Hi all! I just wanted to show you an email that I sent to Senator Bruno out of the 43 District of New York. I hope you all approve of this. I just can't sit back and do nothing. Even a single voice can act as many.

Dear Mr. Bruno,

I am contacting you in regards to what is going on with the immigration and the Mexicans. I am currently in the United Kingdom with my husband who is British. We have only just started his immigration process. As you are aware, once we start his immigration, he will not be allowed into the United States until he gets aproved. I belong to this wonderful site called Visajourney.com, and the stories you read on there about couples who have been apart for upto a year if not more, families that have children together. I know that one day soon, I will have to board the plane and I too will be apart from my husband. I understand our policies and the US government has to be reasured that these are legit couples. I urge you to please go onto this visajourney.com site, and read some of the stories yourself. Now it brings me to the reason why I am writing. How fair is it for us, the families that are going through this the legal way, to have to sit here and watch what is going on with the Mexicans? Nothing is more infuriating then turning on the television and watching CNN news, and seeing Mexicans crying into the cameras about how they have been in the US for 15 years and can't go back to see their own family because they will then be deported back to Mexico on the event of coming back to the US. They sat their and admitted on a worldwide news channel that they had their children born into the US so they would automatically be American citizens. Let me tell you Senator, as I sit here and type this out, I am in tears at the thought of being away from my husband with whom I love dearly, for months and months if not a year so we can wait until his immigration goes through. I am not only crying for us, but I am crying for the other couples that have families together. Yet, the Mexicans are asking for amnesty??? They claim to be a honest, and beautiful people, but they are living in America illegally??? Surely Senator there is something you can do? I urge you to look into reforming the laws in regards to the LEGAL immigrants, somehow making the process quicker or allowing the couples to be together legally while they wait for the immigration to go through. They want proof of a valid relationship, but aren't they making it difficult for us when we can't even live together like a married couple in the US??? Please Senator..I not only urge you, I beg you to look into this.

THank you for your time and consideration Senator.

I sincerely hope that there won't be anyone who is Mexican that will take offense to this. It is not geared towards you. This is geared to the Mexicans that are on the television admitting to being in the US illegally but yet asking for amnesty. This isn't fair on any of us really. We are going through the proper channels and paying to get immigration for our spouses, yet they want it handed to them? It really upsets me. I know the UK has the same problems with immigrants and that is why they have changed the requirements to getting married here. I would be happy to take any and all thoughts into consideration on this matter.

Thank you...

Laura and Ian Mitchell

My thoughts are with you. I have been doing it every day since the protest. Emails to both senators and congressperson. Only one responds though. I live in California where it is a big problem. So I call my state senator too...cause they weighed in on the issue with a stupid resolution..so he opened himself up for it. I have also let both of the candidates for Democratic governors primary know that their response will determine my vote. I cringe to say this...but I feel so strongly that I might even vote for Schwarzinagger. But hugs I know how you feel. It has been so hard on me that I'm leaving my older teen kids (one is a legal adult) for the summer to be with my husband. I hate that my country forced that decision on me while I am faced with illegals on my streets every single day. Keep up the good work.

hmmm.. i was hoping this would die down for awhile around here

lololol

is this guy calling the Guatemalans 'Mexicans'?? and actually Mexicans are not that of a big group in NY.. I think it's more Peruvians and from South America (oh yeah, puertorricans too)

GET A FUKCIN EDUCATION!!! The protesters were not only Mexican!! but you like to call every brown person who speaks spanish Mexican right?!?!?
lolzorz.. what a fukcin ignorant...

the immigration reform is against all illegal immigrants.. mexicans, centroamericans, asians.. now.. if you don't know the countries from where other brown people come from, please don't call'em Mexicans, try to research a little.. my gringo friend

PWNED

Spanish speakign people in NY are mostly from PR and DR...

yeap.. Mexicans are not the biggest group in NY.. they dont like it that much.. already puertorricans are dominicans are settled there.. but oh well.. any brown person is a Mexican for the gringos..

