New Aquatic Business Opportunity in Sarasota

Here is an interesting business opportunity for Sarasota immigrants: a sailboat-building business for sale.  The manufacturing business produces about 200 boats annually.  Models range from 15-foot to 23-foot sailboats, including the Colgate 26, the model that the US Navy and Coast Guard use to train their personnel.  The business has built up a team of dedicated employees, some of which have more than 20 years of experience.  They predict an increase in sales in coming years as consumers release pent-up demand.

In 2012:

• Sales: $820,000
• Profit: $109,000

2013 (Projected)

• Sales: $1,200,000
• Profit: $190,000

For more information contact Steven Alexander of Abbex, Inc.: (941) 365-3833.  To see if the business qualifies for an investor visa please request more detailed financial documents from Mr. Alexander and contact Chris Jaensch: (941) 366-9841.

For information on more ways to qualify for an investor visa, please see the video below of Chris Jaensch speaking about using commercial property to qualify for an E-2 or EB-4 investor visa.

Pro-Immigration Video From Sarasota Immigrant

A friend of the attorneys at Jaensch Immigration Law Firm recently submitted a video he made about the life of undocumented immigrants in New York and the hope that immigration reform is giving them for achieving the American Dream.  

Partha first arrived from India to play tennis at IMG Academy.  He won a tennis scholarship to study at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania and obtained his degree.  He worked in investment banking for a while before deciding to follow his passion to become a filmmaker and moving to New York City.

Seeing the plight of undocumented immigrants in NYC and being an immigrant himself, Partha decided to add his voice to the call for reform through film.  As he put it, he wanted to differentiate himself from the many other films being done about this issue by making his a fiction piece, and incorporating more comedy.  By showing just how ridiculous the situation can be for some of the nation’s immigrants, he hopes to produce serious reflection on immigration law and its economic impact, healthcare and human trafficking.

Below you will find the first mini-promo Partha filmed.  He plans on filming two more.  He is using the promos to gather support for filming a full-length feature.  His goal is to raise $55,000 by January.  So far he’s raised $16,000.

Future plans include kicking off a Kickstarter campaign and continuing to raise funds through his network of friends, family, and colleagues.

To learn more and to donate follow this link.  Please enjoy the promo video below.

Sarasota Immigration Attorneys See Surge in Applications for What Could Be the Last Green Card Lottery

Applicants Rush in Before Congress Eliminates the Green Card Lottery

Sarasota, FL, 10/21/13 – Immigration attorneys across the Sarasota-Bradenton area are seeing a surge in applications for the Diversity Visa or Green Card Lottery this year.  Held every year in October, the Diversity Visa Lottery allows residents of countries that do not send many immigrants to America to apply for a Green Card.  In order to be granted a Green Card, applicants have to prove their nationality, demonstrate a clean criminal record, and show that they will not be a public burden.

This year’s surge is due to the ongoing debate in Congress about immigration reform.  In July, the Senate passed a comprehensive immigration reform bill that would eliminate the Diversity Visa.  Just a few weeks ago, in the midst of the shutdown, House Democrats produced their own bill which would do the same.

“What we are seeing is an attempt on the part of the House Democrats to use the momentum they gained from ending the shutdown to pressure House Republicans into compromising on Immigration Reform,” said Chris Jaensch, managing attorney of Jaensch Immigraiton Law Firm, Sarasota’s largest immigration firm.  “The Diversity Visa is already unpopular with conservatives and not seeing it on the Democrats’ bill means that if immigration reform passes, regardless of the form it takes, the Diversity Visa is out,” he continued.

President Obama has announced that Immigration Reform is one of his major objectives for the next 90 days, along with a budget and a farm bill.  We could see Immigration Reform before the end of the year.

This year the Diversity Visa application window is open until 12 noon eastern standard time on November 2^nd.

Updated 10/28/13:

On Monday, October 28th, Summer Smith of BayNews9, after hearing that this year’s may be the last Diversity Visa Lottery, came to our firm to interview Victoria Jaensch Karins.  Victoria is the president of the Central Florida Chapter of AILA.

Summer Smith from BayNew9 (right) interviews Victoria Jaensch Karins (center) on the state of this year’s Diversity Visa Lottery

Sarasota Immigrants Can Use EAD Cards as Primary ID

Sarasota immigrants can now use the new Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) card as a primary form of identification at BB&T Bank.  Also known as the U.S. Employment Authorization Document (EAD), the DACA card and a tax-identification number will allow any Sarasota immigrant to open up an account with BB&T.  The Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based bank is one of the first financial institutions in the country to accept this form of identification.

BB&T Locations

The DACA program launched in August 2012 and allows children of undocumented immigrants to remain in the country for two years and to apply for the U.S. Employment Authorization Card.  These individuals must have entered the United States as children and meet several key guidelines to earn the deferral.  U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) statistics show more than 260,000 people have been approved for the DACA card and the number is growing rapidly.  More information on the DACA program can be found on our website, DeferredActionFlorida.com, or by contacting attorney Victoria Jaensch Karins: 941-366-9841.

ImmigrationSarasota.com sat down with local BB&T representatives Abigail Collins and Rossana McConahay to learn more.

IS.com: Please tell me more about this new program.

Abigail Collins/Rossana McConahay: BB&T now accepts EAD cards as primary IDs.  This allows us to help more people in an important and growing demographic that is sometimes under-served financially.  We hope to offer an opportunity for EAD holders to open bank accounts with us.  In addition, we offer comprehensive educational resources and bilingual staff in many of our banking centers.  This allows BB&T to achieve our mission, which is to help our clients achieve economic success and financial security.

IS.com: EADs have existed for a while, how is this policy different from before?

A.C./R.M:  In the past, our clients were asked to present a visa or a social security card with their EAD.  Since people who apply for DACA have neither, this made it very difficult to open a bank account.

IS.com: What is the biggest obstacle you face in serving this perennially under-banked community?

A.C./R.M: Some members of the Hispanic community believe that providing their information puts them at risk for deportation.   That’s why our bilingual staff members do our best to make our clients feel like they are a part of our family.  We also urge them to tell their friends and family about their experiences with us.

IS.com: You also provide extensive educational material…

A.C./R.M:  Yes, we believe in building a strong relationship with our clients and empowering them to make their dreams come true.  BB&T e provides free educational material on topics such as education, getting a driver’s license, the world of work, how to prepare for an emergency, and the U.S. healthcare system.  We want our clients to have the knowledge they need to be successful in this country.

BB&T Representatives Abigail Collins and Rossana McConahay

Feel free to contact Ms. Collins or Ms. McConahay for more information.  Their office is located at 1201 South Tamiami Trail and their phone number is 941-366-5463.

Inmigrantes en Sarasota ya pueden usar los permisos de trabajo para abrir cuentas bancarias

Inmigrantes en Sarasota ya pueden usar la nueva tarjeta de Acción Diferida para los Llegados en la Infancia – Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (conocida como DACA por su sigla en inglés) como una de las principales formas de identificación para las personas que no sean ciudadanas estadounidenses.  Esta tarjeta, a la que también se le llama Tarjeta de Autorización de Empleo en Estados Unidos, y un número de identificación para el pago de impuestos, permitirán que cualquier persona pueda abrir una cuenta en BB&T, una de las primeras instituciones financieras del país en aceptar este tipo de identificación.

El programa DACA fue lanzado en agosto de 2012 y permite que los hijos de inmigrantes indocumentados permanezcan en el país durante dos años y que soliciten la Tarjeta de Autorización de Empleo en Estados Unidos.  Estas personas deberán haber ingresado en Estados Unidos siendo niños y deben cumplir varias estipulaciones clave para obtener el aplazamiento.  Estadísticas del Servicio de Inmigración y Ciudadanía de Estados Unidos (USCIS por su sigla en inglés) muestran que más de 260,000 personas han sido aprobadas para la obtención de la tarjeta DACA y esa cifra sigue en aumento rápidamente.  Se puede encontrar más información sobre el programa DACA en la página de internet del USCIS.

