCIS, gave some background on the development of the backlog and summarized what USCIS was doing about it. During June, July, and August of last year, USCIS received three million immigration benefit applications of all kinds. Their first priority was issuing receipts for those applications. Next, they processed and sent work authorizations, which they are required to do within 90 days.
In the meantime, a large number of naturalization applications piled up. To deal with the extra workload, USCIS is hiring 1,500 new employees (in addition to the extra staff they planned to hire after the new fees went into effect). The agency is also re-hiring former (retired) employees. While waiting for the additional staff to be trained and deployed, the agency will be asking current staff to work overtime, using budgeted overtime early in the Fiscal Year.
Other steps are also being taken. Still, Mr. Gonzalez noted (in his written testimony) that it will take until the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2010 before the agency is back to a six-month processing time.
During the question and answer session, there was a fair amount of discussion about a portion of the backlog that preceded the surge in applications and was caused by a delay in the background checks conducted by the FBI. Some individuals have been in limbo for well over a year waiting for clearance from the FBI, and Mr. Gonzalez noted that last year more than 5,000 lawsuits were filed against the agency�80% on the FBI name check delays. The FBI, he said, has a paper-based system that is only beginning to be addressed. For now, it takes people to handle the files. The FBI has brought on some additional contract personnel and full-time employees to work on this problem.
Rep. Lofgren said that she would ask the FBI to come before the Subcommittee to explain its perspective on the name check delays. [Subsequently, we were told that the full Judiciary Committee will have a hearing with the FBI on a range of issues, including the name check issue.]
Non-Government Witnesses
Also testifying at the hearing were Arturo Vargas, Director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials and Fred Tsao, Policy Director for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. Mr. Vargas said that his organization kept USCIS apprised of its efforts to get immigrants to become citizens and the agency should have taken that information, plus experience with past fee increases, into account to take steps to be better prepared for the surge in applications. NALEO is recommending that the agency focus sufficiently on reducing the backlog so that all immigrants who applied for naturalization in Fiscal Year 2007 (which ended September 30, 2007) are sworn in as citizens by July 4, 2008. Otherwise, many immigrants who applied for citizenship last summer will not be able to vote in the elections this November.
Mr. Tsao echoed the point about USCIS having ample information that a surge in applications was coming. He recommended that USCIS (and the FBI) report regularly to the Subcommittee regarding progress being made on reducing the backlog.
In concluding the hearing, Rep. Lofgren suggested that she might also conduct a hearing on the agency�s information technology.
Additional Information
In a subsequent meeting with community-based organizations, Michael Aytes, Associate Director for Domestic Operations of USCIS, gave some additional specifics on the status of the naturalization backlogs. He noted that the total number of new employees being hired will be approximately 3,000�between the additional staff they are hiring to deal with the backlog and the extra staff being paid for by the fee increases. Regarding the FBI name check issue, he noted that, during the House hearing, every member of the Subcommittee�Republican and Democrat�inquired about the name check issue, and that this issue is now being dealt with at high levels both in the Justice Department (in which the FBI is located) and in DHS. He indicated that decisions have been made on the hiring of many of the new adjudicators that are being brought on board, but training and placement are still weeks away, at least.
He also said that the agency is starting Saturday and evening interviews, and applicants should be encouraged to make every effort to show up for their interviews.
On January 17, the House Immigration Subcommittee held its first oversight hearing of the year, and the subject was the naturalization processing backlogs. Due to a confluence of factors, including a very significant fee increase that went into effect on July 30, 2007, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) received approximately double the number of naturalization applications in its Fiscal Year 2007 than it had during the previous year. USCIS is saying that, as of now, anyone who applied for naturalization after June 1, 2007, can expect to wait 16 to 18 months to have their application processed.
Remarks by Subcommittee Members
In her opening comment, Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Chair of the Subcommittee, noted that one year ago, the Subcommittee had a hearing on the proposed fee increase, and was told by USCIS that it need the fee increase to increase efficiency. At the time, the processing time for citizenship applications was six months.
