
Borderwise: App and a lawyer for immigrants, for $1 - hackuser
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2017/02/13/why-these-philadelphia-lawyers-are-helping-immigrants-seek-a-green-card-for-only-1/
======
Dangeranger
Dear creators,

You really need to make a Spanish language version available from the home
page.

Nowhere do I see an easy way to translate the page, or an indication as to
what languages the information has been translated to.

Your primary audience is going to be native Spanish speakers, they likely have
English language skills, but will be much more comfortable in their first
language.

Think about how this impediment is effecting your conversions, and your
prospective customers ability to use your service.

~~~
slaveofallah93
Is it really possible to get a green card knowing no English at all?

~~~
Dangeranger
Probably not, however I am not a lawyer.

The point I was trying to make is that it is in the interest of the company
and it's users to make translated versions easily available.

------
matthewowen
> When he married an American woman and could then apply for a green card, he
> figured with his legal background he’d have no trouble filling out the
> paperwork himself. But the forms were so overly complicated and
> frustratingly counterintuitive that he gave up and hired an immigration
> attorney.

When I applied for my green card I thought the whole process was pretty simple
and straightforward. I do think it might be harder for someone with more
complicated circumstances, or who doesn't speak english as a first language.
But I do find it surprising how hard many people with (what seem to me to be)
simple cases think it is...

~~~
tptacek
You may not be aware of this, but lawful permanent resident status in the US
is based on a quota system by country of origin. Immigrants from Central
America can experience wait times for LPR status approaching _twenty years_. I
haven't kept a consistently non-expired drivers license or license plate tag
for more than 2 years. But if you screw up any of the procedural details of an
LPR application in the US --- for instance, failing to timely notify any time
your residence changes for any reason --- the penalty isn't a ticket, but
rather the likely forfeiture of your application.

So no, the process is not pretty simple and straightforward for a great many
applicants.

~~~
matthewowen
As I mentioned in my original comment, I'm sure there are circumstances
different from my own that are much more challenging.

I can only speak to the experience coming from the UK (and I confess to
assuming that the experience from Canada is comparable), and that's where I
find surprise: people from the UK who presumably went through the same
experience as me often claim that it's impossible to navigate without a
lawyer. That's just not true.

~~~
tptacek
In fact, the overwhelming majority of resident aliens in this country seeking
lawful permanent status face far more difficult challenges than you did. I'm
not criticizing you, I'm just reporting a fact.

~~~
matthewowen
> So no, the process is not pretty simple and straightforward for a great many
> applicants.

That read as a snarky criticism of a claim I never made.

The fact that you're supplying isn't really a contradiction of or great
addition to anything I said in my narrow comment: I explicitly acknowledged it
myself. I wouldn't mind that, but it isn't very nice to accompany it with
snark and misrepresentation.

~~~
tptacek
I'm sorry, I'm not seeing the snark, but I'm sorry my comment put you on the
defensive.

------
gnopgnip
How can low income immigrants qualify for permanent residence in the US if
they do not earn enough to support themselves?

~~~
hackuser
Is there a rule saying they can't? I hope they can; my attitude toward
immigration is that those are the people that need help and will benefit the
most. From a statue in NY harbor:

 _Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

MOTHER OF EXILES. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"_

~~~
hasenj
Bringing people to a foreign land does not really help them that much. It is a
much better form of help if you were to help them fix their own countries.

Having to adjust to a new culture is not really fun (unless you had an
interest in that culture for some reason; but this did not apply to
"poor"immigrants).

~~~
zeroxfe
> It is a much better form of help if you were to help them fix their own
> countries.

As an immigrant, let me tell you that immigration had a huge positive impact
my family's lives. Of course fixing my country would be great... if it were
even remotely possible.

~~~
hasenj
As an immigrant, I've seen many immigrants who have absolutely no interest in
the culture or society of the country they immigrated to. Most people just
want to get a citizenship because their own country's passport sucks and their
country's economy and education and health care sucks.

~~~
ameen
There isn't one monolithic "American culture". For example just because I'm
part of the hacker culture doesn't mean I have to sip IPAs. There can and will
be cherry picking of aspects they like, what matters is how their outlook
changes and the love for this land. They might appear to be outwardly
disinterested, but many sort of enjoy the culture in their own ways. Giving up
on their citizenship and applying for a new one is no easy decision.

~~~
hasenj
> Giving up on their citizenship and applying for a new one is no easy
> decision.

The decision is very easy. Obtaining the citizenship, on the other hand, is
not easy.

~~~
hackuser
> The decision is very easy

It's very easy to decide to give up citizenship in your native land and move
to strange new place? I don't see that as true.

------
hackuser
One reason I posted this is that it gives the immigrants access to real
expertise: An app designed by experts, and access to real legal advice.
(Caveat: I don't know about the quality of the app or the lawyers beyond what
this article says.)

I've seen good-willed people try to create their own apps, advice, etc. But
without expertise, the best intentions may lead to very bad results. You
wouldn't well-intentioned lawyers giving immigrants IT security advice.

