Uncategorized | Linda's Orchard

February 23, 2023

Your Historical Immigration Records are Being Held Hostage. Again.

The Deadline to Respond is 6 13 March!

The USCIS Genealogy Program has proposed an outrageous new fee hike, which will also change how some documents are provided. The fee for initiating an Index Search for an individual will rise from $65 to $100. If the person searched has digitized records, they will be provided. If there are no digitized records, which is for many of the documents, a second fee will be required – $240 per record!

USCIS says this might improve service for some people, however, given that the current wait time for an Index Search is 245 business days, and the wait time for a Records Request is 275 business days, it is hard to know how this tweak in service will change the current two-plus year long wait.

USCIS Genealogy Program is a “black box” with no transparency. Their system for serving customers lacks any efficiency for those who know the records of their ancestors are on paper. These documents are not at all accessible, and these price hikes make it doubly so.

What can you do about this?

If you are outraged about the consistent lack of transparency, efficiency, and accessibility to these documents in the Genealogy Program at USCIS, PLEASE SUBMIT A WRITTEN EXPRESSION OF YOUR CONCERNS. Then, contact your Senators and Representatives.

RecordsNotRevenue.com, a grassroots group formed during the last fee fight in 2019-2020, created clear and concise bullet points to explain all the issues and provides you with three easy steps to take action. Genealogists, historians, librarians, journalists, and educators rallied together and fought the proposed fee hike last time. And we won. Let’s do it again.

RecordsNotRevenue.com

Why should you care?

The records held in the Genealogy Program at USCIS largely relate to 20^th-century immigrants. Any Japanese American researching their immigrant ancestors in the U.S. will likely have historical immigration records in this collection. These include A-files, C-files, Visa Files, Registry Files, and Alien Registration forms.

But what are these, and why do you need them?

Alien Files (A-files) are individual records of immigrants who had contact with the INS in or after 1944. These began to be created in 1944 but may contain information about an immigrant’s history in the U.S. from the time of immigration. A-Files for immigrants born more than 100 years ago should have been released to the National Archives. USCIS still holds more than 50% of those records which SHOULD have been released. Why haven’t they been released?

Alien Registration Forms (AR2s) were required of all aliens not naturalized and residing in, or arriving into, the U.S. between 1 August 1940 and 31 March 1944. This series is the only set of genealogy records at USCIS to be fully digitized. While held on microfilm at the National Archives, USCIS restricts their access. Why? Why must we go through USCIS to obtain these documents already held at NARA?

Citizenship Files (C-files) are records of those who naturalized between 27 September 1906 and 21 March 1956, as well as those who naturalized as soldiers serving overseas, and some who were repatriated or who derived citizenship through a parent or spouse. Some of these have been digitized, but USCIS controls all access to them.

Visa Files are paper files pertaining to immigrants who arrived for permanent residence between 1 July 1924 and 31 March 1944. These were eligible to be transferred to the National Archives in 2019. Why have these not been released?

Registry Files are paper files which were eligible to be transferred to the National Archives in 2019. They are full of genealogical information. These files apply to individuals who arrived between 29 June 1906 and 1 July 1924, but for whom no arrival could be found. Visa files helped the immigrant to move forward with naturalization. Why have these not been released?

Help Us with the Fight – Write and Submit a Comment Today!

RecordsNotRevenue.com

Image courtesy Records Not Revenue.

This article first appeared in the Nichi Bei News, #442, 16 Feb. 2023, p. 2, col. 1-3.

Many thanks to the volunteers at Records Not Revenue, especially Renée Carl, Marian Smith, and Rich Venezia.

February 14, 2020

Quick Guide to Japanese American Research

Delighted that the new edition of my quick guide to JA research in the US and Japan is back from the printer. Message me if you are interested. Only available as a hard copy. $12 plus postage (plus sales tax if in California). $1.50 shipping in US, $2.85 in Canada. Payable by check or paypal (LindasOrchard@gmail.com).

December 6, 2019

Our Records Are At Risk!

