NYT Editorial: "Time to Strengthen Family Immigration"

[Karee 4,191]

I mentioned to my wife that now that she is a USC, she can petition for her parents if she wants. She laughed for about 5 minutes. They're rice farmers from way out in the sticks in Thailand, and they really don't even speak regular Thai let alone a word of English.

I do wish I could get my niece here. She's basically a 14 year old orphan going to a private boarding school in Thailand. But that's another story.

[Póg mo 1,749]

I love my parents more than anything in the entire world, but I still don't think they should get to live here because I married a USC. Neither should my brothers or their kids.

I agree, I don't think somebody should be able automatically be allowed to sponsor their parents, adult siblings or relatives. Having immediate family member in the US should help somebody wishing to migrate to the United States, but it other factors such as education, English language ability or work experience, should also play a part in the immigration process.

In situations where it can be shown that a refusal to grant an immigration visa would cause undue hardship on the US citizen or their relatives wishing to immigrate then they should of course be allowed to immigrate.

[natty bumppo 297]

I agree, I don't think somebody should be able automatically be allowed to sponsor their parents, adult siblings or relatives. Having immediate family member in the US should help somebody wishing to migrate to the United States, but it other factors such as education, English language ability or work experience, should also play a part in the immigration process.

In situations where it can be shown that a refusal to grant an immigration visa would cause undue hardship on the US citizen or their relatives wishing to immigrate then they should of course be allowed to immigrate.

cool ... my wifes family is fluent english ... bring them on

cool ... everyone in my wifes family can contribute (my wife will give better bjs) ... bring them on

[Sarah Elle-Même 660]

I never said I'm all for chain immigration either. I also agree the line should be drawn after children and spouses in most cases. Nor am I suggesting we give blanket amnesty to people here illegally. But something does have to be done, yes? The system we set up isn't sustainable.

The comments below the article weren't directed merely at the other family based petitions (parents, siblings, etc) but at all family based petitions and sponsorship. People I know and have met over the years tell me that it should be harder for USC's to petition for foreign spouses, fiances, children or that we should move out of the US. Some even suggest a quota system like we have for spouses and children of LPR's. That attitude is what I take issue with.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Why should siblings -- almost always adult -- benefit because someone got married to a USC?

They don't. They only benefit if their sibling acquires US citizenship. You could be a non-US person and have a US born sibling - I know people that do. Quite a few, actually. So why should siblings that are born with different nationalities not have the opportunity to live in one and the same country? I don't understand all this panic over family based immigration. I really don't. Having family aside from my wife and daughter here would make quite a few things a hell of a lot easier. And no, I am not filing for any immigration benefit for any of my siblings or my parents. They're all fine where they're at. But I can certainly understand why people might want to be able to have family migrate here.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Correct, and I'm very lucky that my parents are nothing but a two day drive away.

However, I'd feel the same way regardless of where I lived. I don't believe my parents should have the right to live in the country I live in just because I got married to a citizen of that country. It should not work that way.

The problem is that many people who come here can't just have their relatives visit either. And I have one friend who is hardly alone in having gotten his wife here now and has no idea how soon their two year old daughter will be joining them. It's a cold process and often splits even direct family apart.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I love my parents more than anything in the entire world, but I still don't think they should get to live here because I married a USC. Neither should my brothers or their kids.

None of them would have any immigration benefit from you marrying a USC. They would, under current law, only be eligible for an immigration benefit if and when you become a US citizen. It would be a lengthy process for your brother. Rather uncomplicated for your parents.

All this hating on parents and siblings really surprises me. I actually wished my parents were more open to making the move. But they're not up for it and I can understand and appreciate that. They're both in their mid 60's and not as adventurous anymore. They rather come visit for a month or so every year. And that's great and all but I see houses for sale in my neighborhood and keep thinking - wouldn't be bad if Mom and Dad lived there. I know my daughter would love to have grandma and grandpa somewhere near so that she could see them more often.

[Danno 1,228]

WELL as I said I am all for spouses and minor children being unified but because I marry someone from Russia or where ever

Why should her mom be able to move here?..... and within a decade perhaps start collecting SS? (whatever the law is on that now)

And if my citizen wife then brings her Brother over.. he will bring his wife and (kids) then later his wife can further sponsor her siblings... there is no end to it.

And this is one of the paramount reasons I am agains Amnesty for the 12 million Illegals.... Eventually they will be citizens and that 12 million will grow by 10 fold.

I perfectly understand why someone might wish for their step parents to move here because it works out good for them... but I just don't think you can have a sane immigration policy that way.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

WELL as I said I am all for spouses and minor children being unified but because I marry someone from Russia or where ever

Why should her mom be able to move here?..... and within a decade perhaps start collecting SS? (whatever the law is on that now)

And if my citizen wife then brings her Brother over.. he will bring his wife and (kids) then later his wife can further sponsor her siblings... there is no end to it.

