Nostradamus Strikes Again

NOTE: The sole purpose of today's blog is so that I can brag about my foresight, so skip it unless you are curious...I wrote this last November, when the surreal specter of propping up the private auto sector had reached a frenzy.  My point was simple: let the consumers get the money and decide...

Jose E. Latour Aug 06, 2009

How To Play Offshore Legally

One of the funny things about discussing offshore investment is that we forget a very basic fact: not ALL Americans who invest offshore are up to shenanigans.  Some U.S. citizens (and foreign nationals who are U.S. tax residents and, accordingly,  taxable worldwide) in fact, make a great b...

Jose E. Latour Aug 05, 2009

The Kidney Pie Test?

Monday's new rules affecting would-be immigrants to the United Kingdom has been met with both praise and anger: praise from the large sector of the population which believes that government has done little to mitigate illegal migration; anger from immigrant and other groups which say the new ru...

Jose E. Latour Aug 04, 2009

As South African Recession Stings, Emigration Resurfaces

It's been three months since Jacob Zuma took power as South Africa's President, and things are hardly going well.  As the global economy continues to sputter, Mr. Zuma is finding himself in a difficult position...and losing support from his key constituencies.This morning's Wall ...

Jose E. Latour Jul 29, 2009

In Praise of Biometrics

It was back in 1988 when I first sat down to teach Border Patrolofficers stationed at the very porous El Paso/Ciudad Juarez border the difference between legitimate "Micas " - border crossing cards (BCCs) - and those which were fraudulent.  Incredible as it seems, the profitable art o...

Jose E. Latour Jul 28, 2009

A Sneaky TWIC

As the U.S. cruise industry continues to scramble to meet the various compliance matters placed back on the front burner by the Obama administration, some lawyers are getting a little creative in their efforts to make a buck.  All of this came to light last week when an old friend contacted me ...

Jose E. Latour Jul 27, 2009

Thinking Through Electronic Employment Verification

As an attorney who spends a substantial part of his time worryingabout how corporate clients run their internal compliance programs, it is easyto forget that employment verification isn’t ONLY about protecting employersfrom fines and sanctions…it is also about insuring the integrity of a processwhic...

Jose E. Latour Jul 25, 2009

Shouldering the Burden- Immigrants and Health Care Reform

Today's Miami Herald reports on the case of 37 year old Luis Jimenez, an illegal immigrant whose serious brain injury had cost Martin Memorial Medical Center over $1.5 million...until the hospital decided to solve it's problem by secretly shipping Mr. Jimenez back to Guatemala.My blog toda...

Jose E. Latour Jul 23, 2009

Wealthy U.S. Visitors Not So Wealthy After Medical Emergencies

Let's call him Pierre, since I can't tell you his real name.Pierre, a wealthy European businessman in his early 60's, was a picture of health.  A daily tennis player and avid cyclist, he carried the sculpted physique of a man half his age.  With an E-2 Treaty Investor visa a...

Jose E. Latour Jul 19, 2009

The FBAR Side: IRS Ruling an Obstacle for Would-Be U.S. Investors

Despite the long-standing understanding that "if you own it, control it, or benefit from anything anywhere, you must tell the IRS", last week's IRS comments suggest that the plot has thickened substantially for offshore investors...especially those with an eye on U.S. residency.In the...

Jose E. Latour Jul 01, 2009