I'm just curious how people feel about this

[Fuzzness 2]

We put our blood, sweat, tears, and money...into doing it the right way.

A tad melodramatic, doncha think?

I don't recall bleeding, sweating or crying into the process.

I do recall paying application fees though.

you didn't get the form that had to be filled out in blood while in a sweatbox filled full of cut onions?

People who knowingly entered the US illegally should have no chance at immigration to this country. People who entered legally but then remained illegally, well some of them didn't realize and that is a different story.

Ignorance of the law is not supposed to be an excuse.

Okay you make an interesting point Fuzzness, however, what about someone who entered illegally, had a child here and is forced to go back to their country while leaving the child here b/c the child is a citizen?

That is a sad case. Many times people have children while here on purpose. They are called anchor babies. Maybe we should stop giving citizenship to children born from illegal parents?

[homesick_american 1]

That is a sad case. Many times people have children while here on purpose. They are called anchor babies. Maybe we should stop giving citizenship to children born from illegal parents?

Maybe we should.

[Bootylicious!! 2]

I don't know why I'm even going to bother with this because I know it won't make a difference but here goes.

I first want to say, I do not think coming to the US illegally is the right thing to do. Neither does my husband. That being said I would like to explain some things to those of you who say, send them all back and no path to citizenship for them at all, at any time.

Javier was here illegally. He came to the US one month after his 16 birthday. He came with the intentions of working for a little while to make some money and going back. He had just graduated from HS and his family did not have the money to send him further in school. He couldn't find a job, period, much less a job making a ridiculously low amount of money. He was, in a sense, untrained to do anything. When I met him about a year and half later I was in a miserable relationship. Abusive in every sense of the word. Javier was my rescuer. He was the best thing that had ever walked into my life. It didn't matter to me what his status was here in the US. It only mattered to me that I had found someone who would support me in what ever I wanted to do. We dated for a while and then he asked me to marry him. I started doing my research. I called numerous lawyers who all told me, too bad, he's illegal, we can't help you. Imagine how I felt to think, I finally found the one I should be with the rest of my life, my support, my rock and now we are going to live in fear forever. Fear of him being caught and sent back. Fear of my future children having their father ripped from their lives.

You can only imagine how I felt when I finally found a lawyer who said, you have hope. Little hope, but you have hope. You can file a waiver to ask they forgive Javier for his mistake. A mistake he made when he was 16 years old. We started the process right away after we were married.

I knew during the whole process there was a possibility he would not be approved and I would have to drop everything and move to a country I had never even been too. Leave all my family and the only place I had ever called home. But I did it anyway because I wanted to have what all other US citizens have and deserve, the American dream.

So we went to his interview, not knowing what to expect, except that he would be denied the visa and have to file the waiver. We had tried to prepare for him being gone for several months but never imagined we would hear six months. I know six months is nothing compared to the time some of you have been apart. Our situation was different, he had been here, helping with bills and supporting me in our marriage for a year and a half. Imagine how I felt that day, knowing I would go home without my husband to an unknown future. I didn't have the money to pay the bills. I make enough money in a month to pay my house payment and my car payment. I depended on my parents to pay my bills for me while Javier was gone. Thank God I have parents who were able and willing to do this for me. Some days I didn't even eat supper because I was ashamed to ask my mom and dad for more money to buy groceries. I lost 15 pounds while he was gone, partly because I didn't eat and partly because I couldn't eat. I was worried sick that everything I had ever known was going to be ripped from me. I had severe headaches and acid reflux. I was on two different medications to remedy the reflux and still couldn't eat. All because of a mistake Javier made when he was 16 years old.

Why should he, I, or our future children be punished for something he did when he was 16. How many of us did things when we were 16 that we regret and wish we hadn't done. So it would be okay for your future wife and children to have to pay the price for something you did at that age?

Well, thank God my government allows a waiver to be filed. If not, I would be in Mexico right now with nothing. I am currently undergoing fertility treatments for us to get pregnant. That would have been impossible in Mexico as we would not have had the ability to pay for medical treatment. Another one of my dreams that would have disappeared.

So for all of you who spout off about there not being a way for people here illegally to get citizenship, thank God my government doesn't have such close minded opinions. Thank God I live in a country founded on freedom and rights. Because as a citizen of this country it is my right to be married to whomever I want and to be happy and live the American dream.

Like I said before, I'm sure there are plenty of you out there that will find many faults with what I've said. It won't change anyone's mind and I'm really not trying to do that. I'm just trying to get you to see, we don't necessarily get to choose who we fall in love with. I would rather have not had to go through what I've been through in the last year but for Javier it was all worth it. He is my strength, my best friend, my comfort. I could have lived in Mexico with him and been perfectly happy, but why should I have too. That wasn't my dream and I shouldn't be forced to live a life I didn't want for a mistake that a 16 year old kid made.

