This sponsored column is by Law Office of James Montana PLLC. All questions about it should be directed to James Montana, Esq., Doran Shemin, Esq., and Laura Lorenzo, Esq., practicing attorneys at The Law Office of James Montana PLLC, an immigration-focused law firm located in Arlington, Virginia. The legal information given here is general in nature. If you want legal advice, contact us for an appointment.
Note: In this Guest Essay, our anonymous friend, Prof. Erasmus, explains his rather unusual thoughts about U.S. asylum law, which — of course — we do not endorse or even pretend to understand. If you like Prof. Erasmus’s work, stay tuned, because he intends to make this a regular feature. We’ll see if he intends to pay our advertising bill.

I, Professor Erasmus, am here to further educate you on how American immigration law works. Remember the rule: We do not judge law by what it purports to do, but by what it actually does.
Today, I would like to remind you about the Old Way that the United States used to do immigration — what I will call the Ellis Island system. The rules at Ellis Island, circa 1910, were simple and clear:
- No passport or visa was required. Immigration officers checked your name against the ship’s manifest to determine whether your identity could be verified. Fraud was frequent.
- A government doctor would examine you to determine physical and mental fitness. About ten percent of people were held for further examination — heart trouble, mental instability and inability to do physical labor were all reasons for detention. (Think little Vito Andolini from The Godfather Part II.)
- Brief questioning from officials, aimed at determining whether you were a dangerous anarchist, led to a tiny fraction of migrants being detained and then deported.
98% of applicants for admission made it in. 98%!
Upon admission, immigrants received no paperwork of any kind — no summons demanding a court appearance, no green card, no work permit, no identification. Do you think that the Ellis Island system differs from our current system? It does not. If you think it does, you’re a fool, a lawyer, or quite possibly both.
In my next essay, I will explain to you how our current immigration system is, in fact, just like Ellis Island in every particular. Every border crossing station is a miniature Ellis Island. Lawyers, judges and bureaucrats pretend otherwise; let them pretend. Here, we tell the truth.
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Children’s Weekday Program (CWP) is a non-profit preschool rooted in a play-based philosophy. We focus on developing a love of learning and exploration, cooperation, empathy, and independence.
Our caring and experienced educators create opportunities for children 16 months to 5 years old to play, learn, and grow in a nurturing environment of child-centered and developmentally appropriate experiences.
Initially established more than 50 years ago in South Arlington, CWP continues to be a lauded program in the Northern Virginia area. We are extremely proud to have been recognized as a Best Preschool in Northern Virginia Magazine for the last 4 years.
Located now in North Arlington at 2666 Military Road, CWP offers a part-time parents day out and preschool program with options to extend care both before and after school. We offer a supportive and inclusive school community for children and parents alike and welcome all families to join our school!

The Optimist Club of Arlington is holding its 77th annual Christmas tree sale!
This year, the tree sale will be held at the Knights of Columbus (5115 Little Falls Road). The lot opens for sales on November 24th. The Optimist Club is selling small and large trees ranging from tabletop size to 10 foot tall trees! Wreaths, garland, tree stands, and White House Christmas ornaments will also be for sale.
100% of all proceeds go towards helping Arlington County youth.
For more information, please visit the Arlington Optimists website at https://optimistclubofarlingtonva.org/.
Holiday Art Show
Holiday Art Show featuring artists: Peter Fitzgerald, Claire Plante, Alanna Rivera, and Suzy Scollon. At the Barcroft Community House, 800 South Buchanan St., Arlington, VA. Dec. 8 from, 2 PM to 8 PM and Dec. 9 from 10 AM to
Christmas Tree Sales
2023 Christmas Tree Sales Begin
Saturday, December 2
Get your holiday decorating off to the right start this year! We will be selling 150 Fraser firs, freshly cut and delivered from Sparta, North Carolina.
Sale Hours: