USCIS: Ebola Outbreak-Related Immigration Relief Measures

As the worst Ebola crisis in history continues for West Africa--with over 3,000 suspected and confirmed cases--US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced relief measures for nationals of the affected countries who are currently in the US. USCIS--which has offered relief measures in response to such previous natural catastrophes and extreme situations as Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, Hurricane Sandy, and the Icelandic volcano eruption--says the following may be available (when specifically requested) to affected nationals of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone:

• Change or extension of nonimmigrant status for an individual currently in the United States, even if the request is filed after the authorized period of admission has expired;

• Extension of certain grants of parole made by USCIS;

• Expedited adjudication and approval, where possible, of requests for off-campus employment authorization for F-1 students experiencing severe economic hardship;

• Expedited processing of immigrant petitions for immediate relatives (currently in the United States) of U.S. citizens;

• Expedited adjudication of employment authorization applications, where appropriate; and

• Consideration for waiver of fees associated with USCIS benefit applications.

USCIS has more information here about measures for these "special situations," and notes, for example, that applicants requesting an extension or change-of-status due to the crisis must "show how it is directly connected to the disaster." Meanwhile, DJs in Africa are releasing rap and dance tracks ("Ebola Is Real") to educate about Ebola and prevent the spread of the disease.

#1 of 11 million

"Like pilgrims who arrived centuries before, some of us came here by choice, others by necessity, be it social, economic, or personal. Out of desperation and borne out of sacrifice, many of us were sent here by our families. Then and now, we came across oceans, valleys, deserts, and rivers. Then and now, those of us who did not die on that journey want a better life."

- Official cover letter to Jeh Johnson, Secretary of the Department of   Homeland Security, for the #1of11million applicants for Deferred Action

Federer Under the Lights

Roger Federer playing Marinko Matosevic of Australia at Arthur Ashe Stadium during first round of US Open.

Split-Rocker by Jeff Koons

You can see this giant topiary where the Holiday Tree normally stands in Rockefeller Center.  Half rocking horse, half toy dinosaur with over 50,000 flowering plants, Split-Rocker sets the stage for Jeff Koons: A Retrospective at the Whitney Museum of American Art.

BuzzFeed: "An American Guy Tries British 'Crisps' For First Time"

In an experiment that's sure to promote cross-cultural understanding and good relations, BuzzFeed Contributing Member Jay Maloney tried for the first time and reviewed a Walkers variety pack of British "crisps." He liked the Distinctively Salt & Vinegar ("THIS is what Salt and Vinegar should be. It puts domestic Lays Brand to shame quite honestly, with their use of what I assume to be white vinegar.") as well as Unmistakeably Cheese and Onion ("Holy moly guys") but not Famously Worcester Sauce ("an oddly chemical amalgamation of synthetic spice").

Others have reviewed crisps before (not a fan here and a big fan here though he stopped posting in 2013--hope he's okay). The Guardian took a trip to the biggest crisp factory in the world (belonging to Walkers) which "processes 800 tonnes of potatoes a day" and "has six, 200m-long production lines, each of which turns out three tonnes of crisps an hour." The quantity is necessary because, well, the British do eat a ton of crisps. For good reason, the Savoury Snacks Information Bureau says, as crisps are "'indisputably an integral part of the British culture.'" What about American chips? This might satisfy your curiosity.

How to spend your days if you ever find yourself in beautiful Begur, Spain

11am - Wake up and go get a coffee and croissant at cafe down the street; 12pm - Go to beach and lie there for a while and then go in water; 1pm - Drink sangria sold in to-go cups on the beach; 2pm - Go to lunch and sit for two hours and drink at least one bottle of wine; 4pm – I’m tired, let’s siesta; 6:30pm – Check office email; 7pm - Gin and tonics and tapas; 8:30pm - Evening stroll in plaza and around town to look at medieval castle on top of hill (see above); 10pm - Time for dinner; 12am - Did we eat enough today? No, how about we get gelato and crêpes? 

The Daily Beast: "How the US Sold Out Indian Asylum Seekers On the Border"

While much of the recent news from the US/Mexico border concerns the surge of unaccompanied minors from Central America--which we've discussed here and here--The Daily Beast also looks into the story of approximately seventy Sikhs from India who applied for political asylum at the border last fall. Despite passing the "credible fear" interview, which should allow them to be released to a relative while waiting for their hearing, many were detained indefinitely in the El Paso, Texas facility. Frustrated with their treatment, they organized a hunger strike (incidentally, not the only hunger strike at immigration detention centers). The Daily Beast reports:

During the first few days of the hunger strike, according to a lawyer representing some of the men, ICE agents threatened to force-feed the detainees. When that tactic failed to break the strike, the Sikhs received a visitor: a representative from the Indian consulate in Houston. According to statements from the detainees and an attorney representing some of them, N.P.S. Saini was called to convince the men to end their hunger strike, give up their asylum claims, and go home. If true, this would be a violation of American laws on amnesty, which explicitly prohibit the disclosure of any information that links an asylum seeker’s identity to the fact that they’ve applied for asylum.

John Lawit, an immigration lawyer representing six of the men, notes in the Texas Observer that El Paso is the toughest venue for asylum cases in the country (with an eighty-seven percent denial rate for asylum; the national average is fifty percent). “'I’ve been practicing there for 35 years, and it’s always been that way,' he says."

Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red

In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I, ceramic artist Paul Cummins created this installation at the Tower of London, The sea of red is made up of individual ceramic poppies.