Part of the American Dream Act Begins Today

[JohnR! 5,495]

Is it really 50% ???/ About the same as regular marriages huh. I did not know it was that high ?

Statistically 50% of all marriages in the US end in divorce. Just do the math.

[Karee 4,189]

Statistically 50% of all marriages in the US end in divorce. Just do the math.

So what does that have to do with immigration?

[JohnR! 5,495]

Now Back to topic.... I believe although our constitution does afford certain rights to illegals it does not give them the right to be here illegally or enjoy the privileges of citizenship.

You are correct, so much so that these 1.7 are not enjoying the privileges of citizenship. The law only affords them the right to file for EAD. It is not even a green card process, like the one Reagan signed back in the 80's.

[Dan J 277]

If you are in this country illegally you are illegal. Plain and simple. What Obama did is not the law.

Wishful thinking is most certainly not the law. Deferred action is an executive power.

[Karee 4,189]

Can the president tell the DOJ to stop prosecuting bank robberies? Not trying to be a smart a$$. Just wondering if he has the power to do something like that?

[cdneh 3,112]

Can the president tell the DOJ to stop prosecuting bank robberies? Not trying to be a smart a$$. Just wondering if he has the power to do something like that?

He thinks he does. He thinks he can do just about anything he likes and get away with it. He thinks he is going to get another four years as well

[Penny Lane 8,159]

[Karee 4,189]

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

I see the topic has veered towards money and time. In that case we ought to exam the numbers and compare the time and money it would take in man power and equipment to remove all these illegal immigrants back to their home countries. Which might be a place that is war torn, but we already have a legal refugee visa process for that, right? What if they didn't have money though? They came over smuggled on ships and containers trying to find a better life for themselves or their families and lift their life up for their children. For them it was live or die. Compare the price of that with the processing fee for allowing those eligible for deferred deportment to get a work permit.

Then we should compare the cost incurred on the US population of 300 million plus by the potentially 1 million deferred illegal immigrant who is eligible to be officially recognized and approved for a two year temporary legal to work status in the United States. Most often illegals take jobs that the unemployed US citizen wouldn't even take. Now they would be eligable for better jobs if they show they did good in school. And shouldn't someone who has served in our military and was honorably discharged certainly be eligible for US citizenship? I think there is a process for accelerated Citizenship for those recognized by the US to be here if they serve in our military.

We should also look at the unemployment rate. It's already above 8%. Could it get much worse really? Will the hit be a tenth of a percent or will it really matter that much on the economy?

I guess only time will tell won't it. If the next ten years the economy is prospering because of the progressively executive decisions of this Administration's legacy will we give Obama the credit then? Congress is largely defunct because of the Republican grid lock. And it is known that this party's main agenda is not working with the President but rather trying to stop anything he does even if it's good for the economy. The majority of the Republican's also largely do not represent the people who vote them in. They represent the large corporations and upper echelons of our culture and they protect these entities, who are not even citizens nor had a live birth, at every turn because they have deep pockets full of money stuff by these Goliath. They don't care or have compassion for the people who are suffering. They don't pay their fair portion of taxes and they steal from the poor outright.

If Obama is going to do anything he should clean house and get all the corrupt politicians out. Maybe he can't do that this first term but it seems from interviews he's just waiting until his second term to really do the job that needs to be done. I think he'll be getting a second term and bring these people out of the dark and into the light kicking and screaming whether they like it or not and it will be better for all like infrastructure and roads may cost much in the beginning but the benefits of society will be felt long afterwords and we're talking decades of enjoyment.

And no matter what nobody can ever tell me there was a worse President of the United States than our last one, George W. Bush Jr. I'm sorry but so many people were and are still blinded to what that man and his evil administration did. The damage to the United States and it's reputation may take 100 years and several generations to correct it. Blame the economy on Bush because he's the real reason behind why we are where we are and why things aren't so sweet. He and his cronies, whom many of which are still sitting in power in various branches or cycled back into being heads of major corporations, are the real reason for the collapse.