Representative Steve King (R-IA), the ranking Republican on the Subcommittee, played the role of immigration historian. In his opening statement (and in his questioning), he focused almost exclusively on the INS� Citizenship USA program of ten years ago�back in the day before computers were standard issue in the immigration agency. In that effort to deal with a naturalization backlog, some applicants were granted citizenship before criminal background checks were completed, and some who received citizenship were found later not to be eligible. (Since then, however, much more stringent processes have been put in place to screen applications for naturalization. And the agency now does have computers.)
USCIS Director Emilio Gonzalez
Emilio Gonzalez, Director of USCIS, gave some background on the development of the backlog and summarized what USCIS was doing about it. During June, July, and August of last year, USCIS received three million immigration benefit applications of all kinds. Their first priority was issuing receipts for those applications. Next, they processed and sent work authorizations, which they are required to do within 90 days.
In the meantime, a large number of naturalization applications piled up. To deal with the extra workload, USCIS is hiring 1,500 new employees (in addition to the extra staff they planned to hire after the new fees went into effect). The agency is also re-hiring former (retired) employees. While waiting for the additional staff to be trained and deployed, the agency will be asking current staff to work overtime, using budgeted overtime early in the Fiscal Year.
Other steps are also being taken. Still, Mr. Gonzalez noted (in his written testimony) that it will take until the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2010 before the agency is back to a six-month processing time.
During the question and answer session, there was a fair amount of discussion about a portion of the backlog that preceded the surge in applications and was caused by a delay in the background checks conducted by the FBI. Some individuals have been in limbo for well over a year waiting for clearance from the FBI, and Mr. Gonzalez noted that last year more than 5,000 lawsuits were filed against the agency�80% on the FBI name check delays. The FBI, he said, has a paper-based system that is only beginning to be addressed. For now, it takes people to handle the files. The FBI has brought on some additional contract personnel and full-time employees to work on this problem.
Rep. Lofgren said that she would ask the FBI to come before the Subcommittee to explain its perspective on the name check delays. [Subsequently, we were told that the full Judiciary Committee will have a hearing with the FBI on a range of issues, including the name check issue.]
Non-Government Witnesses
Also testifying at the hearing were Arturo Vargas, Director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials and Fred Tsao, Policy Director for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. Mr. Vargas said that his organization kept USCIS apprised of its efforts to get immigrants to become citizens and the agency should have taken that information, plus experience with past fee increases, into account to take steps to be better prepared for the surge in applications. NALEO is recommending that the agency focus sufficiently on reducing the backlog so that all immigrants who applied for naturalization in Fiscal Year 2007 (which ended September 30, 2007) are sworn in as citizens by July 4, 2008. Otherwise, many immigrants who applied for citizenship last summer will not be able to vote in the elections this November.
Mr. Tsao echoed the point about USCIS having ample information that a surge in applications was coming. He recommended that USCIS (and the FBI) report regularly to the Subcommittee regarding progress being made on reducing the backlog.
In concluding the hearing, Rep. Lofgren suggested that she might also conduct a hearing on the agency�s information technology.
Additional Information
In a subsequent meeting with community-based organizations, Michael Aytes, Associate Director for Domestic Operations of USCIS, gave some additional specifics on the status of the naturalization backlogs. He noted that the total number of new employees being hired will be approximately 3,000�between the additional staff they are hiring to deal with the backlog and the extra staff being paid for by the fee increases. Regarding the FBI name check issue, he noted that, during the House hearing, every member of the Subcommittee�Republican and Democrat�inquired about the name check issue, and that this issue is now being dealt with at high levels both in the Justice Department (in which the FBI is located) and in DHS. He indicated that decisions have been made on the hiring of many of the new adjudicators that are being brought on board, but training and placement are still weeks away, at least.
He also said that the agency is starting Saturday and evening interviews, and applicants should be encouraged to make every effort to show up for their interviews.
more...
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milind70
07-26 11:06 AM
Something does not sound right here. How can the employer "misplace" the upper portion of the approval notice? In the first place, why did he even separate the upper portion and the lower portion? He is supposed to give you the entire document as a single piece of paper.
Some thing really does not sound right here. By law, he is required to give you the approval notice.