By now you’ve likely seen the flurry of information about USCIS. Our records are at risk! RecordsNotRevenue is a grass roots campaign trying to stop the potential 492% increase at USCIS. If the fee hike passes, our records will be virtually inaccessible due to cost. These include A-files, C-files, Registry files, Visa files, and Alien Registration forms. And if these records are inaccessible, what’s next?

For anyone researching late 19th and 20th century immigrants, this is a HUGE roadblock. This impacts all of you researching Asians (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, etc.) who immigrated during this time frame, Italian Americans seeking dual citizenship, Jewish Americans, Mexican Americans, War Brides, immigrants who were interned during WWII (Japanese, Germans, Italians), and others.

This is personal for me. My husband’s immigrant grandfather was incarcerated during WWII at Tuna Canyon, Lorsdburg New Mexico, Santa Fe New Mexico, and Crystal City Texas. His A-file was hundreds of pages long. Fortunately, I ordered his A-file a number of years ago. Last January, I had the opportunity to speak with Marian Smith. She advised me that my husband also had an A-file! What a surprise. It cost me $65, but if the fee increase is approved, it would become cost prohibitive.

I urge you to share this information with as many people as you know. Encourage them to post their comments to the USCIS portal NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 16. Please contact your senators and representatives, as well. We’ve only got 10 days left to comment.

The Washington Post published an article on this matter just yesterday, as did the board of directors at the Nichi Bei Foundation (Nichi Bei Weekly 5 December 2019).

The Nichi Bei Foundation, the National Japanese American Historical Society and the California Genealogical Society oppose this price increase.

November 20, 2019

Proposed Fee Hikes at USCIS

Dear Friends in the Genealogy and Research Community,

U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) has recently proposed a 492% increase in fees for access to historical records held by the USCIS Genealogy Program. Many of these records should already be publicly accessible. USCIS is essentially holding the documents hostage, demanding individuals pay exorbitant fees to access documents of our immigrant ancestors. This has a tremendous impact on anyone engaging in 20^th century immigration research, most notably Asian immigrants.

Please share this post with genealogical societies and historical organizations and every family historian and researcher you know. Become part of the national effort among the genealogy community to fight these increases by sharing your opinions and a link to the www.recordsnotrevenue.com on Facebook, twitter, and other social media.

The price increases apply to the A-files, such as the one excerpted below. Instead of paying an already high $65 for a search, which has no guarantee of results, we would have to pay an exorbitant $240! If there is a paper file to be copied, it would be additional $385!

NOW is the time to make your voice heard! By submitting a comment, you can help prevent this unjust fee hike from becoming a reality. All researchers should care about the issues involved, even if your research does not include these records. What can be done to one set of records can be done to others!

Summary of the Issues:

Access: These fees – starting at $240 and up to a whopping $625 for a single file – are beyond the means of most researchers, and in fact, most everyday Americans. The fees are even more inexplicable given that USCIS refers most genealogy record requests to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) program for processing. How can this be legal? If these requests are FOIA requests, researchers should not pay any fees other than standard FOIA fees. When we pay these fees to request our ancestors’ A-files, there is no guarantee we will get anything back, so paying $240 is outrageous.
Transparency: USCIS proposes a raise in its two Genealogy Program fees from $65 to $240 and $385 but gives virtually no explanation. These same fees already tripled in 2016! How can this agency say such fees are necessary to cover costs when they do not identify nor breakdown the costs of the program? Fee increases of 269% and 492% require an explanation; in this regard the proposed rule is wholly inadequate.
Efficiency: Why is USCIS still holding on to and charging fees for access to records that should already be at the National Archives (NARA), or which already exist at NARA but are withheld from the public due to restrictions placed by USCIS? Do USCIS and NARA have any plans to transfer these historical records and make them available at NARA?
Visa Files and Registry Files, both subject to the proposed $625 total fee, became eligible for transfer to NARA in April 2019. Where are they? Does USCIS plan to collect $625 apiece when these records should already be available to the public at NARA?
Alien Registration Forms, subject to the proposed $240 fee, already exist on microfilm at NARA but remain unavailable because of a USCIS restriction. A-Files of immigrants born more than 100 years ago should be at NARA, as per its 2009 schedule. Why must we still request A-files from USCIS for new fees of up to $625?

