US Immigrants protest Green Card delays with flowers
{{date|July 10, 2007}}

Hundreds of legal, highly-skilled workers in the [[United States]] sent hundreds of flowers to the Director of the [[w:United States Citizenship and Immigration Services|United States Citizenship and Immigration Services]] (USCIS), Emilio Gonzalez as part of a symbolic and peaceful protest over what they said was a "flip-flop" by the State Department and the USCIS on eliminating [[w:United States Permanent Resident Card| Green card]] processing delays.

Dr. Gonzalez announced on the USCIS website late last night that the flowers will be forwarded to the injured service members recuperating at [[w:Walter Reed Army Medical Center|Walter Reed Army Medical Center]] and at Bethesda Naval Hospital. 

In response, Immigration Voice, a non-profit organization representing skilled, legal immigrants, said that they welcome the fact that Dr. Gonzalez acknowledged the symbolic gesture of our protest and are overjoyed that these flowers will brighten the day of the injured service brethren. 

Immigration Voice also said that it is their sacrifice for American freedom that has made this country great and such a desirable destination for multitude of people from around the world and that they wanted to say "Thank you and god bless you" to the servicemen.

==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/10/AR2007071002055.html
|title=A Gift From Gandhi
|author= Xiyun Yang
|pub=Washington Post
|date=July 11, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/11/us/11visa.html
|title=A Floral Protest Over Job-Based Visas
|author=NINA BERNSTEIN
|pub=New York Times
|date=July 11, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://in.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2007-07-11T035044Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_India-284101-1.xml
|title=Indian green card seekers in flowery U.S. protest
|author=Paul Eckert
|pub=Reuters
|date=July 10, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.twincities.com/business/ci_6336222?nclick_check=1
|title=Green-card fight brewing
|author=Jennifer Bjorhus
|pub=TwinCities.com
|date=July 10, 2007}} (<small>free subscription required</small>)
*{{source|url=http://in.news.yahoo.com/070710/48/6hwnn.html
|title=Say it with flowers: Gandhigiri for US green cards
|author=Indian Express
|pub=Yahoo! News
|date=July 10, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Green_card_hopefuls_to_resort_to_Gandhigiri/articleshow/2183334.cms
|title=Green card hopefuls to resort to Gandhigiri in US
|author=Chidanand Rajghatta
|pub=The Times of India
|date=July 7, 2007}}

{{publish}}
{{Archived}}

[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:North America]]
Hundreds of legal, highly-skilled workers in the United States sent hundreds of flowers to the Director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Emilio Gonzalez as part of a symbolic and peaceful protest over what they said was a "flip-flop" by the State Department and the USCIS on eliminating  Green card processing delays.

Dr. Gonzalez announced on the USCIS website late last night that the flowers will be forwarded to the injured service members recuperating at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and at Bethesda Naval Hospital. 

In response, Immigration Voice, a non-profit organization representing skilled, legal immigrants, said that they welcome the fact that Dr. Gonzalez acknowledged the symbolic gesture of our protest and are overjoyed that these flowers will brighten the day of the injured service brethren. 

Immigration Voice also said that it is their sacrifice for American freedom that has made this country great and such a desirable destination for multitude of people from around the world and that they wanted to say "Thank you and god bless you" to the servicemen.
Politics and conflicts United States North America