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Post by Becca on Apr 10, 2008 0:49:15 GMT -5
If you want to stop illegal immigration, lobby to congress. Protesting a gas station for a day or a restaurant for a day doesn't do as much as lobbying to congress.
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Post by Raynette on Apr 21, 2008 10:54:31 GMT -5
I will pass this along also I feel that anyone wanted to live in this country especially illegals should have to speak our language we should not have to cater to them. Americans are becoming the minority in this country which is real scary before long will have an immigrant as a president
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eire
Hero in training
Posts: 14
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Post by eire on Sept 13, 2008 10:44:24 GMT -5
First off, we will never have an immigrant as president because the Constitution forbids it. One of the rules for qualifying for president is you must be an American born citizen. Snopes pretty much the whole "Obama is an immigrant" rumor to rest, so I won't even address it because it's not true. The president can't amend the Constitution without support from Congress, so no immigrant will ever be president.
Now, stick with me for a minute while I engage in my own rant about immigration. I'm coming down on the other side on this one and I expect to get my butt handed to me for it, but so be it. I used to feel exactly the same way, but as life has this funny habit of doing, I had the reality of the situation shoved in my face so hard that I rethought my feelings. Don't get me wrong, I still support people working here legally. I support checking out their backgrounds and making sure they don't have any serious health issues that could either spread to the US or cost the US in terms of healthcare down the line. I'm fine with that. What I'm not fine with is the amount of money it costs to go through the process legally. I married a British man. Because we can't scrape together the thousands of dollars it will cost to buy his way in, we do what we can when we can. As a consequence, he can't work legally in this country. So, he doesn't work at all. I am the only support of four people. I'd love to know where illegals get medicaid because I can't get it or any other service. I don't want welfare and neither does he, we scrape by on very little, but we don't ask for welfare. All he wants is to work and pay taxes and save money so he can become a citizen. He can't do that because I'm the only one working and the fee for the paperwork so he can work is way out of our price range. I know many people in the same boat as me and their advice has been to not even attempt the process without a lawyer. Lawyers cost money. I'm the only one working, we have no money. The long and short of the current immigration policy is "poor people need not apply." I'm sorry and i know you'll all tell me I'm exactly what's wrong with this country, but that's just so wrong. If a poor person wants to work legally, not get welfare, not sell crack, not run guns and just live like everyone else, where's the problem there? It's not always a matter of "I can do it legally, I choose not to." In our case, it's a matter of we can't do it legally and we want to. The other grim reality is that, no, not everybody can do it legally because it costs 10s of thousands of dollars. I'm not kidding or exaggerating, I've consulted with several lawyers and they've all told me at least 10 but closer to 15 or 20. If he could work, that would be OK. We have no friends or family who would sponsor him because if we were to ever fall on hard times and need assistance, the government would come to them for the money. I can't blame my family and friends for being afraid of that.
Since I married him, I've met lots of people in my position. I've met people who don't understand the human face of the issue too. I've even met people who told me I "got what I deserve because American men aren't good enough for me." How ignorant and yes xenophobic is that? I'm terrified every day that my wages soon won't be enough and I'll have to force him to go back to England. We lose our family, our lives and everything we tried so hard for. All because the "poor huddled masses" aren't welcome in this country anymore.
I'm sorry to go on so about the topic, but when you live in a world where everybody hates you because you can't afford to buy your way in and you're living hand to mouth and not eating so the kids can and you know one little piece of paper would make that all better but you can't buy that piece of paper, you get a bit passionate. So, if anybody knows of all these rumored wonderful ways immigrants who just want a fair chance to pay taxes, work hard and contribute to their adopted land the same as those us who were born here, please point in their direction. I sure could use the heads up. Far as I can tell, most of the things people think immigrants get are a figment of someone's imagination.
Since I see nothing but anger directed at immigrants here, I expect to be flamed beyond belie. Go ahead. It's already pretty clear to me and mine that the country my parents, grandparents and so on fought for doesn't want us here.
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Post by eileen on Sept 15, 2008 1:41:39 GMT -5
No flame, if some of our leader would have the guts to start dealing with the problem instead they let fear and hate take over. Most immagrent legal or illegal are just trying to get by. Most don't do anything but work jobs no one else wants. We still have slave conditions in Florida and Texas and the govenment has been know to turn a blind eye. It is all about the green, if there is money to be made the government lets it happen most often. It is a complicated problem and it needs to be addressed, have you checked lately to see what your state and fed representative views are about it. Start there.
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Post by Connie on Sept 15, 2008 14:15:20 GMT -5
No flames here Eire.. I realize and understand that it is very hard to gain citizenship here. Can he get a work permit?
Just for the sake of debate and since I don't know the answer.. what if you two had decided to live in England? Would it be cheaper or easier for you to get citizenship there? Would you be able to work or get whatever benefits their citizens do?
I have no problem with the people who are here and TRYING to do the right thing. I have a problem with the people who do drain our medicare system (they have children born in america and the children are entitled). The people who work under the table and don't pay taxes (and I know people who take HUGE advantage of this).