This may surprise some but they are the real reason why America is not number one is health care in the world. They are the reason America is not number one in the world in education. They are the reason that science and innovation are stifled in the United States unless you work for them and they own your work. American is not number one like many think.

I don't think this is said enough on here. P&R has become over run by more further right membership and the unbalance can be intimidating for newer and some older membership. It seems many other members that I can recall with multiple other view points have since left because their voices are drowned out by the overwhelmingly opposite chorus of right wing rhetoric

[Boiler 43,430]

I see the topic has veered towards money and time. In that case we ought to exam the numbers and compare the time and money it would take in man power and equipment to remove all these illegal immigrants back to their home countries. Which might be a place that is war torn, but we already have a legal refugee visa process for that, right? What if they didn't have money though? They came over smuggled on ships and containers trying to find a better life for themselves or their families and lift their life up for their children. For them it was live or die. Compare the price of that with the processing fee for allowing those eligible for deferred deportment to get a work permit.

Most came from south of the border and do not have a refugee option.

I see no need for mass deportations, if the US did not have such a welcome mat most would leave for better prospects in their home country.

Then we should compare the cost incurred on the US population of 300 million plus by the potentially 1 million deferred illegal immigrant who is eligible to be officially recognized and approved for a two year temporary legal to work status in the United States.

Seems like it is nearer 2m so double whatever number.

Most often illegals take jobs that the unemployed US citizen wouldn't even take. Now they would be eligable for better jobs if they show they did good in school.

So jobs that Americans will do, not that I agree with your premise.

And shouldn't someone who has served in our military and was honorably discharged certainly be eligible for US citizenship? I think there is a process for accelerated Citizenship for those recognized by the US to be here if they serve in our military.

Illegals are not permitted to enlist.

We should also look at the unemployment rate. It's already above 8%. Could it get much worse really? Will the hit be a tenth of a percent or will it really matter that much on the economy?

I guess that may depend if you are one of the tenth.

I guess only time will tell won't it. If the next ten years the economy is prospering because of the progressively executive decisions of this Administration's legacy will we give Obama the credit then?

And pigs will fly, not that I expect anything better from the GOP.

Congress is largely defunct because of the Republican grid lock. And it is known that this party's main agenda is not working with the President but rather trying to stop anything he does even if it's good for the economy. The majority of the Republican's also largely do not represent the people who vote them in. They represent the large corporations and upper echelons of our culture and they protect these entities, who are not even citizens nor had a live birth, at every turn because they have deep pockets full of money stuff by these Goliath. They don't care or have compassion for the people who are suffering. They don't pay their fair portion of taxes and they steal from the poor outright.

The Dems controlled both houses, remind me what they did?

[TBoneTX 43,057]

So what happens, the questions begs answering, to all those of us who arrived here by legal means. Those of us who coughed up the money, and took the adivce to do this the legal way, and got in the queue. What center is going to end up bearing the brunt of this mess?? How long are processing times going to be for the legal applicants??

See this excerpt from a mainstream-media newspaper, with pertinent passages highlighted:

No new [uSCIS] workers have been hired to review the school records, sworn affidavits and other documentation each applicant is required to file. And no funds have been appropriated to pay added processing costs. Officials said the initial budget would be covered by the $465-per-application fee, and as more fees are collected, new staff will be hired.

An application for an undocumented farmworker to apply for legal amnesty under a program signed by President Reagan in 1986 cost the immigration agency $1,130 to process, two members of Congress wrote in an Aug. 7 letter to Janet Napolitano, secretary of Homeland Security.

In the past, not charging enough to review applications has "resulted in an enormous backlog of legal immigration benefits applications and very long processing wait times for legal immigrants and aspiring U.S. citizens," wrote Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa).

