I am simply trying to find out what your thoughts are on Illegal Immigration. And if I am in the wrong area I apologize, but the topic seems to fit.

Question:
Is Illegal Immigration a serious issue in America?

Choices:
Yes
No
I don't know
I don't care

 

I'm all for immigration, but it needs to happen legally. and yes I know how difficult it is, but the DMV is difficult and that doesn't mean that we all just drive where we want w/out a license or insurance.

"If they don't like what's going on in their country why don't they stand up and do something"

In this country where you have the "right" to redress your country, it is difficult, I can't imagine a country where that is not the case.

Secondly Our history didn't start 30 years ago.(I'm guessing the start of this recent wave of migration from Mexico) Many Central American countries have tried to create democratic societies for their people. But it meant fighting with the US who was the large corporation in their country sucking all the materials, money out of their country. When they would try to remove this leech. The would get their country dessimated and a new more agreeable leader handed to them. READ OVERTHROW: America's regime change from Hawaii to Iraq by Stephen Kinzer. It's EASY to read not like most history books.


Anybody ever wonder how many people crossed the border during the depression?

Okay, most people on here don't understand the first thing about immigration. It's not as simple as legal vs. illegal, it's documented vs. undocumented.
Documented immigrants have all of their paper work together perfectly, and they have an easier chance of getting citizenship. Undocumented may have some forms together but not all, or none. They are what you would call "illegals". It is not impossible for them to become citizens, legally, but it's very difficult. They aren't just Mexicans "hopping the boarder". They can get here on planes, from anywhere. Some of them are under the impression they are coming here legally, with everything taken care of, only to find out afterwards that something went wrong.
I know someone who is going through this situation. And let me tell you, it's hell. His entire future is uncertain, he feels insugnificant because he's not a citizen yet, and he's hopeless about his situation. This is a person who acts just as American as most "real" Americans, who thinks in English, who is one of the most brilliant and excepting people in my school.
So, unless you personally know immigrants, you shouldn't be badmouthing them. Because to people like me, who actually have seen what they have to go through, you just seem heartless and cruel. And a little stupid, too. OK, who am I kidding, you sound like a complete idiot. It's not as simple as "legal" or "illegal." As Americans we'd likt to think it's that clear-cut, but we're only fooling ourselves.

Illegal immigration is an important issue that faces America. Should people have to go through the process of becoming American like so many other people have done in the 21st Century or should they get a free pass without any drawbacks?

It would be fair in my opinion for us to start over. People do not seem to complain when they can get cheap labor to cut their grass or clean their houses, so why complain now? Our political leaders obviously don't care enough to enact any real policies, as we have dealt with the current illegal immigration crisis for decades.

I think we have to compromise on this issue. It would be way too expensive to randomly ship back millions of people as some in Congress want to do, but it would also be unfair to not make those here illegally pay some sort of fine or go through a real, formal process.

Most working American's pay taxes of all sorts, ranging from property taxes to social security--so it is only fair we know who is in our country legally or illegally, because in the end it affects everyone's pockets. We should allow those who are here "illegally" to stay--which means they must pay taxes, get real social security numbers, etc.. and there should be a yearly cap placed on the amount of people who can cross into the US yearly so we don't have a massive influx of people coming over due to our new policies.

For the sake of our nation we must be willing to accept those who are already here and who have worked dearly to survive, but at the same time the US and other countries don't have unlimited resources, so we must take care of what we have.

And we should not be so hell bent on placing embargos and financial restrictions on countries we don't always agree with i.e. Cuba. If we want to truly reduce illegal immigration we have to also look at the root of the problem and assist those nations in education reform, job development, and economic assistance.

Peace,

JAM

Somewhere down the line, all the Americans here, unless you're 100% Native American Indian, your ancestor or you have made the sacrifice to come here legally. They should do it to. Frankly, I don't blame them for wanting to come here. I'd want to too. But we can't just let them do it. They have to wait their turn. Some of my ancestors came on the Mayflower, some came from Denmark during the Mormom migration, some came from Germany during World War I, some came from England, Wales and Scotland during colonial times, and some were the Dutch that came and settled New York, some ancestors were Cherokee and walked the Trail of Tears. The point is, my ancestors still immigrated or migrated, and they made individual sacrifices to come here. They all had to endure hardships to come, and none of these hardships entailed dodging border guards or hopping fences. My ancestors came here legally, and they need to do that too.

I really don't blame them for wanting to come, but it has to be done legally.

mlr364, my ancestors were legal immigrants. The ones that weren't settlers, I have immigration records, from Ellis Island-like immigration stations, in the family file cabinets. If you're saying settling is illegal, you're wrong. There was no law to respect. The Natives didn't believe that you could own land according to everybody else, and therefore, they couldn't impose laws concerning who could live on it.

