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News Coverage February 2010

February 24, 2010— Washington Post —“The Startup Visa: Create Jobs, Get A Green Card”
A bill introduced today in the Senate by Democrat John Kerry and Republican Richard Lugar proposes a new type of visa for immigrants who create startups and jobs in the U.S. A similar proposal is part of an immigration reform bill in the House. The Startup Visa has been controversial and will no doubt draw fire from anti-immigrant forces and xenophobes. But if we are going to be giving away visas, giving them to people who will help build the U.S. economy and create jobs is hard to argue against.The Startup Visa Act of 2010 would create a two year visa for immigrant entrepreneurs who are able to raise a minimum of $250,000, with $100,000 coming from a qualified U.S. angel or venture investor. After two years, if the immigrant entrepreneur is able to create five or more jobs (not including their children or spouse), attract an additional $1 million in investment, or produce $1 million in revenues, he or she will become a legal resident.

February 24, 2010— National Journal Tech Daily Dose —“Bill Aims to Bring Foreign Talent to U.S.”
The legislation would create a new EB-6 visa category and would allow these entrepreneurs after two years to obtain legal resident status if they can show that they have generated at least five full-time U.S. jobs, attracted $1 million in additional capital investment or generated $1 million in revenue. The proposal is modeled on the existing EB5 visa, which allows foreigners who invest at least $1 million in the United States and create 10 jobs to obtain a green card.

February 23, 2010— The Boston Globe —“Obama Aims to Deny Some Aid if Schools Reject New Standards; Focus of Plan is to Improve Math, Reading Scores”
Obama said US students continue to trail in such areas as math and science. Eighth-graders are ninth in the world in math and 11th in science, he said. Some states "have upped their game," the president said, citing Massachusetts for having eighth-graders now tied for first in science around the world. Bay State eighth-graders ranked third, behind students in Singapore and Taiwan, in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study in 2007.

February 11, 2010— New York Times —“Green Cards for Green Cars”
Some entrepreneurs are counting on a lot of support from China for making hybrids in the United States. Why? Because supporting green technology can mean a green card for an entire family. Under a federal program, people who invest at least $500,000 in a business that helps create jobs in a rural or high-unemployment area can move, along with their immediate family, to the United States. If the business works out, they can get green cards and permanent residency. The Washington Post reported last month that State Department numbers show that 4,218 visas were issued under the program in the 2009 fiscal year ended Sept. 30, up from 1,443 in fiscal 2008. Known as EB-5 visas, the program is part of the Immigration Act of 1990, an effort by Congress to encourage investment in the United States and provide more jobs.

February 7, 2010— Los Angeles Times —“In Fighting Visa Fraud, Nothing Beats the Personal Touch”
Increased site visits like the recent trip to El Monte are a key tool in the federal government's newly aggressive fight against immigration fraud. The visits are to expand to as many as 25,000 this fiscal year from 5,000 last year, according to Alejandro N. Mayorkas, director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Site visits are required for each application for a religious worker visa after a 2006 internal review found a 33% fraud rate. The expanded site visit program will focus on applicants for a skilled worker visa known as H-1B. Applications in that visa category were found to have a 21% rate of fraud or technical violations in a 2008 internal review. Investigators have found applicants for skilled worker or managerial visas working at convenience stores, fast-food restaurants and video shops. They have discovered bogus firms, as in the El Monte case. They have documented exaggerated claims, such as an Armenian flower shop in Glendale that asserted the need to bring in a foreign worker as a full-time accountant when the business, on inspection, turned out to be far too small to need one.

February 6, 2010— Connecticut Post —“Student Issues with Math Multiply, But Solutions Abound”
There are roughly 55,000 students enrolled in the system this semester and 14,000 in at least one remedial course. Marc Herzog, chancellor of the state's community college system, said the growing need for developmental courses at the system's 12 colleges is in direct proportion to an overall growth in enrollment and not some new aversion to elementary and high school math. Others aren't so sure. While math scores in Connecticut and across the nation rose on the latest Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, the nation lags behind schools in places like Hong Kong and Singapore on the latest International Mathematics Report. Theories as to why abound.

February 2, 2010— St. Petersburg Times —“Yes to Improved Skill Sets”
When it comes to preparing its students to shine in science, technology, engineering or mathematics, or STEM, Florida delivers like a Third World country. If that's insulting, so be it. Just look at the box at the right to see Florida's back-of-the-line status. Science, technology, engineering or math - the four skill sets most in need by Florida businesses for their work forces now, and even more so in the future, are least likely to be produced in quantity or quality by the school system. STEM, it seems, is Florida's weakest link. And it is a serious obstacle to the Sunshine State becoming a top competitor in the global economy. The good news is more organized efforts are under way to try to fix the STEM gap.

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