I believe that Uppoer portion of the notice is to be retained by the mployer but they usually make a copy and give you the entire 797 for stamping ,technically they are not supposed to give you the upper portion.
Some thing really does not sound right here. By law, he is required to give you the approval notice.
I believe that Uppoer portion of the notice is to be retained by the mployer but they usually make a copy and give you the entire 797 for stamping ,technically they are not supposed to give you the upper portion.
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bank_king2003
03-12 12:35 PM
We see lots of anger and frustration in this GC journey specially when a VB comes out.
lets me ask myself and all of you these questions.
1) Is USCIS or DOS accountable for anything? if they do anything wrong can we do anything?
2) If USCIS post incorrect and bogus numbers of demand do we have a right or anything to challenge them?
3) If USCIS says that they are doing quarterly spillover and don't do that can we do anything legally?
Last year there was a short lived thread on IV talking about Sueing USCIS/DOS for there misdeeds but it died as people pointed out that we cant sue USCIS/DOS.
If the answer to all the above questions are No and we cant even bring USCIS/DOS in the court then we should keep our mouth shut and let it happen whatever is happening?
Thanks,
lets me ask myself and all of you these questions.
1) Is USCIS or DOS accountable for anything? if they do anything wrong can we do anything?
2) If USCIS post incorrect and bogus numbers of demand do we have a right or anything to challenge them?
3) If USCIS says that they are doing quarterly spillover and don't do that can we do anything legally?
Last year there was a short lived thread on IV talking about Sueing USCIS/DOS for there misdeeds but it died as people pointed out that we cant sue USCIS/DOS.
If the answer to all the above questions are No and we cant even bring USCIS/DOS in the court then we should keep our mouth shut and let it happen whatever is happening?
Thanks,
more...
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vinaypuri
03-01 05:28 PM
You should be able too. I am in a same spot as you. I am loosing hope on American GC.
derrick rose tattoos on his neck. derrick rose tattoos on his neck. derrick rose tattoos on his; derrick rose tattoos on his. Lord Blackadder. Mar 16, 06:43 PM
redgreen
07-15 08:10 PM
Why blame USCIS when you classify yourself as EB3!
Your profile says you are EB3. I hope it was put by you not by USCIS.
May be your I-140 was also for EB3, a misclassification by you. Do you remember?
Your profile says you are EB3. I hope it was put by you not by USCIS.
May be your I-140 was also for EB3, a misclassification by you. Do you remember?
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veni001
02-03 08:08 AM
Thanks for you concern.
I would appreciate it if you can answer to my specific question. :)
Your company would be better off by submitting audited financial to avoid any possible RFP on ability to pay! Also ability to pay not only depends on current standing, if your employer is filing more EB2 for future jobs then he/she may have to prove the business necessity as well.
Good luck.;)
I would appreciate it if you can answer to my specific question. :)
Your company would be better off by submitting audited financial to avoid any possible RFP on ability to pay! Also ability to pay not only depends on current standing, if your employer is filing more EB2 for future jobs then he/she may have to prove the business necessity as well.
Good luck.;)
MerciesOfInjustices
09-30 12:15 AM
link is broken
Here is the complete article, I think -
The Element of Surprise
To help combat the terrorism threat, officials at Los Angeles International Airport are introducing a bold new idea into their arsenal: random placement of security checkpoints. Can game theory help keep us safe?
Web exclusive
By Andrew Murr
Newsweek
Updated: 1:00 p.m. MT Sept 28, 2007
Sept. 28, 2007 - Security officials at Los Angeles International Airport now have a new weapon in their fight against terrorism: complete, baffling randomness. Anxious to thwart future terror attacks in the early stages while plotters are casing the airport, LAX security patrols have begun using a new software program called ARMOR, NEWSWEEK has learned, to make the placement of security checkpoints completely unpredictable. Now all airport security officials have to do is press a button labeled "Randomize," and they can throw a sort of digital cloak of invisibility over where they place the cops' antiterror checkpoints on any given day.
