Subject: HQ NR #7095: Family Reunion Action

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 16 May 1996 13:05:20 -0400

*  *  *    N E W S   R E L E A S E   # 7095    *  *  *
             _________   May 15,  1996   __________

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 Independent Federation of Chinese Students and Scholars in the USA
IFCSS Foundation, Inc. 733 15th Street, NW  Suite 440 Washington,
     D.C. 20005   Tel: (202) 347-0017      Fax: (202) 347-0018
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                   Family Reunion Action

There have been over 45,000 Chinese students, 40,000 scholars and 
professionals studying and  working  in the U.S.,  and many of us
have thought about inviting our parents to visit this country and
stay for a certain period. It is a family reunion in the  foreign 
land, expected by many for long.

The headquarters of the IFCSS has  been  notified recently of the 
complaints from  some  Chinese  students  and scholars that their
parents'  applications  for visas  were constantly denied without 
convincing reasons,  and some  were even treated in inhumane ways 
while in the U.S. Ambassy and Consulate in China. 

The IFCSS believes that family  reunion  is  one  of basic values 
respected by the American society, and all Chinese applicants for 
American visas should be treated  justly  no matter  whether  the 
visa is granted or not based on the U.S. laws. A "Family Reunion" 
program was successfully carried out by IFCSS  which helped hund-
reds of CSS families come to US with the cooperation of the  U.S. 
State Department  and  the  consulting law firm a couple of years
ago.   Although  the situation has changed drastically since then
and anti-immigrant sentiments are currently surging in this coun-
try, IFCSS is obliged to make every effort in helping CSS in this 
regard.

Therefore  the  headquarters decides to take this issue and start 
to collect cases in which family member's application  was denied 
without sound reason and   applicants  complain  of unfair treat-
ments.    IFCSS will set up a special group to handle this issue. 
Volunteers are welcomed very much to help the HQ, too.      After 
careful evaluation, the  HQ  will  present   some of cases to the 
State Department and request for solution.

The package of the case should include:

1. Parent' name, Date of birth, Address, photocopy of Passport;
2. Ambassy or Consulate address;
3. Students' name, Address, Phone number, School name;
4. Nature of application;
5. Complaint (Description in detail in English)

Please send your package to: IFCSS  733 15th St. N.W. Suite 440
                             Washington D.C. 20005

                       *   *   *   *   *

The IFCSS is still experiencing bleak financial  situation.  Even 
though IFCSS can enjoy a large amount of free legal service on  a 
pro bono basis from the Arent Fox  Kintner  Plotkin  & Kahn  (the 
fourth largest in Washington D.C. and legal counsel of the IFCSS), 
IFCSS  has  to  pay  costly  for  consultation services and legal 
advice, which have contributed a lot to the immigration lobby and
other services.  To better serve Chinese students and scholars in 
the U.S. and help put forward the relevant programs, the headquar-
ters hereby appeals to CSS community once again:  1).   make your 
donation to the IFCSS; 2) support the  IFCSS  by participating in 
IFCSS Service Programs such as the IFCSS Student Health Insurance 
which  will  be  launched as a brand new one for '96  to '97 very 
soon, and is believed the best one  for  Chinese  students in the 
U.S.!

With all the support from Chinese community, we can make a diff-
erence.

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