April 28, 2025 – An Introduction to “Andy on Immigration” 

How to Respond to Immigration System on High Alert

The US immigration system is on wartime footing. I searched my brain (not ChatGPT) for inspirational words appropriate for such circumstances. A single, clear call to action came to mind: “Don’t Give Up. Don’t Ever Give Up.” The quote comes from a famous speech given in 1993 by cancer crusader Jim Valvano as he fought a battle with the disease that would eventually take his life. Especially in 2025, the world of immigration often leads one to lead a “full day” as defined by Valvano: we laugh, we think, and we cry.

Normally, I’d opt for a gentler, less dramatic introduction to a new content creation, consulting, and support service — perhaps a touch of humor or sarcasm to lighten the mood. But let’s face it: the U.S. immigration system is under siege. Sure, it was already dysfunctional and navigating through it was like the scariest of Harrison Ford’s Raiders of the Lost Ark adventures. Of course there were many who argued for reforms to border policies, humanitarian visas, undocumented populations, and even family and business immigration. In 2025, anyone with even a passing interest in immigration, and certainly those businesses and professionals focused on immigration, finds their collective heads spinning.

So, naturally, the guy who felt as peaceful as a zen master in the “criss cross applesauce” position since he departed the practice of business immigration law over 10 years ago thought, “What better time to launch Andy on Immigration (“AoI”)?”

AoI Launch – Why Now?

Actually, I think now is the right time. Immigration needs some perspective from someone who has lived inside and outside the system. Immigration is really freaking complicated. Well-meaning Americans can’t understand a system that seems to enable unlawful immigration and makes removing undocumented persons a multi-year effort. Employers and immigration professionals try to manage this dysfunction in a universe of laws, regulations, and processes not fit for purpose, and certainly a system lacking compassion for the lives it impacts. For years, the system plodded along, perhaps motivated by a sense of “mutually assured destruction” that would result if the system was actually reformed.  As Americans grew divided in their own realities (realities shaped by Americans who have been segregated into information bubbles), views on immigration also became more divided and contentious.

Now, the immigration universe is undergoing seismic changes. As such, it seems like the right time for AoI to provide a level-set for the broader population while offering assistance to those stuck inside the immigration nuclear bunker. I am not here to say who is right or who is wrong, but instead to say, “how can I help?” and answer the question “how can you survive in the new immigration world order?” That led to my designation as “Chief Relief Officer” and defining Andy on Immigration by a clear mission statement: Immigration Insights & Solutions – Delivered.

Andy on Immigration (“AoI”) is all about moving forward in the new world of immigration, ahead of the crashing waves.

What is AoI?

Andy on Immigration, or “AoI”, is a platform for content, strategy, and support—for immigration professionals, law firms, businesses, and individuals navigating complex systems. As a content creator, AoI provides immigration insights for our primary audience who operate in the world of business immigration. AoI will also provide immigration explainers for those with a casual interest in immigration. As a service provider, AoI provides consulting services to immigration law firms and employers with immigration needs as well as client communications help, including ghostwriting content. AoI also provides services in marketing, communications, coaching, and business accounting/finance assistance through affiliate specialists, all from the perspective of an immigration insider. Lastly, as there has been a great increase in interest, AoI will also focus content and services on opportunities for Americans seeking to relocate or retire outside the U.S., or in today’s parlance, “self-deport”.

AoI Clarifies a Complex Immigration System

Who is AoI For?

  • Immigration Professionals seeking clarity and perspective amidst policy changes and operational challenges.​
  • Employers/HR Professionals looking to understand how shifting immigration landscapes affect international mobility and how to manage the process of hiring foreign nationals.
  • Immigration observers & policymakers desiring grounded perspectives on the implications of immigration reforms.​
  • Americans eyeing life abroad wishing to explore the nuances of international retirement and relocation.​
  • Everyday people. Occasionally, AoI will provide immigration primers to provide a window into a complex system.

Engage with AoI

Up next: Look for an upcoming blog “How to Plan for Immigration’s Next 12 Months” at www.andyonimmigration.com or on the AoI page on LinkedIn where you can click “Follow”. Also coming soon, a podcast presentation of “Immigration 101”, an explainer on the how the heck 340+ million persons came to be in the United States.