What we often forget is that many of our ancestors (for those of you who are Asian or Caucasian) were illegal immigrants themselves. They came to America for the same reasons that many Mexicans come to America today. And regarding building a fence and increasing border patrol along the Mexican border: yes, the majority of our illegal immigrants are from Mexico, but it isn't the only place that they are coming from. People from all over the world come to America either illegally or legally, and in some cases if they arrive legally, they might stay illegally- outstaying their visas, etc. Illegal immigration is a serious problem, but one that we can mend. We need to implement programs to make illegal immigrants pay their dues- learn English, pay taxes, etc and really crack down on businesses who are hiring illegal immigrants who aren't in any sort of government program. It's a big problem, but one that can be fixed.

I have nothing against building a wall along the US southern border; it's their country and it's their right to prevent people from just walking in. I think the real problem is how lengthy and difficult the process is to become a citizen. If it wasn't so impossible, there would be less illegal immigration and the US could actually monitor who's inside their borders.

quote:

What do you have against illegals.

You just answered your own question. They're ILLEGAL. They commited a CRIME and should be punished like everyone else who commits a crime. Or do you not understand the meaning of those words?

quote:

Why should they be seperated from there families when raids go on.

Dude, if they were dumb enough to come over here illegally in the first place and have children on U.S. soil and were suddenly forced to go back were they came from, that's just too fucking bad. And it's nobody's problem but their own due to the crappy decisions they made.

quote:

They take jobs that none of you will take. When are going to see some one cleaning toilets or working at a packing plant. Also none of you are going to want to work minimum wage.

Half the kids at my high school worked minimum wage.

And I still don't see how all of this justifies the fact that they broke the law.

quote:

When are going to see some one cleaning toilets or working at a packing plant. Also none of you are going to want to work minimum wage.

the first two are better than my current job and I do make minimum wage so stfu

quote:

Have you ever met one. They are dependable, and hardworking people. Why should they be seperated from there families when raids go on

I have, they aren't and they shouldn't, they should all be back where they belong waiting to come here legally like all the real hardworking and dependable people

What do you have against illegals. Have you ever met one. They are dependable, and hardworking people. Why should they be seperated from there families when raids go on.
They take jobs that none of you will take. When are going to see some one cleaning toilets or working at a packing plant. Also none of you are going to want to work minimum wage.

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Would, or wouldn't?

Sorry, I meant to put wouldn’t. Thanks for caching that.

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If the border was secured, illegal immigration and other issues would be such big problems.

Would, or wouldn't?

Illegal immigration is one of the sub problems caused by an open Sothern Border. If the border was secured, illegal immigration and other issues would be such big problems.

quote:

Originally posted by MrHyde:

quote:

Originally posted by finn620:
In France they call them "sans papiers" - without papers. I like that term better.

I don't see why we have a right to complain about Mexicans. We stole half their goddamn country.

lol. yea i must say i agree. there are plenty of mexicans everywhere. I don't really think it's right for them to be killed or anything like that but it'd be nice if they paid taxes and didn't make US citizens wait in line in the emergency room when the mexicans are illegal and we've paid our dues.

I, for one, would be glad to give it back... seeing how they never left in the first place.

quote:

and Cuba.

My friends parents came from Cuba. They didn't "jump a fence". He came on a raft and her mom came over stowed away in a piece of lugagge.



Edit: And I just saw this. http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/gunmen-open-fir...id=NWS00010000000001

People disgust me.

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Most of them didn't jump the fence so to speak, as our present day mexicans are doing.

Just a friendly reminder that Mexicans aren't the only ones "jumping the fence," or coming here illegally. So are people from other South American countries and Cuba.

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If they don't like the way there country is going why dont they just stand up and do something about it instead of coming to the U.S. and destroying ours.
Yeah there willing to risk there live's fleeing but not to stand up and fix whats wronge with there own fucking country. Im tiered of this shit... there illegel yet getting government aid its madness Americans are being treated like second rate citizens while they pay no taxes but reek all the benifeits.... B.S. And all you bleeding hearts can go to hell!

Awwwwww....has being treated as second class caused you an emotional upset so severe you can't type correctly?

Perhaps you're referring to Native Americans. Us illegal immigrants, and their descendents, do treat them as second class citizens, what with the impoverished reservations and such.

quote:

Originally posted by Dalifan:
If they don't like the way there country is going why dont they just stand up and do something about it instead of coming to the U.S. and destroying ours.
Yeah there willing to risk there live's fleeing but not to stand up and fix whats wronge with there own fucking country. Im tiered of this shit... there illegel yet getting government aid its madness Americans are being treated like second rate citizens while they pay no taxes but reek all the benifeits.... B.S. And all you bleeding hearts can go to hell!

a lack of education and courruption.

If they don't like the way there country is going why dont they just stand up and do something about it instead of coming to the U.S. and destroying ours.
Yeah there willing to risk there live's fleeing but not to stand up and fix whats wronge with there own fucking country. Im tiered of this shit... there illegel yet getting government aid its madness Americans are being treated like second rate citizens while they pay no taxes but reek all the benifeits.... B.S. And all you bleeding hearts can go to hell!