Developed by computer scientists at the University of Southern California and believed to be the first program of its kind to be used at an airport, ARMOR aims to thwart terror plots during the early, surveillance phase. Typical plots start when would-be attackers begin watching their target "18 months to four years prior to an attack" to look for security weaknesses, says James Butts, deputy executive director of law enforcement at Los Angeles World Airports, which runs LAX and other city-owned airports. "Part of it is to look for patterns in the deployment of assets. We're trying to block the surveillance cycle" by making the security patrols appear in unpredictable places at unpredictable times.
Randomness isn't easy. Even when they want to be unpredictable, people follow patterns. "Unconsciously, (security forces) develop predictable patrol behaviors," as Butts says. That's why the new software helps, and the folks at LAX turned to the computer scientists at USC's Viterbi School of Engineering.
The ARMOR software is the real-world product of an idea that began as an academic question in game theory. USC doctoral student Praveen Paruchuri sought to find a way for one "agent" (or robot or company) to react to an adversary who has perfect information about the agent's decisions. Using artificial intelligence and game theory, Paruchuri wrote a new, fast set of algorithms to randomize the actions of the first agent. But when he took the paper to prestigious AI conferences, nobody would publish the work. The basic reaction: great math, but so what? "They said, 'We don't see a practical use for it'," says Milind Tambe, the USC engineering professor who led the ARMOR team. "It was very disappointing."
But LAX officials saw things differently. Under a mandate from L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to improve airport security, they were on the lookout for new ideas. So when a former FBI agent named Erroll Southers, who works at a USC security program funded by the Department of Homeland Security, told LAX officials about it, they agreed to meet with the USC team in April. Over the summer grad students fed vast amounts of classified data about the airport's facilities into the program, and ARMOR started running in August, according to Butts.
The nation's fifth-biggest airport is "one of the top targets on the West Coast," says Butts. The "millennium plot" of December 31, 1999, aimed to set off explosives at LAX. Federal agents broke up the plot when they arrested Algerian Ahmed Ressam entering the U.S. from Canada with a car laden with explosives. He was later convicted on terrorism charges. On July 4, 2002, an Egyptian immigrant named Hesham Hadayet opened fire at the El Al counter at LAX, killing two and wounding four.
Airport officials have at least one new task for the software. Soon ARMOR will begin jumbling the placement of the bomb-sniffing canine patrols too, says Butts. Other potential uses are too secret to talk about. Butts says that the new random placement "makes travelers safer" and even gives them "a greater feeling of police presence" by making the cops appear more numerous. That's good for visitors, and, officials hope, bad for would-be terrorists.
� 2007 Newsweek, Inc.
Here is the complete article, I think -
The Element of Surprise
To help combat the terrorism threat, officials at Los Angeles International Airport are introducing a bold new idea into their arsenal: random placement of security checkpoints. Can game theory help keep us safe?
Web exclusive
By Andrew Murr
Newsweek
Updated: 1:00 p.m. MT Sept 28, 2007
Sept. 28, 2007 - Security officials at Los Angeles International Airport now have a new weapon in their fight against terrorism: complete, baffling randomness. Anxious to thwart future terror attacks in the early stages while plotters are casing the airport, LAX security patrols have begun using a new software program called ARMOR, NEWSWEEK has learned, to make the placement of security checkpoints completely unpredictable. Now all airport security officials have to do is press a button labeled "Randomize," and they can throw a sort of digital cloak of invisibility over where they place the cops' antiterror checkpoints on any given day.
Developed by computer scientists at the University of Southern California and believed to be the first program of its kind to be used at an airport, ARMOR aims to thwart terror plots during the early, surveillance phase. Typical plots start when would-be attackers begin watching their target "18 months to four years prior to an attack" to look for security weaknesses, says James Butts, deputy executive director of law enforcement at Los Angeles World Airports, which runs LAX and other city-owned airports. "Part of it is to look for patterns in the deployment of assets. We're trying to block the surveillance cycle" by making the security patrols appear in unpredictable places at unpredictable times.
Randomness isn't easy. Even when they want to be unpredictable, people follow patterns. "Unconsciously, (security forces) develop predictable patrol behaviors," as Butts says. That's why the new software helps, and the folks at LAX turned to the computer scientists at USC's Viterbi School of Engineering.
