Fla. Developer Offers Investors Green Cards

Buy $500K worth of homes, and you can be a legal US resident

(NEWSER) - Are you a wealthy would-be immigrant with a penchant for real estate? Well, then have Chuck Schumer and Mike Lee got a deal for you. The Democrat and Republican senators have introduced a bipartisan bill that would grant a visa to foreigners who buy at least $500,000 worth of residential real estate, the Wall Street Journal reports. The investment could be broken up over multiple houses or condos, but each must cost at least $250,000. More»

US officials cite fear 9-year-old Micah Strachan would stick around

(NEWSER) - A 9-year-old boy from Britain with plans to visit Disney World was denied entry to the US this week; immigration officials cited a concern he wouldn’t leave the country. “Because you either did not demonstrate strong ties outside the United States or were not able to demonstrate that your intended activities in the US would be consistent with the visa status, you are ineligible,” said US officials in a rejection letter. The Telegraph notes that Micah Strachan's visa application included a letter from his school, as proof of his attendance. More»

(NEWSER) - Foreigners, willing to work for less money, are taking American jobs … on the baseball diamond, the Wall Street Journal reports. Ever since George W. Bush signed the Compete Act in 2007, which essentially gave baseball teams unlimited work visas, teams have been snapping up foreign talent at a record pace. The Cubs, for example, have 142 immigrants throughout their major and minor league system, compared to 86 before the law. More»

Homeland Security hopes scans of all 10 digits will improve tracking, monitoring

(NEWSER) - Visitors to the US entering through New York's John F. Kennedy airport will have all 10 fingers scanned under a new program of the Department of Homeland Security, the Christian Science Monitor reports. Officials hope the program, called US-VISIT, will allow customs—which currently collects just two prints from non-citizen visitors—to snag entrants with fake documentation or criminal records. More»

Persistent rodent problem leaves officials and passengers feeling ill

(NEWSER) - Dead rats are stinking up a portion of Orlando International Airport, and the smell has workers crying foul. Construction crews renovating gates earlier this month scared the rodents into the airport, the Orlando Sentinel reports; exterminators followed, and after rats died in walls and ceilings the stench sent workers and passengers home sick and shut down a customs checkpoint. More»