Ph.D.s vs. farmworkers, legals vs. illegals over immigration bill
@whiteheather39 (24403)
United States
June 7, 2007 4:08pm CST
I found this entire article to be very interesting. What are your thoughts on this article?
The measure is pitting computer-science Ph.D.s against strawberry pickers, legal immigrants against illegal ones, and those who want it all against those who are grateful for whatever the bill offers.
The legislation before the Senate could lead to the most sweeping changes in U.S. immigration policy in decades. But America's immigrants do not speak with one voice.
The nation's 35 million foreign-born residents hail from more than 100 countries. Some are illiterate, and some hold advanced degrees. They live amid the bustle of New York City, and in sleepy rural backwaters. Some sneaked across the border, others followed all the rules to get here.
Even the approximately 12 million here illegally - who arguably have the most to gain - are split.
The bill contains a provision that would allow them to stay and work, and eventually become residents. But for that, they have to pay thousands of dollars in fees and fines, learn English, and return to their home countries while immigration officials clear a backlog of residency applications, a process expected to take eight years.
Who will take care of my children if I go back to my country to wait for years for my turn to become legal?" said Flamenco, who has not seen her sister and parents since she crossed the border illegally 16 years ago. "They don't understand our reality."
Other illegal immigrants said registering with the Homeland Security Department, as the bill requires, would mean exposing themselves and risking the measure of stability they have found working here.
"The point system - overall it's great," said Gautam Aggarwal, a software engineer from India working for a Silicon Valley start-up. "Employers won't be able to exploit employees anymore, because skilled persons could apply for a visa on their own."
But Rita Zabala, who has picked grapes and oranges in California's San Joaquin Valley since she was 15, said a point system would be unjust for people like her.
Full Story
http://www.fresnobee.com/384/story/52369.html
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6 responses
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
7 Jun 07
That's why I think they need to tackle this problem ONE step at a time, instead of trying to come up with a "comprehensive plan" right now.
First, we need to shut down the borders. IF someone wants to leave, fine; but, don't let them sneak back in.
Once we have stopped the flow of illegals in; then, we can step back and decide what to do with who ever is left and decide whether to make a "guest worker program" and how to decide who will be allowed to immigrate in the future.
But, right now, they are still coming across the border. We have no idea how many are here. We have no idea what skills they do or do not posess. We do not even know if they want to become citizens or just work here. We don't know what crimes they have committed here or in their home country. There is a lot we don't know.
As far as making illegal parents leave the country and "Who will take care of my children if I go back to my country to wait for years for my turn to become legal?" said Flamenco".
She is the one who made the decision to come here and SHE is the one who decided to stay illegally, and SHE is the one who decided to have children here. She really can't say she didn't know she was risking being caught and deported. Also, SHE makes the choice about whether to leave the children here or take them back with her.
This is why a lot of us are saying that children should be citizens of the country their parents are citizens of and they should not just automatically be given citizenship just because Mom made it across the border before she delivered. Then there would not be any question about what to do with the children; they would be deported with the parent and the family would not be broken up.
1 person likes this
@ocalhoun (199)
• United States
8 Jun 07
I agree with what you say about not breaking up the families; children should inherit their parent's citizenship (of whatever country) until they are 18.
As for closing down the border, though that's a bit out of touch with reality. Just think of the Berlin wall; two walls with a minefield in between watched over by machine gunners, and people STILL got across it. And these immigrants are supposed to worry about wading across a shallow river and the small chance of being spotted by a border patrol?
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@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
8 Jun 07
Oh my G*D they are illegal sned them back and send the kids back with them that had them here illeaglly Geez whats the problem get them out of here and let them do it right even if it does take 8 years then maybe americans and legal citizens can get work!
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@GardenGerty (169489)
• United States
8 Jun 07
The quote "They don't understand our reality" is probably the most true statement I have ever seen. I do not have a solution for immigration. I just know that all involved are human beings, and are in a tough position. In my own experience I have never seen bureacracy get real.It is just so much projected images, by people who have never really been there.
@sunshinecup (7871)
•
8 Jun 07
I am sorry but when I read the quote from the one person about who will take care of her kids if she is deported, all I could think was, who takes care of kids when the parents go to prison for a crime? Give me a break. This isn't as complicated as so many try to make it. They broke our laws, they knowingly broke them to boot. When we break the laws, regardless of what country we live in, we pay the consequences. Is it fair to the children, no, but we don't give get of jail free cards because one has a family or they are good worker and didn’t break any other laws. Why should we make illegals and exception? The answer is, there shouldn’t be any exceptions made. If they didn’t follow the proper steps, then they need to go home. That isn’t injustice, but justice.
@sumofalltears (3988)
• United States
8 Jun 07
When you are trying to make sweeping changes that covers over 12 million people, the chances of everyone being happy are pretty slim. Something should have been done long before this, when the problem was small. In my opinion it is too little too late now.
@ocalhoun (199)
• United States
7 Jun 07
And we have to be nice to illigal immigrants (who are technically criminals, and are not legally US residents and therefore do not come under the juristiction of the bill of rights) why?
My solution: Open the borders. Nobody who wants to immigrate legaly will be stopped or unreasonably delayed. Then the only people who immigrate illegaly would be criminals, smugglers, and terrorists. The border guard could guard against real threats, not just people who want to make a buck.
The only real problem I have with immigrants is their tendancy to send most of their money back home. This hurts the local economy, and it adds up to a massive amount of money flowing out of the country.
One solution for illigal immigration I've thought of would be to require proof of legal residency in order to make any international money transfer. That would catch a lot of illegals.
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