And this is one of the paramount reasons I am agains Amnesty for the 12 million Illegals.... Eventually they will be citizens and that 12 million will grow by 10 fold.

I perfectly understand why someone might wish for their step parents to move here because it works out good for them... but I just don't think you can have a sane immigration policy that way.

Every family member aside from spouses, minor children and parents are put into preference categories for which only a limited number of green cards is available each year - and these are limits established by country of origin. The average waiting period for a preference four relative (brother or sister) is 11 years - that average is exclusive of the high volume (read significantly longer wait) countries of Mexico, India, China, Dominican Republic and the Philippines. The longest wait is experienced by preference four relatives from the Philippines - the wait is 23 years at current. You could have 1 million new citizens from the Philippines today and it would change NOTHING in terms of how many preference four relatives are granted green cards. The wait would simply go up to half a century or whatever it would work out to be. This propaganda of chain migration going nuts once there are more naturalized citizens is just that - propaganda. Paranoid propaganda at that.

Edited March 26, 2013 by Mr. Big Dog

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Every family member aside from spouses, minor children and parents are put into preference categories for which only a limited number of green cards is available each year - and these are limits established by country of origin. The average waiting period for a preference four relative (brother or sister) is 11 years - that average is exclusive of the high volume (read significantly longer wait) countries of Mexico, India, China, Dominican Republic and the Philippines. The longest wait is experienced by preference four relatives from the Philippines - the wait is 23 years at current. You could have 1 million new citizens from the Philippines today and it would change NOTHING in terms of how many preference four relatives are granted green cards. The wait would simply go up to half a century or whatever it would work out to be. This propaganda of chain migration going nuts once there are more naturalized citizens is just that - propaganda. Paranoid propaganda at that.

True. It is just another form of brown bashing. Most white people in the world can travel to the US anytime they want, and nobody complains.

[Danno 1,228]

True. It is just another form of brown bashing. Most white people in the world can travel to the US anytime they want, and nobody complains.

I thought we were talking about immigrating here, not traveling.

As far as traveling and getting a visitor visa, I think I would favor opening that up more if it is a problem for family members to visit.

As far as I am aware (correct me if I am wrong) the stinginess of Visa has more to do with the history of people from that country over staying visas than the skin color, isn't that how it works... they have some rating system?

[Danno 1,228]

Every family member aside from spouses, minor children and parents are put into preference categories for which only a limited number of green cards is available each year - and these are limits established by country of origin. The average waiting period for a preference four relative (brother or sister) is 11 years - that average is exclusive of the high volume (read significantly longer wait) countries of Mexico, India, China, Dominican Republic and the Philippines. The longest wait is experienced by preference four relatives from the Philippines - the wait is 23 years at current. You could have 1 million new citizens from the Philippines today and it would change NOTHING in terms of how many preference four relatives are granted green cards. The wait would simply go up to half a century or whatever it would work out to be. This propaganda of chain migration going nuts once there are more naturalized citizens is just that - propaganda. Paranoid propaganda at that.

Thanks for more clarification on that.

However... even if the average wait is 11 years, which seems very long to those in line, it still has the snowball effect when one considers the history of a country rather than their own fast paced life.

I am not sure why this country is obligated to immigrate half a doz. people just because a US citizen married into that foreign family.

I can't imagine marrying someone from say Norway and expecting their gov't .. in time, to bring my whole family to live there and eventually as my family arrives their spouses and children would go to.

[Póg mo 1,749]

Every family member aside from spouses, minor children and parents are put into preference categories for which only a limited number of green cards is available each year - and these are limits established by country of origin. The average waiting period for a preference four relative (brother or sister) is 11 years - that average is exclusive of the high volume (read significantly longer wait) countries of Mexico, India, China, Dominican Republic and the Philippines. The longest wait is experienced by preference four relatives from the Philippines - the wait is 23 years at current. You could have 1 million new citizens from the Philippines today and it would change NOTHING in terms of how many preference four relatives are granted green cards. The wait would simply go up to half a century or whatever it would work out to be. This propaganda of chain migration going nuts once there are more naturalized citizens is just that - propaganda. Paranoid propaganda at that.

I honestly had no idea that it took so long to bring family members to the United States, I knew the process wasn't easy, but 23 years is just crazy.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Sort of defeats the idea of having them immigrate during their productive years doesn't it? Encouraging illegal immigration, or just plain keeping families apart.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

However... even if the average wait is 11 years, which seems very long to those in line, it still has the snowball effect when one considers the history of a country rather than their own fast paced life.

There are annual limits for these preference category green cards. These limits naturally prevent a snowball effect.