New Sarasota Business Opportunity for Immigrants

ImmigrationSarasota.com recently heard about a new business opportunity for immigrant investors.  The business is a liquor store located in the Sarasota Crossings shopping center at the intersection of Fruitville Rd. and Honore Ave.  The shopping center includes a Publix, an hhgregg, a CVS and a Starbucks.  The upper-middle class Meadows neighborhood is less than a mile away.

The liquor store is already established and profitable, sales have been increasing yearly, it would come with $549,000 worth of inventory and it is one of the few liquor stores in town that delivers.

Address: 5411 Fruitville Rd., Sarasota, FL 34232

Square Footage: 191,148

Number of neighboring tenants: 35

Year Built: 1990

Last Renovation: 2009

Parking Spaces: 956

Immigrants who are interested in obtaining an E-2 investor visa may be able to do so by buying this business.  Please contact the business broker, Nicole Christodoulou, of Commodore Realty (305-365-2600) for more information.  Contact Chris Jaensch of Jaensch Immigration Law Firm (941-366-9841) to see if the business could qualify for an E-2.

For information on more ways to qualify for an investor visa, please see the video below of Chris Jaensch speaking about using commercial property to qualify for an E-2 or EB-4 investor visa.

Be Careful Who You Work With: Woman in Tampa Sentenced to Confinement for Unlicensed Practice of Law

Originally posted on ILW.com.

USCIS successfully prosecutes unlicensed immigration attorney thanks to tip from the Central Florida Chapter of AILA.

TAMPA – The efforts of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services led to the successful sentencing of a Tampa-area woman on September 18 to six months confinement, six months home detention and three years of probation for falsely using official seals of the United States.  Maria Virginia Constantinou pleaded guilty on May 29 to falsely using the seal of the Department of Homeland Security to perpetuate her unlicensed practice of immigration law and defrauding dozens of victims to pay her “legal fees” to help them obtain lawful immigration status.

USCIS learned about Constantinou’s activities from a tip from the local American Immigration Lawyers Association. That tip was investigated by USCIS’ Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate and resulted in subsequent charges against Constantinou.  Tampa and Orlando FDNS worked with agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to bring the case to prosecution.

“We at USCIS are proud to have generated this case for successful prosecution,” said Kimberly Dean, Chief of FDNS in the Southeast Region. “Constantinou victimized immigrants for personal gain and misrepresented USCIS. We are committed to combatting deceptive practices to ensure the integrity of our nation’s immigration system.”

According to court documents, Constantinou presented herself to immigrants in the Tampa Bay and Orlando areas as an attorney who could assist them with immigration proceedings with the U.S. government. In reality, Constantinou is not a licensed attorney.

Constantinou accepted payment from her victims based on the false statement that she would submit immigration paperwork for them. Constantinou would then produce documents that appeared to be from USCIS to the victims to make them believe she had submitted paperwork on their behalf. These documents were false and contained false seals of the United States. Constantinou never submitted paperwork to USCIS on behalf of her victims.

USCIS launched an initiative to combat the Unauthorized Practice of Immigration Law with the goal of equipping applicants, legal service providers and community-based organizations with the knowledge and tools they need to detect and protect themselves from dishonest practices. Visit www.uscis.gov/avoidscams for more information.

Victoria Jaensch Karins is the current president of the Central Florida Chapter of AILA. For more information regarding this release please contact her via telephone: 941-366-9841.

Ten cuidado con quién trabaja

Condenan a una mujer quien ejercía la ley de inmigración sin licencia a seis meses de reclusión.

Originalmente publicado en ILW.com.

USCIS, con la ayuda del capítulo de la Florida Central de la Asociación Americana de Abogados de Inmigración (AILA) procesa con éxito a una mujer quien ejercía la ley de inmigración sin licencia.