The ARMOR software is the real-world product of an idea that began as an academic question in game theory. USC doctoral student Praveen Paruchuri sought to find a way for one "agent" (or robot or company) to react to an adversary who has perfect information about the agent's decisions. Using artificial intelligence and game theory, Paruchuri wrote a new, fast set of algorithms to randomize the actions of the first agent. But when he took the paper to prestigious AI conferences, nobody would publish the work. The basic reaction: great math, but so what? "They said, 'We don't see a practical use for it'," says Milind Tambe, the USC engineering professor who led the ARMOR team. "It was very disappointing."
But LAX officials saw things differently. Under a mandate from L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to improve airport security, they were on the lookout for new ideas. So when a former FBI agent named Erroll Southers, who works at a USC security program funded by the Department of Homeland Security, told LAX officials about it, they agreed to meet with the USC team in April. Over the summer grad students fed vast amounts of classified data about the airport's facilities into the program, and ARMOR started running in August, according to Butts.
The nation's fifth-biggest airport is "one of the top targets on the West Coast," says Butts. The "millennium plot" of December 31, 1999, aimed to set off explosives at LAX. Federal agents broke up the plot when they arrested Algerian Ahmed Ressam entering the U.S. from Canada with a car laden with explosives. He was later convicted on terrorism charges. On July 4, 2002, an Egyptian immigrant named Hesham Hadayet opened fire at the El Al counter at LAX, killing two and wounding four.
Airport officials have at least one new task for the software. Soon ARMOR will begin jumbling the placement of the bomb-sniffing canine patrols too, says Butts. Other potential uses are too secret to talk about. Butts says that the new random placement "makes travelers safer" and even gives them "a greater feeling of police presence" by making the cops appear more numerous. That's good for visitors, and, officials hope, bad for would-be terrorists.
� 2007 Newsweek, Inc.
kumar1
01-15 10:02 AM
Man, you definitely sound like a multinational manager and worthy of L1A visa. Please tell USCIS that your wife is waiting for her bonus money and she is not readily available to join you on L2, USCIS would mail her Green Card overseas. Under the circumstances, someone from Department of State would personally hand it over to your wife. Thank you your highness.
Hi folks, sorry for posting this again, but I posted in the self-help area and nobody answered (I guess there's very little traffic there surprisingly)....
----
Hi Folks
I'm here in the US on a L1A visa and would like to apply for Green Card (I'm assuming i-485) soon. My wife who is currently outside of US has recently received her L2 visa within one business day I may add! So, we're waiting for her to join me here in the States within two months as she is currently working abroad and needs to wait for her bonus $...
In any case, I was thinking of applying for an EAD for her in conjunction of i-485, but I've been reading that others who are holding a H1 visa is also applying for an EAD (why on earth for?!) as you are allowed to work on H1 already no? I thought EAD is authorization to work only??
In my case, my wife needs EAD in order to work as L2 only allows her entry to the States and her visa would "clone" mine (ie. whatever my expiry date is, hers will expire).
Should I also apply for EAD too even though my L1a visa already permits me to work legally here in the US?
Hi folks, sorry for posting this again, but I posted in the self-help area and nobody answered (I guess there's very little traffic there surprisingly)....
----
Hi Folks
I'm here in the US on a L1A visa and would like to apply for Green Card (I'm assuming i-485) soon. My wife who is currently outside of US has recently received her L2 visa within one business day I may add! So, we're waiting for her to join me here in the States within two months as she is currently working abroad and needs to wait for her bonus $...
In any case, I was thinking of applying for an EAD for her in conjunction of i-485, but I've been reading that others who are holding a H1 visa is also applying for an EAD (why on earth for?!) as you are allowed to work on H1 already no? I thought EAD is authorization to work only??
In my case, my wife needs EAD in order to work as L2 only allows her entry to the States and her visa would "clone" mine (ie. whatever my expiry date is, hers will expire).
Should I also apply for EAD too even though my L1a visa already permits me to work legally here in the US?
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