No the system isn't great but if I were to decide to move to another Country and not become a legal citizen I would NEVER assume or expect to be able to take advantage of their benefits.. I don't know that I would even be allowed to work.. but I would recognize that it was a choice I made. That's all I ask from those who are here illegally.
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eire
Hero in training
Posts: 14
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Post by eire on Sept 20, 2008 10:20:54 GMT -5
It would be just the same if I were to go to England. Plus, I have a 14 year-old who would never, ever leave to come with me. I won't leave my child behind. He dad lives close and she sees him all the time, I don't want to take that away from her. The money side of things is staggering. I didn't know how staggering until we began this process.
The work permit costs $1,500 plus lawyer fees. We don't have $1,500 lying around. Honestly, in these times, who does? We're scraping to get it, but it's tough with two kids. All he and I want is to do things legally. We've thought about having him work under the table for a bit to save up, but we can't find any under the table work, and like you said, people take huge advantage of it. We're doing some freelance work here and there that is legal for him. But, as you guys know well, that's a crapshoot some times.
Thanks for understanding. It's a multi-faceted problem and unfortunately, those with no intention of ever becoming legal have made it very hard and often hostile for those who want to be legal, tax-paying citizens.
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Post by Connie on Sept 23, 2008 14:59:13 GMT -5
Thanks for understanding. It's a multi-faceted problem and unfortunately, those with no intention of ever becoming legal have made it very hard and often hostile for those who want to be legal, tax-paying citizens. I think that sums it up nicely. I really don't think anyone cares if someone is in the country and trying to become a citizen and in your situation he isn't using american services or working and not paying taxes. It's the ones who aren't trying and are taking advantage of the system. It's the men working under the table and the companies that are paying them. It's the women coming here and giving birth and then qualifying for services for their kids.
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Post by weebitty on Sept 26, 2008 16:09:40 GMT -5
I will put my two cents in too. I agree that we need to do something about the illegals. They are crippling this country. I don't have anything against them coming over legally respecting our laws and living by them. Speaking our language etc. After all they want to be americans then act like it. I refuse to learn Spanish and resent alot of these surveys asking if I am Hispanic decent. That is the only nationaltiy they ask about why that question!!!!!! I would get rid of the law that allows anchor babies as they are called. That is the dummiest law ever. The Mexican government doesn't want their people back because we are their second largest source of income!!!!!!! People sending money home!!!!!! I resent that we have so many of them. We will become the minority!!!!!! That in my opinion is a sure thing. The clintons are the ones responsible for nafta!!!! I also resent that they are holding our kids back in school to accommodate the mexicans. It was just in our newspaper. So yes I am against illegal immigration. I understand your situation and am sorry you are having such a hard time. We aren't talking about people who want to do it the right way. Just the ones that want to leech off of us. And we as taxpayers are paying for it!!!!! I also resent that they burn our flag. I could go on and on but you get where I am coming from by now so I will get off my soap box. Thanks for reading this.
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Post by weebitty on Sept 26, 2008 16:11:48 GMT -5
also there is a website you can petition congress it is called NUMBERSUSA.com I am a memeber of it. If you would care to check it out. Also for California I think there is one called CAPS. com I don't know if it is case sensitive or not. I forgot to add this in my last post.
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rose22
Hero in training
Posts: 15
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Post by rose22 on Oct 16, 2008 16:58:50 GMT -5
Back home in England, there has been a huge immigration issue for years because everyone wants to go there. The citizens get so many benefits, but not as much as the assylum seekers. They are the ones that bug me. They are supposed to stop at the first safe country. The UK is a very small island and i am sure some day that it will sink. Anyways, we are talking America here. I am only here for the man i love. I love my country, but i also love an American citizen, which is very costly. I have done everything legally, which has cost me a bomb. If I'd got married with out their 'permission' it would have been a lot more difficult. The embassy people were mean too. I felt so hated. I always viewed American's to be very similar to us, especially as we speak the same language and are allies. A lot of American's ancestry originates from the UK. Yet i find i am treated like a complete outsider. People look at me like I am stupid all the while. I hate it. It's not as if i have come from a third world country and am here for the benefits - i don't actually get any. Living here is hard. I think each case of immigration is individual. One of us has to be an immigrant, here, there, it doesn't really matter. I just think maybe they should re-design the immigration system so that the people trying to be legal don't have to be millionaires, but at the same time, only letting the people with a purpose in. Does that make sense? In an ideal word, everyone all over the globe would be hard working and support each other but this is not an ideal world. It's a hard topic! It's all a question of government control. It's all just very badly run and i think it is in issue for here and many countries throughout Europe.
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Post by mscody on Nov 8, 2008 14:18:14 GMT -5
The only thing I will say to this is that I absolutely do not feel I should have to speak another contris language to get a job in my own country! I understand we have a very diverse country but that is not right. I f I were to go to Mexico I wouldn't be made to speak Spanish? If I am wrong maybe it changed..anyhoo..I have been here (at my shelter) for 8 years now but before when I was trying I couldn't get a job for the life of me because I didn't speak Spanish. If one enters this country THEY should speak OUR language-not vise versa..
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