On Tuesday, Smith denounced the deferral program as a "magnet for fraud and abuse" designed to shore up Latino support for Obama. "There seems to be little if any mechanism in place for vetting fraudulent applications and documentation submitted by illegal immigrants," Smith said in a statement.

Applicants must mail completed forms and documentation to one of four immigration service centers: in Laguna Niguel; Dallas; Burlington, Vt.; or Lincoln, Neb.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-immigrant-kids-20120815,0,2097285.story

1.8 million applicants. Every last one of these people that turn up, ought to have their filing fee magically turned into a plane ticket back to wherever they came from. If they moan that it isn't their fault, their parents are the ones who broke the law, they can take it up with mommy and daddy. Who are on the same plane out. It isn't up to the government here to fix the poor life choices and illegal actions made by the parents. Who cannot legally vote either, not that that seems to make a blind bit of difference.

After rumination, I think that one of two conditions should have been added to this program:

(1) The parents of anyone who applies for this program are required to turn themselves in, in contemplation of deportation; or

(2) Any applicant found ineligible and NOT granted employment authorization under this program is subject to automatic, immediate, unappealable deportation.

The first of these items was proposed in an earlier thread in this forum.

[jimnlena 8]

If you read the copy, you will notice they will have to pay filing fees as well. Considering their EAD should come within a month, they will be working and paying taxes before you do, so technically, they are the ones paying for you, while you wait on your EAD.

In any case, they are not illegal, no more than a K-1 person is when out of status. They were brought to this country as kids and America is the only home many of them have ever known, our flag the one to which they pledge allegiance. They have nowhere to go back and except for papers, they are as American as the rest of us.

I am curious do they have to have sponsors at 125 percent of poverty level?

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Congress is largely defunct because of the Republican grid lock. And it is known that this party's main agenda is not working with the President but rather trying to stop anything he does even if it's good for the economy. The majority of the Republican's also largely do not represent the people who vote them in. They represent the large corporations and upper echelons of our culture and they protect these entities, who are not even citizens nor had a live birth, at every turn because they have deep pockets full of money stuff by these Goliath. They don't care or have compassion for the people who are suffering. They don't pay their fair portion of taxes and they steal from the poor outright.

You really need to double check yourself here. VERY ignorant.

[Teddy B 17,251]

I'm not glossing over the fact that they're not here legally. That wasn't their choice. For most of them, this is the only home they've ever known. What should they do, kick them out at 18 and send them to a country they don't know and aren't familiar with? Can you even imagine? Growing up only to one day be told "you don't belong here" and be shipped off to a country you've likely never even been to and have to go make a life for yourself? I can't.

It doesn't spur resentment in me at all. I came here legally by choice. These people had their choice made by parents who made the wrong choice. I don't agree with punishing the children for the acts of the parents.

I mean, I can get where it rubs people the wrong way. I honestly can. I just don't agree with the alternative.

Children all over the world pay the price for their parents bad decisions everyday, why should it be any different here? Children are separated from their parents because they are hooked on drugs or they go to prison, the children are put into foster care, something they've never experienced before, yet they still manage to survive.

The US taxpayer is not the world's charity fund. We have laws in place for very good reasons, without them we would have chaos. If we keep allowing very large influxes of people into our country like we are doing, it will eventually destroy our economy. The arguement could be made that it's already started to happen.

Again, I sympathize with these people who were brought here illegaly by their parents, but they should not be allowed to stay here.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Children all over the world pay the price for their parents bad decisions everyday, why should it be any different here? Children are separated from their parents because they are hooked on drugs or they go to prison, the children are put into foster care, something they've never experienced before, yet they still manage to survive.

The US taxpayer is not the world's charity fund. We have laws in place for very good reasons, without them we would have chaos. If we keep allowing very large influxes of people into our country like we are doing, it will eventually destroy our economy. The arguement could be made that it's already started to happen.

Again, I sympathize with these people who were brought here illegaly by their parents, but they should not be allowed to stay here.

What should happen to these children, then? Or do we not care, as long as they don't stay here?