Well damn I guess I better go learn Espanol then...

The Real Mexico




and.. the gringo Mexico[attachmentid=1106]

I have been very quiet lately on this issue. Not because I'm not as incensed as before...but because of the personal attacks that I endured for stating my opinions in a logical way at this site. I am not going into it all again here...but I am asking that we all act like adults. There is no reason to personally attack someone you disagree with. Name calling is for junior high...not adults. You have the right to disagree with someone personally, but as a moderator at other sites...I find these personal attacks offensive. I hope that the moderator here will intervene.

obviously you don't see the offense I take and any other latin-american would take when they call any brown-spanish speaking person Mexican... that only shows their ignorance about geoggers.. and shows a stereotypical way of calling every alien que habla espanol Mexican.. its rude and offensive..

mhh.. if our country were this big.. then probly Mexicans wouldn't have come to USA

Yeah it would become an awfully long walk for soem of them

har har har har

can i say this....PWNED!

re-draft your letter. He is a Congressman and NOT a Senator.

You really do have a hard time understanding that people are not calling all of the brown illegal immigrants mexicans... they are addressing their frustration at the actual mexicans that are here illegally, because they are by far the largest group of illegals.

Yes, I want every damn illegal mexican kicked out of the country. Then, we can show our frustration at the next largest group, and I'll start calling them by their proper name. Until then, my focus is on the mexicans.. .the little brown one's from mexico.

and tell him about those damn mexicans from Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic that are crying about getting a green card..


har har har har

PWNED

I certainly do. And I am sincerely sorry that wasn't worded better. I always try to use to term illegal alien in my writings. Cause it doesn't matter where they come from to me. But that could hav been addressed differently as well. You could have made that point without calling anyone names. I am sorry that you were offended. But that does not negate the strong feelings on both sides. Can we not have adult discussions without name calling? Perhaps to come up with legitmate solutions to bring before our law makers. I have tried in vain before to connect these dots for everyone, but if amnesty is granted without money in the bill for additional USCIS officer then unless you have your Unrestricted Permenant Resident status...at some point in the process your case would hit a back lg due to 12 million amnesty applications. That's what happened in 1986.

u don't see my point.. she's calling without even knowing.. Mexicans are not the biggest group of illegals in NY... and she's arbitrarily calling these protesters Mexicans.. which.. to my knowledge, are a little group in NY compared to South-Americans..

Haha that was my comment about him being a rep, not a senator...BUT anyway

I hate to rain on everyone's parade, but as a former staffer in congress, let me tell you this. In each office tehy get 1000's of letter a day. Some poor staffer (like me) opens them, reads them, and marks down what issue was addressed and whether the letter was pro or con.

Then we give the rep or senator a report saying, you got 1000 letters today that are anti- immifgration, 500 that were por-abortion, etc etc. The congressman NEVER SEES YOUR LETTERS....sorry.

Plus..you can say, "oh it was just you..." but we had socials every week when I was up there with all the poor lowly people like me and all we did was sit around and b!tch about how al we did was open and read letters.

She's from NY, but she was writing her senator about the whole issue.. all of these illegal aliens, where mexicans make up the most of the group, are on TV from all over the country protesting

yea Im familiar with the Reagan amnesty.. again. I agree that it's not the best solution.. neither deporting or legalizing gazillion of illegals seems feasible to me.. lotta money, lotta resources that probly USCIS or the govt doesn't have..

oh no Lenjay! I lost my job to an illegal Mexican!! ZOMG!!!
lololololol
and.. mexicans are not the only ones.. yes, they are the biggest group.. but.. I've never seen here 'kick out the mexicans, the chinese, the canadians' or any other racial group (ace race card under the sleeve.. ready to draw. lolol).. this is kinda funny..




oh.. interesting..

ooooh he's a STATE senator...

http://www.senatorbruno.com/

Wait, everyone didn't know that???

i dunno - everyone keeps thinking that his or her voice will REALLY BE HEARD by their elected representative...