[Mrs. Forgetful 2]

Yes, I think it's unfair that all us us doing this the legal way, paying all this money to be with our loved ones. I don't understand why the gov't would just grant them citizenship for coming here illegally. But I think that if they are going to grant illegal immigrants citizenship, they should make it extremely difficult!

[Elphie 0]

I am writing an essay for a class of mine and the subject matter is -Giving A Path Of Citizenship To Illegal Immigrants-. I am curious what people's opinions are on this subject. Do you feel it would be unfair to reward illegal behavior while there are so many people going about this process legally and get denied or how do you feel? Any responses would be appreciated. Thanks

I'm split on this.

On the one hand, illegal immigration is a massive problem in the United States and it actually drags down wages for our own native unskilled workers. It isn't fair to the immigrants who wait their turn and do everything legally for these people to jump the fence and then jump the queue. I also think it's not proper to reward illegal behavior with US residency and/or citizenship. The people who jump the fence need to understand that the United States does not OWE them residency, does not OWE them citizenship. We don't owe them a damn thing.

On the other hand, I know it is extremely difficult if not impossible for certain people from certain countries to obtain immigrant visas to the United States. Countries like Mexico and the Philippines are especially hard-hit by quota waiting times because there are so many visa applicants from those countries. Even if you have a claim to family-based immigration, you could wait as long as 20 years. If you don't have a claim to family-based immigration and you don't qualify for any other visa, I can understand the temptation to throw caution to the wind and jump the fence. If you get caught, all you get is deported. I'd guess getting caught is pretty low-risk with potentially massive rewards.

I think that illegal immigration is a national security issue, and I support defending our borders with Canada and Mexico. I support border fences. I support tightening visa restrictions. I support doing away with the VWP for some countries, since overstays are huge contributors to illegal immigration and people from certain countries are much more likely to overstay than others. The VWP is a privilege and if it is abused, it should be taken away. At the end of the day it's OUR country and we need to be concerned about who is sneaking in. It has been shown that men of middle eastern extraction are learning Spanish and blending in with Latin American illegals on the southern border. That's scary to me. However, the problem also isn't going to go away, especially since Mexico uses the United States as a release valve for its own poverty problems and accuses us of racism if we want to keep illegal immigrants out. They're wrong, but the illegals are going to keep coming and keep coming and keep coming anyway.

With that in mind, maybe a guest worker problem is the answer. However, that won't do a thing to help US citizens who are unable to find manual work because it's all been taken by illegals. So really...I don't know. Anything you do is going to hurt one group or reward an undeserving group.

Everybody keeps chasing their own tail on this issue instead of looking at the real reasons we have 11 million illegal immigrants in this country. Somebody here, please break out of this "here's my take on it" and actually follow the facts. Until you do that, it's just a silly little circle jerk of opinions on how people 'feel' about illegal immigration.

Which is exactly what I wanted... I wanted to get people's opinions on this subject because I wondered how people felt about it.

[Traviesa 0]

I am ashamed...completely ashamed at reading this thread. I thought we were different here. Send them back, and let them NEVER come back? Thanks a whole hell of a lot. I'm not going to get into the nuances and details like Charity did, but suffice it to say that I deal with hardships of every type every single day of my life. My life will never be anywhere close to normal because of my husband's dumb mistake. Would that some of you had to pay so dearly for mistakes YOU made in your life-it's a very humbling experience. Also suffice it to say that there are some very hurt feelings right now, and I hope you all are happy.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Which is exactly what I wanted... I wanted to get people's opinions on this subject because I wondered how people felt about it.

You're right...my bad. Good luck with your essay.

[Mirorgate 0]

This country was created illegally. I say we all get deported... if legality is the prevailing condition of rightfully living here.

Uuuummmmm.... can't undo the past, but we can fix the present. That statement is such a waste of bandwidth. Honestly, think of it this way, you were married once, you have two kids together, it didnt work out... do you go back in time and unmake all of that to erase the emotional/monetary pain and dmg that was done? Of course you wouldn't, you love your children very much. You work with the present situation, not try to erase the past.

And neither should we forget the past.

And I never stated that; did I?

I am ashamed...completely ashamed at reading this thread. I thought we were different here. Send them back, and let them NEVER come back? Thanks a whole hell of a lot. I'm not going to get into the nuances and details like Charity did, but suffice it to say that I deal with hardships of every type every single day of my life. My life will never be anywhere close to normal because of my husband's dumb mistake. Would that some of you had to pay so dearly for mistakes YOU made in your life-it's a very humbling experience. Also suffice it to say that there are some very hurt feelings right now, and I hope you all are happy.