What can you do? Make your voice heard in 3 easy steps:

Step 1: Review the proposed rule here, and jump to the Genealogy Program section here.

Step 2: Write your comments, addressing the issues listed here or any issue you think is important. See https://www.recordsnotrevenue.com/#conversationstarters for thoughts on how to begin.

Step 3: Send your comments BEFORE 16 DECEMBER 2019 to:
• Federal Rulemaking Portal and refer to DHS Docket No. USCIS-2019-0010 and follow instructions for submitting comments

AND
• Send a copy of your comments to your US Senators and Representative, and refer to DHS Docket No. USCIS-2019-0010. Tell them you care about preserving access to federal records!

If these records become restricted, what records will be next?

https://www.recordsnotrevenue.com/

In the meantime, be sure to order your A-files, C-files, and AR2s, in case the prices do skyrocket.

Most Sincerely,

Linda Harms Okazaki

May 12, 2019

What Does mtDNA Really Look Like?

This showed up in my feed today. Happy mt DNA day.

Linda's Orchard

DNA is a popular tool among genealogists. Y-DNA gives us great insight into specific ancestors in a direct male line. I was able to prove a connection to a family in England dating back to 1733 with yDNA. Autosomal DNA is tremendous for looking at ethnic origins. I have learned much about my early northern European ancestors.

mtDNA follows a direct maternal line to ancient origins. So far, I have only proven my direct female line back to Esther Amelia Gillett. Thanks to photography, I know what seven generations of mtDNA looks like. Happy Mother’s Day.

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June 17, 2018

Happy Father’s Day

Taking a peek at some Father’s Day Y-DNA in my Harms line

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Richard E. Harms ca 1937.jpg

RH Harms ca 1903 copy.jpg

December 13, 2017

Genetic Genealogy

DNA is the hottest topic in genealogy. It seems that everyone I know is testing. I’ve got kits from several different companies ready to go when the relatives show up for the holidays. I even tested my dog! But do you wonder what the results actually tell you? Are the admixture (ethnicity) estimates accurate? What about the cousin predictions? What kinds of tools are available to help you understand your results? Are there ethical considerations with testing? Do you worry about privacy? Disclaimer: I don’t.

There are classes available in many locations. The California Genealogical Society offers a series of DNA classes. There are websites, blogs, and YouTube videos. There are facebook pages galore. And there are conferences. Last week, the Institute for Genetic Genealogy was held in San Diego with speakers such as CeCe Moore, Blaine Bettinger, Angie Bush, Kitty Cooper, Schelly Dardashti, and more. Two days, 22 lectures, and all were recorded. Hopefully those recordings will be available for purchase within the next few months.

There are two big DNA events planned in northern California in 2018. The first is “A Day with the Genetic Genealogist: Blaine Bettinger.” Held at the David Brower Center in Berkeley on March 3, the day will feature four lectures and a catered buffet lunch by Greenleaf Platters. This seminar is sure to sell out and is one of the signature events planned in honor of the 120th anniversary of the California Genealogical Society. In November, the San Mateo Genealogical Society will host Genetic Genealogist, CeCe Moore, who will present a different line up of lectures.

Whether your ancestors came from Europe, Asia, Africa, the Pacific Rim, or the Americas, whether you can trace your ancestors back dozens of generations or you were adopted and don’t know your biological family, DNA has something for everyone. Join the fun and add DNA to your genealogy tool box.

December 17, 2016

Yoko Miyake Okazaki

Yoko Okazaki passed away peacefully on 2 December 2016 at the age of 85. She endured Parkinson’s disease for many years. Although her health declined, her spirit never did.

Yoko was born 21 November 1931 in the village of Yorishima, along the Inland Sea of Japan. Her parents were Tomoharu Miyake and Ocho Nakamura. Yoko was the third child of six. Her younger siblings, Kazumi and Akimasa, predeceased her. The family moved to Kurashiki when Yoko was about 3 years old. Her sisters recalled that she was outgoing and social as a child, and always eager to be photographed. Yoko met Tee in 1946, when she was 15. They married in 1952, when she was 20. He was the athletic American, a renunciate who moved to Japan with his Issei parents following their incarceration during WWII.