I don't think everyone DOES know this

You are corret to a point. Thus my DAILY emails...weekly phone calls...and personal appearance every time they are in time. Yes...they probably see me and go...Oh god, not that biotch again. But I make sure my voice is heard.

that's why I never send letters..

i never send letters either..had a college professor worked on senator simon staff...said letters were a waste of time..

if karo's post tells me anything, it's that the letters do matter. Much in the same way your vote matters. No one cares how you, in particular, voted. But how many other peopel voted the same way you did, how many people wrote a letter saying the same thing you did... does make a difference. THAT message DOES reach the people who need to hear it.

To the OP

I can't wait until Lucia gets here so she can deal with all of this ignornant sh!t and narrow minded people like you.

I'll have to break the news to her that when she lands in Miami she will officially be a Mexican.

"what's going on with immigration and the Mexicans"......OMFG

and by the way, I hope I didn't offend any Mexicans....are you f'ng serious?

so, a form letter send in by 100 people count more than 10 letters written individually by concerned people?
not really, most senators..congressman vote what they feel is important to them or as a pay back to another politician...

I knew there was a reason I go down to my representative's office personally... They are always out, of course, but the staffers get to know who I am and what I want.

As far as pedroh's responses are concerned I seem them as coming from someone with a chip on their shoulder. I am sure there is a justification to it but the vehemence behind his (her?) words causes me to lose all interest in the actual remarks.

With regards to the actual letter I hope that you run it through a spell-checker and verify the facts and make it more brief. A short letter has a greater chance of being understood than a longer one. For greater impact do what I do and actually take the time to find and go down to their office and want to speak to someone personally. Usually it is a staffer but, to be frank, they do 90% of the work anyway.

On a personal level I do not like the idea of amnesty. I mean I would MUCH prefer to have Ivona over here while we wait for her paperwork to be processed but we have to follow the law and wait for the plague of bureaucracy to run its course. I do believe that if a person has come into the US for any reason illegally they should not be allowed to remain WITH THE EXCEPTION that they have family who are legal citizens who are willing to support them through the process. If they do not have legal family in the USA, send them back where they came from with a slap on the wrist and make sure if they do it twice that they get jailed before being deported the second time.

Breaking the law is breaking the law. If you are going to do it you have no right to ###### about having to pay the consequences.

To the OP : I understand where your heart is when it comes to this issue, but I humbly suggest that all illegal immigrants here in the US are not Mexican, nor are all people of Mexican origin here in the US illegally. Definitely write your elected representatives, but I would rewrite the letter. JMHO.

For what? Immigration loves them! Cme on, they are illegal for years and after they finally become legal, they get the GC in less than a month.. And us, "common" people have to wait forever. I dont know what is wrong with this Country. Immigration doesnt give a ###### about normal people. They just want money money money and money. ###### them

Maria

No my dear, it's companies and businesses that profit from using undocumented workers that don't give a flying fart about "normal" people.

Here is today's email to Boxer & Feinstein.


Dear Senator Boxer,

Thank you for your responses to mine and Emmie's previous emails and calls. I appreciate your stance on this important issue. In light of today's developments, I want to once again urge you to support legislation that would shorten the horrific separations for American families who are already struggling with an over-burdened, under-paid, under-staffed USCIS bureaucracy.

Just to update you on our journey, the separation has become so stressful that Emmie and I will be joining my husband in London for three months. This was a difficult decision for us because it means leaving my other five children in the US. But under the current law, now that we have filed the I-130 and the I-129F, my husband could be denied entry if the officer felt he presented a risk of remaining illegally. The irony of that is a painful burden when I watch illegal aliens on my television each night demanding rights that I as a US citizen do not even have for my family.

All of this is made more difficult by recent developments in our family. In the past two weeks Emmie has had two seizures. I cannot return to work because of my ill child. My husband, the breadwinner, cannot be with his family because my government will not allow him to live or work here. And now we are separated during a health crisis for our child. I cannot explain to you or anyone that has not endured this process how stressful the situation is.