TAMPA – Los esfuerzos de los Servicios de Ciudadanía e Inmigración de EE.UU. (USCIS) llevó a la condena el 18 de septiembre a una mujer del área de Tampa.  Está condenada a seis meses de reclusión, seis meses de arresto domiciliario y tres años de libertad condicional por uso falso de sellos oficiales de los Estados Unidos.  Maria Virginia Constantinou se declaró culpable el 29 de mayo al uso falso del sello del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional para perpetuar la práctica no autorizada de la ley de inmigración y al estafar decenas de víctimas quienes le pagaron “gastos legales.”

USCIS aprendió sobre las actividades de Constantinou por un informe del capítulo de la Florida Central de AILA.  La investigación por el USCIS dio lugar a las siguientes cargas contra Constantinou.  Los Departementos Federales de Seguridad Nacional (FDNS) de Tampa y Orlando trabajaron con agentes de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE) para llevar el caso al juicio.

“Nosotros en USCIS sentimos orgullosos de haber generado este caso para su enjuiciamiento exitoso”, dijo Kimberly Dean , Jefe de FDNS de la Región Sudeste.  “Constantinou perjudicó a inmigrantes para beneficiarse personalmente y tergiversó a USCIS.  Estamos comprometidos con la lucha contra las prácticas engañosas para asegurar la integridad del sistema de inmigración de nuestra nación”.

Constantinou se presentaba a los inmigrantes en la Bahía de Tampa y Orlando como abogada que les podría ayudar en los procedimientos de inmigración con el gobierno de EE.UU.  En realidad, Constantinou no es un abogado con licencia.

Constantinou aceptaba el pago de sus víctimas basándose en la falsa afirmación de que iba a presentar documentos a inmigración en sus nombres.  Constantinou entonces producía documentos que parecían ser de USCIS para hacerles creer a sus víctimas de que los había presentado. Estos documentos eran falsos y contenían falsos sellos de los Estados Unidos.  Constantinou nunca presentó documentación al USCIS.

USCIS puso en marcha una iniciativa para combatir el ejercicio no autorizado de la ley de inmigración con el objetivo de dotar a los solicitantes, proveedores de servicios legales y de las organizaciones basadas en la comunidad con el conocimiento y las herramientas necesarias para detectar y protegerse de las prácticas deshonestas.  Visite www.uscis.gov/avoidscams para más información.

Victoria Jaensch Karins es el actual presidente del Capítulo de la Florida Central de AILA.  Para obtener más información acerca del acontecimiento, por favor póngase en contacto con ella a través del teléfono : 941-366-9841.

Innovating to Survive Economy’s Rough Ride

Reposted from Sarasota Herald Tribune.  This article is related to our previous post about the Whincups and Galaxy Multi-Rides.

Robin Whincup, founder of Galaxy America, sits atop a partially assembled mechanical buffalo that the Port Charlotte company built.  Courtesy photo / Galaxy America

Swiss-Italian Immigrant Brings Healing to Sarasota

Fiorenza Arigoni is a Sarasota immigrant who decided to trade the shores of Lake Maggiore in Switzerland for the shores of the Gulf Coast.  She is also a licensed massage therapist and acupuncturist.  She relieves pain in others.  How she went from the Swiss Alps to Gulf Coast beaches is a story of hard work and perseverance.

Sarasota Immigrant Fiorenza Arigoni

Fiorenza grew up in the Italian Alps speaking 3 languages; French, German, and Italian.  When she was 22 she spent a year in the States and quickly felt at home.  She enjoyed the energy and the feeling of great potential.  She couldn’t stay in the US at that time so she returned to Switzerland, started a small business selling ice cream, and started a family.

10 years later two friends of Fiorenza’s made the move to the States, started a new business, Life Force Academy, and wrote back telling her she should come over too.  With the marriage ending and 4 young children she decided it was time to look for new opportunities.  She moved to the US to live and work.

