From the New York Post:

Red Bulls striker Luke Rodgers had his U.S. visa approved, and will join the team in Mexico for preseason camp.

His arrival to camp was delayed due to immigration issues. His P-1 visa had initially been denied in 2010, largely due to legal woes back in the U.K. He’d been arrested twice in 2009, and when the visa was finally granted in 2011 it was only for one year, forcing the need to reapply. Now the process was successful.

"Iv got my visa, be joining the red bulls in mexico this week. Cant wait!" Rodgers posted on his Facebook page.

The Daily Caller reports that Chester Brown, a Samoan offensive lineman, will now be going to the University of Central Florida since Georgia colleges are now doing a strict immigration screening of all new students.

From DOS:

Recognizing the need for inclusiveness in the world of sports and people-to-people exchanges, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announced today that it will bring 14 athletes from Kazakhstan to the United States to participate in an inaugural exchange for athletes with physical disabilities. During the 10-day exchange, these male and female sitting volleyball players will participate in clinics and games with their American counterparts in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, including with the U.S. Men and Women’s Sitting Volleyball teams and USA Volleyball. Sitting volleyball is a Paralympic sport for both men and women.

Sports diplomacy builds on Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s vision of “smart power diplomacy.” It embraces the use of a full range of diplomatic tools, including sports, to bring individuals together to strengthen people-to-people relationships and to foster greater understanding.

Sports diplomacy creates international exchange opportunities for athletes and their coaches. Participating in the sports visitor program, athletes and coaches from 54 countries traveled to the United States to interact with their American counterparts and engage on a host of issues, including: balancing academics and athletics; creating opportunities for athletes with disabilities; and empowering women and girls through sports. This is the first-ever sports visitor program focused solely on athletes with physical disabilities.

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ SportsUnited Office leads the U.S. Department of State’s international exchange efforts to bring the global community together through sports. Athletes and coaches from a range of sports are chosen to conduct clinics, visit schools, and engage with youth overseas in a dialogue on the importance of an education, positive health practices, and respect for diversity.

The Bangor (Maine) Daily News reports

A federal judge Friday sentenced a Canadian folk singer and her backup vocalist to time served and warned them not to return to the United States to perform without the proper visas.

Michelle Marie Bahrynowski, whose professional moniker is Michelle Joly, and her backup singer Carrie Anne Sadler, both of Red Deer, Alberta, were arrested Tuesday morning at the Milltown border crossing in Calais after they lied to Customs and Border Protection agents about why they were entering the country.

Bahrynowski, 30, and Sadler, 32, were sentenced to three days in jail after pleading guilty in federal court on Friday to entry into the United States by false representation. In addition, Sadler pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting Bahrynowski’s lies to agents at the border.

“Coming to court in shackles should have taught you a lesson,” U.S. Magistrate Judge Margaret Kravchuk told the pair. “Don’t come back to this county without the proper visas.”

CBP officers found CDs and messages on cell phones and on Facebook that indicated that the two were coming to perform in the US.

Henry Cejudo, the 2008 Olympic gold medalist, is speaking out on the harsh immigration laws in his home state of Arizona and is reminding anti-immigrant legislators that he's one of the so-called anchor babies being targeted. USA Today has got the goods.

Soccer great Pele, the Brazilian legend who is one of the most recognized names in the world of sports, has been granted an O-1 visa. I remember seeing Pele as a kid when I had to the Miami Toros North American Soccer League games and Pele played for the New York Cosmos. Pele is returning to New York to help rebuild soccer in New York City.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a short decision holding that Skokos did not meet the basic evidence requirements for an EB-1 extraordinary ability petition. The court didn't dispute that a bodyguard could file an EB-1 petition, but simply held that Mr. Skokos didn't prove his case. The court didn't discuss the standards for an EB-1 case in any detail so the case is not likely to make that much of a difference in cases filed by others.

skokos case

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