As a young woman, Yoko was trained and licensed in Ikenobo, a traditional form of Japanese flower arranging. Later, she developed a passion for both singing and gardening. While living in Japan, she especially enjoyed cultivating tomatoes and zucchini.

Tee and Yoko moved to California in 2001, living first in Moraga and then in Walnut Creek. Even in the final weeks of her life, Yoko found tremendous pleasure in her Walnut Creek garden

Yoko is survived by her two sons: Ted (Linda) and Denis (Denise); five grandchildren: Matthew, Samantha, Bryce, Mariko, and Carson; three sisters: Kyoko Ogo, Shoko Miyake, and Mayumi Miyake; sister-in-law Maru Hiratzka; brother-in-law Sid Okazaki (Yuki); and many nieces and nephews. Her husband, Tee, passed away in 2014.

A celebration of Yoko’s life will be held at Hull’s in Walnut Creek on Thursday December 29 at 11:00, followed by a luncheon. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a contribution to J-Sei (J-Sei.org/donate or 1285 66^th St., Emeryville, CA 94608).

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November 22, 2015

A Reference Guide to Finding Your Japanese Roots

Finding Your Japanese Roots

I’m excited to announce that the second edition of my 6-page laminated quick guide to Japanese and Japanese American Genealogy is now available! The first edition sold out quickly. Order yours today for $12 plus shipping (8.5% sales tax in California). Aimed at those who are new to Nikkei genealogy, as well as seasoned genealogists who are new to these records, this guide provides a basic introduction to get you started and includes:

A brief historical overview and timeline of laws and events which impacted Nikkei (those of Japanese Ancestry) in the U.S. and in Japan
Clues in Conventional U.S. Records
Records Unique to Japanese Americans
Clues in Conventional Japanese Records
Glossary of Japanese Words Related to Family History
Online Resources
Bibliography

Contact LindaHOkazaki@gmail.com to place your order. Payable through Paypal.

October 16, 2015

It was a Beautiful Day for a Pilgrimage!

Second Annual Nikkei Pilgrimage to Angel Island

Angel Island Immigration Station

On 3 October 2015, the Nichi Bei Foundation hosted the second annual Nikkei Pilgrimage to Angel Island, in honor of the Japanese immigrants who arrived there between 1910 and 1940. An emphasis was placed on the women who immigrated, specifically the picture brides. There were over 300 attendees who journeyed by ferry to enjoy the music, dramatic presentation, speeches, bento lunches, and family history stations.

Kenji Taguma, Nichi Bei Foundation

Picture Bride, Produced by Judy Hamaguchi, SF JACL

Linda Harms Okazaki and Karen Korematsu

Learning about Picture Brides, inside the Immigration Station Barracks

There were honored guests and special speakers, including Karen Korematsu, who is perhaps best known as the daughter of civil rights activist, Fred Korematsu. On this day, however, she spoke about her grandmother, Kotsui Aoki, who arrived on Angel Island on January 12, 1914 as a picture bride. Karen addressed the importance a discovering family roots and understanding the experiences of our immigrant ancestors.

Following the formal program, six volunteers from the California Genealogical Society provided research consultations, including Todd Armstrong, Grant Din (also of the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation), Linda Okazaki, Jim Russell, and Adelle Treakle. By far the most frequent question among the consults was “Did my ancestor come through Angel Island?”

Though most of the participants were of Japanese ancestry, there was a definite mix of ethnic groups represented. Guests had ancestors from Korea, China, Latin America, Canada and Europe. The genealogists were rewarded every time someone “found” an ancestor on an immigration record or census document. Those asking questions ranged in age, as well. One woman was 97 and had been incarcerated in an internment camp. Another young man was eight years old and very interested in family history. His parents listened intently as he asked questions about his great grandmother who was born in Mexico and was currently living in California. It was a teachable moment when he discovered the importance of interviewing the eldest living relatives. He is most definitely the “NextGen” in genealogy.