And ours is only one of thousands of equally sad stories such as:
• My friend whose fiancée has never seen his son. She had been living with him in Romania. They had one miscarriage while she was there. When they discovered that she was pregnant again, they made a painful choice for her to return to the US to seek better medical care. That was over eighteen months ago. Her son will celebrate his first birthday next week and he has never seen his father.
• Or the woman today whose husband has been in an accident in Oklahoma while she waits in Japan for approval for her K3 visa. She could be denied entry as I mentioned earlier. Even with letters from his family and doctors, the US embassy in Japan has been unresponsive and uncaring of her plight.
• But even under the best of situations, this ordeal that we all endure has high long-term costs to our relationships. Just listen to what one member of the Visa Journey, on-line support system, had to say: This whole damn process is just so damn hard, put the USCIS part aside from it and as couples we do not have the chance at a normal in person dating or living together period. It's all about marriage within a short time and then all of a sudden we the beneficiaries are in a strange new world, adjusting to living with someone who in some ways on a daily basis, is a stranger.

If you are interested in hearing more of our stories, you may visit the Visa Journey, website at http://visajourney.com/forums/index.php?act=home.

As I said in light of today’s event and the announcement that this will be according to NBC News the most comprehensive rewrite of immigration laws since the so-called Simpson-Mazzoli bill some 20 years ago my hope is now for a bill that will be FAIR to those American citizens that are enduring difficult separations, pay high fees and stressing over an unresponsive bureaucracy.

If amnesty is to be granted, which I sincerely hope it will not be, then the bill must include the necessary funding to hire additional USCIS personnel to handle 12 million new applications. The Reagan administration’s amnesty in 1986 made this fatal mistake and it was a nightmare with a mere 3 million applicants. If the bill fails to include these funds for more caseworkers then the processing times for unifying American families will become even longer as we deal with an even more over-burdened USCIS.

In order to avoid this travesty of justice, I am sincerely requesting that if amnesty becomes an emanate reality you sponsor amendments that would make this a fair law for those American families that are obeying the laws of the land by:
• Including funding for additional temporary USCIS personnel strictly to handle amnesty cases rather than them being dumped in the system with other legitimate requests.
• Revisions to the current family immigration acts that would make it more humane and in keeping with other countries such as:
o A Domestic Partner Visa such as the United Kingdom and other European Union countries has. This would 1) relieve that pressure to marry quickly that my friend spoke of. Giving us the chance to be more like normal couples, dating and living together. 2) Create a just system for immigrating gay/lesbian/bisexual partners.
o Allow for our partners to remain with us and work while the case is being adjudicated, after a preliminary background check.
o Apply the same financial standards to the amnesty seekers as we apply to all other immigrants, i.e. either they must meet the 125% above poverty guideline or that standard should be abandoned for everyone.
• And for the sake of fairness, visas should immediately be issued for all approved family applicants. It would be a very Un-American injustice if we grant amnesty to 12 million law-breakers while family members of American citizens and legal aliens who have followed the law and been approved are waiting eighteen years or more for visas.

I hope you will thoughtfully consider these suggestions for amendments to create a more fair and equitable law that considers American families first. If you have any questions or need further information, I may be reached at (562) abc-1234. Thank you once again for responsiveness and support.