Once she arrived she immediately began studying.  The ice cream business was no longer for her, she wanted to relieve pain in others, so she went first to Massage Therapy School and later to Acupuncture School.  She obtained student visas for her children and kept renewing B-1/B-2 Visitor Visas for herself.  This uncertain situation continued for several years while Fiorenza worked to obtain her license.

Fiorenza’s legal status stabilized in 2000 when Life Force Academy sponsored her for an H-1B Work Visa to work for them as an acupuncturist.  One year later she applied for obtained a Green Card.  A few years after that she obtained US citizenship.

Today Fiorenza makes house calls on behalf of Life Force Academy.  She helps Sarasota residents free themselves from pain through acupuncture and massage therapy.  She absolutely loves what she does and it shows.  Her clients have written such testimonials as:

26 years ago I had Colles fracture on my right wrist. I had many different treatments, including 5 injections on my cervical spine, without results. After 26 years, Fiorenza gave me relief with acupuncture; my hand straightened out and I can use it and my fingers normally. She also takes care of my arthritis and my old age aches and pains. My sinus pain disappears within minutes from the acupuncture treatments.

Fiorenza Arigoni combines her background as a skilled massage therapist with her expertise as a licensed acupuncturist beautifully. Her knowledge about the workings of the human body, from both Western and Eastern perspectives, is a boon to us, her clients, in the maintenance of all-around good health. 

She plans to continue working for Life Force Academy and expanding her client base.  She is truly living her dream.

To contact Fiorenza visit her website: lifeforceacademy.com or call: 941-284-6476.

Commercial Space Available on South Tamiami Trail

We recently received word that there is commercial space available at 2001 Siesta Drive in Sarasota.  This space is currently built out as a Day Spa.  The spa is fully stocked and ready to begin operating immediately.   The space can also be renovated as professional office – ideal for a law firm, real estate, or title office.  The location is ideal, right on the corner of Siesta and US 41, above Roys and Flemings.

For more information on the space please contact:

• Diane Lawson: 941-780-6136 or diane.lawson@svn.com
• Linda Emery: 941-914-5133 or linda.emery@svn.com

Immigrant investors could use the space to establish a business as part of a strategy to obtain an investor visa.  For more information on how to obtain an investor visa please see our video: E-2 or EB-5 Investor Visas: How to Use Commercial Property to Qualify, or contact Chris Jaensch: 941-366-9841 or chris@visaamerica.com.

Please enjoy the photos below:

For information on more ways to qualify for an investor visa, please see the video below of Chris Jaensch speaking about using commercial property to qualify for an E-2 or EB-4 investor visa.

Cesar Gomez Joins Board of Directors of Red Cross Southwest Florida

Former Director of the Gulf Coast Latin Chamber of Commerce Assumes New Leadership Position

Cesar Gomez, Latin Business Development Director at Jaensch Immigration Law Firm, has joined the Board of Directors of Red Cross Southwest Florida.  The former director of the Gulf Coast Latin Chamber of Commerce assumed the new leadership responsibility at the Red Cross in July.

“I am very pleased and honored to be offered the position on the board of directors,” said Mr. Gomez.  “The Red Cross has the highest reputation in Colombia, where I come from, for its excellent services to the people there.  I look forward to the opportunity to build stronger ties beween the Southwest Florida Chapter and the local Latin community,” he continued.

Mr. Gomez was a business law attorney in Bogota, Colombia, before emigrating to the U.S.  He was the Director of the Gulf Coast Latin Chamber of Commerce from 2007 to 2010 and was recognized as one of the 25 “Most Influential People in Manatee County” in 2010.

He received his Master of Laws degree (LL.M.) in International Law in 2011 from Stetson University.  He is a former member of the Foreign Service committee of Tampa Bay and a current member of the University of South Florida Leadership Board.

