| Feb 28, 2006 @ 4:02 AM |
New Law Brands U.S. Men Abusers - what a message to send to the world
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Pavlysha1
Posts: 11
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New law into effect March 6 2006 for US citizen seeking foreign husbands/wife’s.
On January 05, 2006, President Bush signed into law the "International Marriage Broker Regulation Act of 2005 (IMBRA)", H.R. 3402, Public Law No. 109-162, Title VIII, Subtitle D.
Goes into effect March 6 2006, more invation of privacy. Read the law.
as it pertain to Immigration.
http://usaimmigrationattorney.com/nucleus/index.php?itemid=2#more
News article
Mail Order Bride Law Brands U.S. Men Abusers
By Wendy McElroy (01/12/2006)
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), signed by President Bush on January 5th, contains an almost unnoticed attachment. Subtitle D, also known as the International Marriage Broker Regulation Act of 2005 (IMBA), will become law when VAWA is enacted. The IMBA is an ostensibly noble measure with a surprising and ominous twist.
The scant attention directed toward the IMBA has been positive. A headline in Washington State's The Daily Herald announced, "Mail-order brides gain protection" with the subtitle "The mother of a murdered immigrant hopes that pending federal legislation will keep foreign brides from abuse, neglect and slavery."
The "murdered immigrant" refers to Anastasia King, a 'mail-order bride' from the former Soviet Union. In 2000, King was murdered by her husband in Washington State where the case created a sensation largely because the husband had violently assaulted a previous mail-order bride. Thus, the IMBA was introduced to Congress by Washington State Rep. Rick Larsen and Sen. Maria Cantwell who championed the measure for years.
Some parts sound reasonable. For example, U.S. consulates will provide 'mail-order' brides with brochures that explain their legal rights.
Other parts sound draconian. For example, the IMBA requires American men who wish to correspond with foreign women through private for-profit matchmaking agencies to first provide those businesses with their police records and other personal information to be turned over to the women.
Corresponding with a foreigner is legal. Marrying a foreigner is legal. Immigrating spouses and their husbands go through rigorous and lengthy screening before visas are issued. Mail-order brides in the U.S. are protected by laws against violence.
Now American men who wishes to pursue a legal activity must release their government files to a foreign business and foreign individuals for their personal benefit.
(Note: the Act's language is gender-neutral but its clear purpose is to protect foreign women from predatory American men. Application to 'male-order' husbands would be incidental as such 'brides' are relatively rare.)
The disclosure requirement is detailed under the provision entitled "Obligations of International Marriage Broker With Respect to Mandatory Collection of Information."
An international broker cannot provide contact or general information on a foreign woman to an American man unless that broker first collects and discloses to the woman the following information about the man:
--every state of residence since the age of 18;
--current or previous marriages as well as how and when they terminated;
--information on children under 18;
--any arrest or conviction related to controlled substances, alcohol or prostitution, making no distinction on arrests not leading to conviction;
--any court orders, including temporary restraining orders which are notoriously easy to procure;
--any arrest or conviction for crimes ranging from "homicide" to "child neglect";
--any arrest or conviction for "similar activity in violation of Federal, State or local criminal law" without specifying what "similar" means.
U.S. law will provide foreign women with extensive government information on American suitors which is not similarly offered to American women.
Nor should it be.
Contacting a woman for romantic purposes -- internationally or domestically -- is not a crime. Those who do so are not apriori criminals who must prove themselves innocent before being allowed an email exchange.
How many American men will be impacted by the IMBA? According to Rep. Larsen, between 8,000 and 12,000 American men find foreign wives through for-profit brokers each year. Presumably, a considerably higher number attempt but fail to find a wife who successfully emigrates.
Next to no statistics are available on how many 'mail-order' marriages are happy. A report on "the problem" by CBS accurately states, "No firm statistics exist on the extent of abuse suffered by mail-order brides, or even the numbers of such women."
The few media accounts that provided background for the IMBA referred to two 'mail-order brides' who were murdered: Anastasia King in 2000, and Susanna Blackwell in 1995. The murders are deplorable.
But no solid foundation of data underlies Sen. Cantwell's claim of "a growing epidemic of domestic abuse among couples who meet through a broker." There is no reason to believe that violence against mail-order brides is higher than against women in general. No evidence supports the criminalization of every American man who looks overseas for a wife.
And, yet, such men are easy targets. Men who seek wives abroad often explicitly state that women here are not worth marrying because they are too independent, rui
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| Feb 28, 2006 @ 4:23 AM |
New Law Brands U.S. Men Abusers - what a message to send to the world |
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SunBabe
Posts: 12,251
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An international broker cannot provide contact or general information on a foreign woman to an American man unless that broker first collects and discloses to the woman the following information about the man:
--every state of residence since the age of 18;
--current or previous marriages as well as how and when they terminated;
--information on children under 18;
--any arrest or conviction related to controlled substances, alcohol or prostitution, making no distinction on arrests not leading to conviction; --any court orders, including temporary restraining orders which are notoriously easy to procure;
--any arrest or conviction for crimes ranging from "homicide" to "child neglect";
--any arrest or conviction for "similar activity in violation of Federal, State or local criminal law" without specifying what "similar" means.