Sincerely,
Terri P O’Neale and
Emily Catrina O’Neale

No doubt there has to be laws, and not much is fair. I try not to be prejudice but as an employer I cant seem to find a many "normal" guys willing to put in a decent days effort. We're all just a few generations from being immigrants. As a "normal" WM, and being out of the country for a bit, the "normal" american attitude is somewhat arrogant and ignorant... and rather embarrassing... Complcated issues nonetheless

Fisrt of all..BRUNO IS A SENATOR..he is a senator for the 43 district of ny. SHALL I send you the link??? AND in my original email, i stated that it was geared towards the mexicans that were on the television..THEY WERE MEXICANS!!! When they are stating that they can;t go back to their home country of MEXICO...hmmm what does that mean?? I certainly know that there aren't just mexicans that are illegal in the US. But the majority of the strikers in the US recently were MEXICANS. Obviously you didn't pay attention to their own representatives that stated the MEXICANS want amnesty. I am not one to be racist or prejudice, but I do want what is right. Look at the news with the construction company that employed upto 76 illegal immagrants and YES the MAJORITY OF THEM WERE MEXICANS...those are 76 jobs that could be given to AMERICANS THAT HAVE A LEGAL RIGHT TO BE IN THE US...think about it that way. Anyone who wants to call me ignorant for stating my opinion then so be it. It shows your level of intelligence if you cant be open minded to anyone elses opinions other than your own and have an adult debate about it. Remember, we are all in the same boat here, trying to get our spouses over to America...THE LEGAL WAY!!! That was my whole point of emailing the senator. Btw..the person who stated that Bruno wasn't senator..heres the link..learn politics before you say that he isnt one...http://www.senatorbruno.com/contact_info.asp

Right, I will be the first one to stand up here and apologise for the way I stated my original email to the Senator. Yes I do agree that there are more than just mexicans that are illegally in the US, but most of what is going on lately do involve the MEXICANS. But let us put that aside for a moment and re think my first email. I do believe that the whole point of it was missed. I was trying to encourage the Senator to please do something in regards to the process that all of us are going through if they are to consider giving amnesty to those illegal immigrants that are over in the US now. Isn't that what this site is about ??? Us folks that have married someone of another country and seeking advice and what not??? I don't know about you, but to me it is a slap in the face from the government that we have married foreigners. They want us to prove we have valid relationships, but yet we can't live together properly as a married couple. Now it is a bigger slap in the face now that the government is considering giving amnesty to those illegals. Why should they get it when there are decent people on this site that are doing it the legal way, yet run into more red tape then the illegals???? As far as someone stating that there arent any hard workers in America, please don't say things like that. I for one am a very hard worker, I may be a girl but I would take a construction job anyday.

I apologise whole heartedly about not being more open in my email. I shouldn't have geared it towards just the Mexicans. IF you watch the news, it seems as though they do focus more on them because Mexico is right there. So I am sorry. Honestly.

He is a State Senator that represents a district in NY State at the state legislature in Albany. He would have nothing to do with US Immigration law as this is a Federal issue. The US Senators from NY State would be Hillary Clinton, and Chuck whatshisname. Redirect your letter to Hillary or Chuckie.

Hey,

It is obvious that this is a very emotional subject. I feel for both positions. Yet I am for those individuals who come to this country and LEGALLY gain entry. We fix too much on where people from. Most of them come here thinking they can get here and wait every 20 years for an amnesty. We should not be looking at the illegals but at those who are hiring also. If we punish those companies. It will find it very difficult to get work. If anyone who has ever been a human resource person will tell you. If you actually verify the person's ID and SS#, as the law is very lax on this issue. Then it would be tough for anyone. No matter where they come from. I am for legal immigration and support this. This is what America has always been about. A guest worker program would work and maybe provide more wages to those who work in jobs that many say American will not do. I really think that all the protests did is wake up the silent majority who are against the law breakers. This could very well back fire.

Scott

otra vez.. *sigh*
how shall i say this??? to the op, you are letting your frustation wit h the immigration process get the better of you. you are now terribly upset and redirecting your anger towards mexicans.
i've said this before and i'll say it again. i went through the process just like all of us on this board, so i know what you are feeling. as heavy of burden that we take, i would NEVER EVER swap that for the process the illegals are going through. i kiss the the ground of this nation and thank my God for the opportunity I have to bring my loved one to this country. i would not want to have to make the choice to come here illegally. i will not go into details about their lives, but suffice it to say, it isn't an easy one.
so, please, keep your head level and focus on your primary goal: that is, getting your love one here. if you still feel the need to change the immigration process, or simply dealing with the 'illegal situation, then by all means get involved with your representatives. and you will get a lot farther along if you could voice your concern in a way that was not so "racist' sounding.

ok, good luck to you and your so.

