Visa rules widen the rift between Vietnam and U.S. families

Although this article speaks of the experience of a Vietnamese family trying to visit an ailing relative, it also gives a take on the mindset of the DHS and State Department.

A quote from the article:

"Obtaining a temporary visa can be tough, with much depending on individual circumstances and the country where would-be visitors live. Foreigners must show they have strong ties to their homelands -- family relationships, employment and possessions -- to prove they will return when their visas expire, according to the U.S. State Department.

Laura Tischler, a department spokesperson, said many visa applicants mistakenly believe that having a heart-wrenching story is enough to get a visa. Looming deaths or momentous occasions, including weddings and graduations, are irrelevant, she said.

The government has legitimate concerns, said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, a think tank that favors tighter controls on immigration. More than a quarter of the roughly 12 million illegal immigrants in this country are those who come on temporary or work visas, but do not return home, according to the Department of Homeland Security."

link:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-visa-dying-wish21-2009apr21,0,7004431.story