Holy smokes!!! I can understand "protection", but to do this via US government law rather than through private contract with the agencies/brokers sounds a bit invasive!! 
I agree that it makes American men all sound like boderline scounderals 
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| Feb 28, 2006 @ 9:20 AM |
New Law Brands U.S. Men Abusers - what a message to send to the world
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PsychoMagnet
Posts: 251
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I'm sure there's been some abuse of brides from the former Soviet Union by American men, just as there are some American women who are abused by American men. But these Eastern European women are lured into the sex slave industry of the Middle East by the tens of thousands each year. Any measure that deters these women from finding husbands in the West is a damnable act.
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| Feb 28, 2006 @ 9:39 AM |
New Law Brands U.S. Men Abusers - what a message to send to the world |
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exiled131
Posts: 1,808
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sounds like this new code isn't about american men, it is trying to stop the practice by handcuffing the marriage brokers. if you slap enough bureaucracy on a business, it will choke to death.
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| Feb 28, 2006 @ 10:18 AM |
New Law Brands U.S. Men Abusers - what a message to send to the world
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SylvanDreams
Posts: 2,133
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My thoughts on this involve the safety of a woman brought to this country, where she is away from her family, and knows no one other than the man who brought her here.
It seems like a lot of information to provide, but if it results in preventing even one woman who comes here looking for love and a happy life from being murdered or beaten/abused (remember that she has NO ONE to turn to, no family or friends...if a monster brought her over here to harm her, he is not going to tamely let her call the police and get away), then it seems like the effort would be worthwhile. (Apply the above thoughts to any "mail order grooms" also; I just didn't want to get bogged down with pronouns--"he/she" "him/her" etc.)
However--For me, the real question is--will providing this information actually help to prevent such occurrences? People with criminal records are not the only ones that harm others, while many people with criminal records made one mistake, and have no intention of making others.
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| Feb 28, 2006 @ 3:18 PM |
New Law Brands U.S. Men Abusers - what a message to send to the world |
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hercules1944
Posts: 167
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 Hmmmnnnn. There was a case, not too long ago, and I believe it was on 60 minutes. An American man, married a Ukrainian(?), and was flim-flamed out of about $500,000. He was subsequently murdered, and his children can get no answers.
This would be okay according to Sylvan I suppose, it was not a woman. Skulduggery is an equal opportunity field.
[Edited on 2/28/2006 3:32 PM]
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| Feb 28, 2006 @ 3:25 PM |
New Law Brands U.S. Men Abusers - what a message to send to the world
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Thunderscribe
Posts: 419
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Sylvan,
How many lonely American men have been harmed or "taken to the cleaners"?
How many have brought these women over, but all the woman wanted was a "foot in the door"?
How many emails about Svetlana and her friends have been received and brought forth a reply?
There are victims on all sides. Equal Opportunity damage for all.
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| Feb 28, 2006 @ 3:41 PM |
New Law Brands U.S. Men Abusers - what a message to send to the world |
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hercules1944
Posts: 167
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Right on Thunderscribe. There are many scammer and blacklist sites on the net. I have been constantly checking two of them, for my own protection. Found some of the ladies that have contacted me, on both of them. Guess what folks? In the last five years, there has been only one male posted on the lists. Does that tell you something Sylvan?
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| Feb 28, 2006 @ 4:11 PM |
New Law Brands U.S. Men Abusers - what a message to send to the world
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SylvanDreams
Posts: 2,133
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Herc and thunder:
Now, you're taking things out of context. Just because I spoke about having to provide documentation to supposedly protect women from being victimized once they were far away from their family and friends, you are trying to turn it that I think it is okay to victimize men? Way off base, guys, and you apparently did not read my entire post before the male bashing of the female began. To wit, I said:
"(Apply the above thoughts to any "mail order grooms" also; I just didn't want to get bogged down with pronouns--"he/she" "him/her" etc.) "
Which means I don't think it would be okay for either males or females to be victimized. And since the focus of the original poster's post was the murder of someone, I didn't go into financial victimization, though of course, that does occur.
I also questioned whether or not providing this documentation would actually do any good for anybody:
"However--For me, the real question is--will providing this information actually help to prevent such occurrences? People with criminal records are not the only ones that harm others, while many people with criminal records made one mistake, and have no intention of making others."
Read a person's entire post before you start bashing, guys.
[Edited on 2/28/2006 4:18 PM]
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| Feb 28, 2006 @ 4:14 PM |
New Law Brands U.S. Men Abusers - what a message to send to the world |
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spongebob777
Posts: 7,904
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If there's nothing to hide then there's no problem. You're branding American men with your post title. The violence against women act dioes no such thing.
