Editorial: Communication lacking

Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2007 | 7:05 a.m.

Attorneys, congressional staff members and nonprofit organizations charged with helping immigrants say a new federal system in which inquiries can only be asked and answered via e-mail is creating confusion and logjams.

According to a story in Saturday's Las Vegas Sun, the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services policy, enacted in January, does not allow people working on behalf of immigrants to use the telephone, fax machines or in-person visits to obtain information about lost or delayed files.

Federal officials told the Sun's Timothy Pratt that e-mail is more efficient and provides better accountability. But local attorneys say that queries take longer now to resolve than they did under the old system and that some remain unanswered altogether.

Attorney Edwin Prudhomme, who has practiced immigration law in Las Vegas for 10 years, told Pratt that the Las Vegas immigration office now is less accessible than it ever was, adding that, "It's harder to raise hell by e-mail."

Maybe that's why the federal immigration agency has resorted to hiding behind computer terminals when faced with lost paperwork or administrative errors. It is easier to ignore e-mail than a person standing there demanding answers. But it isn't right. We are talking about people's lives and futures, here. All lines - and forms - of communication should remain open.