The Southwest Florida Branch of the Red Cross is involved in all aspects of disaster preparedness in the region.  So far this year they have raised $3.8 million to support their world-wide relief efforts.  Their next event is the annual Boo Ball, titled “Zombie Prom,” which will take place on Friday, October 25^th.

Cesar Gomez

César Gómez se incorpora al Consejo de Administración de la Cruz Roja de Southwest Florida

El ex-director de la Cámara de Comercio Latina de la Costa del Golfo asume nueva posición de liderazgo

Sarasota, FL, 10.03.13 – Cesar Gómez, Latin Business Development Director en Jaensch Immigration Law Firm, se ha incorporado al Consejo de Administración de la Cruz Roja de Southwest Florida.  El ex-director de la Cámara de Comercio Latina de la Costa del Golfo asumió la nueva responsabilidad de liderazgo en la Cruz Roja en julio.

“Estoy muy contento y honrado de haber ofrecido el puesto en el consejo de administración “, dijo Gómez. “La Cruz Roja tiene la más alta reputación en Colombia , de donde yo vengo , por su excelente servicio.  Espero con interés la oportunidad de construir lazos más fuertes entre el Capítulo Suroeste de la Florida y la comunidad latina local,” continuó .

El señor Gómez era un abogado de derecho de negocios en Bogotá, Colombia, antes de emigrar a los EE.UU.  Fue el Director de la Cámara de Comercio Latina de la Costa del Golfo desde 2007 hasta 2010 y fue reconocido como una de las “25 personas más influyentes en el condado de Manatee” en el año 2010.

Recibió su Maestría en Derecho ( LL.M. ) en Derecho Internacional en 2011 en la Universidad de Stetson.  Él es un ex-miembro de la Comisión del Servicio Exterior de Tampa Bay y actual miembro del Consejo de Liderazgo de la Universidad de South Florida .

La Cruz Roja Southwest Florida está involucrada en todos los aspectos de la preparación para desastres en la región.  Este año ya han recaudado $ 3.8 millones para apoyar los esfuerzos de socorro en todo el mundo.  Su próxima cita es el Balón de Boo anual, este año titulado “Zombie Prom,” que tendrá lugar el viernes 25 de octubre.

Cesar Gomez

Hope for Immigration Compromise Amid Government Shutdown

We received this press release from the American Immigration Council yesterday.

House Democrats Unveil Comprehensive Immigration Reform Proposal

October 2, 2013

Washington D.C. – Today, in an important effort to keep the conversation and momentum on immigration reform moving forward in the House, a group of centrist Democrats introduced their version of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act. Although the full text has not yet been made available, it is said to be a modification of the bipartisan Senate bill of the same name adopted earlier this year. Among other reported changes, the House bill takes a different path on border security, incorporating a bill introduced by Republican Congressman Mike McCaul which passed unanimously out of the House Committee on Homeland Security in May of 2013. The House sponsors—including Representatives Garcia, Chu, Polis, DelBene, and Horsford—adopted provisions of the McCaul-Thompson bill as a replacement for the costly, controversial “border surge” strategy adopted by the Senate under the Corker-Hoeven amendment.  

Substantively, the comprehensive immigration reform bill introduced today reflects a series of bipartisan policy and political compromises made during deliberations in the Senate. The original co-sponsors represent diverse interests from within the Democratic Party, including the New Democrats Coalition, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Congressional Black Caucus, and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

The following is a statement from the American Immigration Council’s Executive Director, Benjamin Johnson:

“The introduction of a comprehensive immigration reform bill in the House presents an important opportunity for bipartisan cooperation and is a reminder that Congress can and must work on more than one issue at a time.  The bill’s co-sponsors have demonstrated a willingness to take a fresh look at the decidedly imperfect Senate bill and use it as a starting point for shaping truly bipartisan legislation.  To succeed, Republicans must either seize the opportunity to turn this into a truly bipartisan moment for moving immigration reform forward, or put forward an alternative vehicle for fixing our broken immigration system.”