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| Feb 28, 2006 @ 4:15 PM |
New Law Brands U.S. Men Abusers - what a message to send to the world
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exiled131
Posts: 1,808
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does anyone else think the entire thing of mail order brides is prostitution if not slavery. the whole thing is just a loophole in u.s. immigration code being exploited by these pimping companies. i hope this new law shuts them down from doing business here.
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| Feb 28, 2006 @ 4:18 PM |
New Law Brands U.S. Men Abusers - what a message to send to the world |
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Thunderscribe
Posts: 419
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Sylvan, you're the one taking things out of context.
Read my post. I was pointing out that men were being hurt AS WELL.
I'll quote my post: "There are victims on all sides. Equal Opportunity damage for all."
Madam, YOU should read a post before you accuse folks of bashing you.
No one is here to accost or bash you. We just have a right to reply to your post and give our opinion.
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| Feb 28, 2006 @ 4:19 PM |
New Law Brands U.S. Men Abusers - what a message to send to the world
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spongebob777
Posts: 7,904
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does anyone else think the entire thing of mail order brides is prostitution if not slavery.
Not all the time but a pretty fair number of those women are forced into prostitution or worse. (Look at Anastasia King) One of my best friends is a Russian woman who came here to be with a wealthy businessman who turned out to be a drug addicted pimp. My friend was lucky that I could help get her out of that situation.
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| Feb 28, 2006 @ 4:28 PM |
New Law Brands U.S. Men Abusers - what a message to send to the world |
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SylvanDreams
Posts: 2,133
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Thunder,
I was replying to both you and Hercules. He said "This would be okay according to Sylvan I suppose, it was not a woman." and "Does that tell you something Sylvan?"
That, followed very closely by your "How many lonely American men have been harmed or "taken to the cleaners"? How many have brought these women over, but all the woman wanted was a "foot in the door"? " that also pointed out that women victimize men, to me, seemed like you were joining in with Herc's potshots.
I apologize for inaccurately lumping your comments in with his, which WERE BOTH a bash at me for supposedly saying that only women were victims.
But, Sir, it still looks like you did not read my entire post before replying. I too had indicated that both sexes can be, and are being, victimized, which your comments appeared to overlook, and which, in part, led to my "read the entire post" comment.
It appears neither one of you read my post in toto, as both your replies and Herc's allude to men's victimization by women, which I did include in my original post -- and both of you aimed your comments specifically at me and my post.
[Edited on 2/28/2006 4:38 PM]
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| Feb 28, 2006 @ 4:36 PM |
New Law Brands U.S. Men Abusers - what a message to send to the world
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sciurusniger
Posts: 2,959
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Sylan! Thunder! You both said the same thing, so shake hands and go back to your respective corners, both of you.. 
Personally, I really don't think there should be any kind of "business" like mail-order spouses. There are already too many unknowns inherent in any new relationship to begin with, let alone the lack of care that can result when someone does the fixing up in order to make money. All a broker sees are "commodities" and how to get the most out of their investment. At best, it's badness. And when it's bad, it's horrible.
Shut 'em ALL down.
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| Feb 28, 2006 @ 4:42 PM |
New Law Brands U.S. Men Abusers - what a message to send to the world |
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exiled131
Posts: 1,808
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i am evil and root for it in most shapes but even i don't like this business one bit.
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| Feb 28, 2006 @ 4:44 PM |
New Law Brands U.S. Men Abusers - what a message to send to the world
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Silvertongue62
Posts: 6,932
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And what noble president signed this into law?
Learn how to vote.
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| Feb 28, 2006 @ 7:52 PM |
New Law Brands U.S. Men Abusers - what a message to send to the world |
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sissycat411
Posts: 1,248
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People who have nothing to hide......hide nothing.....
If it doesn't dig up something that would bar one from obtaining a mail order spouse........the only people I can see having a neg. feeling about this law....are dishonest abussers..
And if it protects one person from being endangered, killed or put into prostitution..then its well worth the INCONVIENCE....
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| Feb 28, 2006 @ 8:47 PM |
New Law Brands U.S. Men Abusers - what a message to send to the world
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JesterDrawers
Posts: 10,902
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In defense of the comments made that men can be victims as well,
this is ALL TOO TRUE!
I actually paid a broker handsomely once for a mail-order bride.
She lived in an Eastern European country, and seemed quite nice.
She never arrived in this country, to my knowledge.
I kept writing the broker, inquiring as to when she was to arrive.
I kept getting the same response each and every time:
Your Czech is in the mail!!!!!!
(Sorry...couldn't resist!)
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| Feb 28, 2006 @ 8:50 PM |
New Law Brands U.S. Men Abusers - what a message to send to the world |
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spongebob777
Posts: 7,904
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Your Czech is in the mail!!!!!!
She must have been really thin. 
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