Daniel

na.. i dont think they want their process to be approved fast... they want illegals not to be approved..

saludos ana y daniel.. tenia tiempo que no los veia!

*ayyy speak english we're in America!!!!!!!!!*

PWNED

Que ? putas/putos no hablo espanol on vj?

It isn't a matter of not wanting the illegals to get approved, it is more of wanting them to do it the legal way like the rest of us. That is the whole point. I have already apologized for making my original post seem like it was racist. But if you do read it, it was't bashing anyone for their race, it was bashing them for the WAY they were coming into the counrty and now asking for amnesty. Dont sit there and speak for your people saying that you are honest...How can you say you are honest when you are doing something illegal. Yes whoever said that we don't know what it is like for them, you are right..we don't. But that still doesn't excuse coming into the country illegally. This is a very emotional subject yes. Instead of saying that I am racist, when you have no idea of who I am as a person, why don't you just say hey, I don't believe what you wrote to be correct, or do you think you can reword it so it doesn't offend me?? Instead some of you are attacking me saying I am racist and ignorant. I can turn around and say that you too are ignorant for not talking to me in a civilized manner and for calling me names. We are here to educate. We are all here for the same reason.

Someone tried telling me that I wrote to a congressman and not a senator, then when I proved him wrong, he then instead of apologised, attacked me for writing to a state senator. You may think it does matter which senator you write to, but no it doesn't matter. All that matters is that yes I am starting somewhere, and senator Bruno emailed me to say that yes he can and will help. I have also contacted by email my local congressman, and he wants me to call him with my reciept number from my NOA1 from either the I-130, or the I-129f whichever I prefer and he will personally get it expidited or at least try and get it to move quicker. I have also emailed him in response to that saying that I would like to know how we can move not just mine along, but everyone elses. Yes, I am contacting anyone and everyone who will listen and will help. It isn't just for the "Big Guys" at top. I am doing something about it.

Again, I will apologise for my first email. Either you take it or leave it. For those of you who do see my point instead of automatically seeing that I said Mexicans, I thank you for your kind words and for pm'ing me and telling me kindly to just change my wording. Those are the people that I respect the most.

Sincerely,

Laura Mitchell

I agree with that completely...

HOWEVER:

We don't know what it's like for a mother who is a prostitute to feed her kids...yet she'll still be thrown in jail if she's caught.

We dont' know what it's like to someone poor enough to shoplift, yet they'd go to jail too.

No one knows what it's like to be me and Dave, yet I don't see rules being changed to accomodate us.

Let's look at this from a legal/illegal perspective and stop clouding up the waters.

So your process is getting expedited, huh? On what grounds may I ask? Now you say you want a system that's fair-how fair do you think it will be for you to jump in the front of the line? By the way, the responses you're getting from "Senators" and such are actually from their friendly staffpeople...Senators don't have time to do casework. And one who actually knows their stuff will tell you they're not the decision-makers and they really don't have a lot of power to get things expedited...they're more of a resort for people with really screwed up cases who can't get an answer or nothing's happening. Or in cases of SERIOUS hardships where someone's about to lose their home or its a life and death situation. I hope they didn't put your case in front of one like that!

pedroh!
hol! como estas? nosotros etamos bien. yo, Daniel, estuve por tu area hace poco. a ver si para la proxima vez podemos juntarnos en la vida real. hay tortas ahogadas en charlotte?


to the op: i want to clarify that i did not call you a racist; i stated that your letter sounded racist.

Daniel

no no creo q haya tortas ahogadas.. pero hay varios lugares q saben hacer carnitas deliciosas

muahaha.. hijacked by the mexicans..

viva mexicanos....

PWNED!