Speaking of husband... did I miss the part where you informed the family? How they takin it all now? Last I knew your mom was having issues there with that decision. all ok on home front..?

[Traviesa 0]

I am ashamed...completely ashamed at reading this thread. I thought we were different here. Send them back, and let them NEVER come back? Thanks a whole hell of a lot. I'm not going to get into the nuances and details like Charity did, but suffice it to say that I deal with hardships of every type every single day of my life. My life will never be anywhere close to normal because of my husband's dumb mistake. Would that some of you had to pay so dearly for mistakes YOU made in your life-it's a very humbling experience. Also suffice it to say that there are some very hurt feelings right now, and I hope you all are happy.

Speaking of husband... did I miss the part where you informed the family? How they takin it all now? Last I knew your mom was having issues there with that decision. all ok on home front..?

Informed the family of what? They know we got married, if that's what you're asking. We're having a wedding in April. Yes, my mom did at first have issues with the decision to marry in Mexico, but she has accepted and embraced it now, and after all...what other option do we have?

[Mirorgate 0]

Informed the family of what? They know we got married, if that's what you're asking. We're having a wedding in April. Yes, my mom did at first have issues with the decision to marry in Mexico, but she has accepted and embraced it now, and after all...what other option do we have?

the marriage in mexico part. gotcha. ok, hope things are going as well as can be expected given the circumstances.

[Traviesa 0]

Informed the family of what? They know we got married, if that's what you're asking. We're having a wedding in April. Yes, my mom did at first have issues with the decision to marry in Mexico, but she has accepted and embraced it now, and after all...what other option do we have?

the marriage in mexico part. gotcha. ok, hope things are going as well as can be expected given the circumstances.

Thanks, they are...we have good days and bad days. Unfortunately lately, more bad than good, but these things tend to go like a roller coaster anyway. Javier's having problems at work now. He's so desperate to come home, and I just wish there were something I could do to help him. It's very hard to feel so helpless.

[Fandango 1,439]

I am ashamed...completely ashamed at reading this thread. I thought we were different here. Send them back, and let them NEVER come back? Thanks a whole hell of a lot. I'm not going to get into the nuances and details like Charity did, but suffice it to say that I deal with hardships of every type every single day of my life. My life will never be anywhere close to normal because of my husband's dumb mistake. Would that some of you had to pay so dearly for mistakes YOU made in your life-it's a very humbling experience. Also suffice it to say that there are some very hurt feelings right now, and I hope you all are happy.

Obviously this is a very personal issue, but I just want to point out that we all live with the consequences from our past mistakes in everything we do....I'm speaking as a whole here about life in general & the choices I made at 14,15,16 etc has had some direct correlation to where I am now & who I am as a person in general -both good and bad

[Traviesa 0]

I am ashamed...completely ashamed at reading this thread. I thought we were different here. Send them back, and let them NEVER come back? Thanks a whole hell of a lot. I'm not going to get into the nuances and details like Charity did, but suffice it to say that I deal with hardships of every type every single day of my life. My life will never be anywhere close to normal because of my husband's dumb mistake. Would that some of you had to pay so dearly for mistakes YOU made in your life-it's a very humbling experience. Also suffice it to say that there are some very hurt feelings right now, and I hope you all are happy.

Obviously this is a very personal issue, but I just want to point out that we all live with the consequences from our past mistakes in everything we do....I'm speaking as a whole here about life in general & the choices I made at 14,15,16 etc has had some direct correlation to where I am now & who I am as a person in general -both good and bad

I understand that there are consequences for every action, but I can tell you that the mistakes I made as a teenager are not now affecting my every day life...they don't affect my daily comings and goings...I learned from them, and I faced consequences at the time, but then I moved on. It's rare that a mistake you made leads to punishment every day of your life for the next 5 years; separates you from the one you love and places you in a life that you forgot how to live. The only thing I can think of with punishments so severe are when someone willfully and maliciously, physically harms someone. I just watched a show the other night about teenagers who drove drunk and got in terrible accidents. Many of them experienced severe brain trauma. It affects the rest of their life-many of them can't even so much as get a job. Yet there they are, free and happy, living their everyday lives with their families. Not a one of them received any kind of punishment, despite having made a choice which could have led to deaths, not only their own, but of other innocent people. One of them even continued to drink heavily. That disturbed me a lot. It didn't seem right to me that they got to go home, but Javier can't come home.

[Fuzzness 2]

knowingly coming to the US illegally is more than just a simple mistake... it is a choice.

that's all i've got to say

[no name 1]

knowingly coming to the US illegally is more than just a simple mistake... it is a choice.

that's all i've got to say