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seekerz
Guest
Good luck enforcing those ideas.
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hazmatdude
Guest
Perhaps you should be more concerned about the leaders of this nation who don’t take the constitutional responsibilities of their offices more seriously.Good luck enforcing those ideas.
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deb1
Guest
I agree with you about prosecuting people who come to this country illegally but we should also make certain that the process to enter this country is fair to poorer people who wish to make a living here. I think that we can aim to reach a better balance between protecting our selves from terrorist without making it a bureaucratic mess for honest workers to enter the USA.
As far as what they do in other countries unless they have a better system of regulating immigration then I am uncertain how we can learn anything from them or if we should compare our situation to theirs. Due to their being surrounded by water I would think that Australia and New Zealand do not have to worry about masses of people sneaking into their countries. And Mexico is so corrupt I can’t imagine anyone wanting to immigrate there.
I am very worried about protecting American citizens also, but our current system isn’t working. We seem to be stuck at extremes on this debate.
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marci
Guest
I think one thing we can do is get rid of the idea that people should be allowed to become citizens simply because they “want a job.” We should want people to imigrate legally because they truely want to be americans, because they love this country, and want to do what they can to learn about our history, learn our language and want to contribute to it’s continued success.
What will this country look like in 100 years when there are 50 different languages being spoken in different onclaves throughout the states? When there is no longer any common history, common culture, or understanding of the reasons where upon this nation was founded?
It’s not just about people wanting to work. It’s about everyone who comes here wanting to participate in keeping the hope of what this United States stands for alive for generations to come. If an immigrant truely wants to be a citizen, then there should be a time of dissernment during which it can be determined by him and the US whether or not he would be a good candidate for citizenship.
Even the church requires a time of disernment for those who wish to become catholic. We call it RCIA. Why would we make someone who wishes to be part of the church wait a year to receive the Eurcharist? Why would the church make a convert attend classes and study and have knowledge of the catechism?
Because the church wants the convert to truely understand what he is doing. When he approaches the Eurcharist, the church expects him to understand the meaning of the Real Presance, how to be properly disposed to receive, etc.
I think it is reasonable for nations to place requirements on immigrants wishing to become citizens, for the sake of the health and ensured stability of their country and their citizens.
What will this country look like in 100 years when there are 50 different languages being spoken in different onclaves throughout the states? When there is no longer any common history, common culture, or understanding of the reasons where upon this nation was founded?
It’s not just about people wanting to work. It’s about everyone who comes here wanting to participate in keeping the hope of what this United States stands for alive for generations to come. If an immigrant truely wants to be a citizen, then there should be a time of dissernment during which it can be determined by him and the US whether or not he would be a good candidate for citizenship.
Even the church requires a time of disernment for those who wish to become catholic. We call it RCIA. Why would we make someone who wishes to be part of the church wait a year to receive the Eurcharist? Why would the church make a convert attend classes and study and have knowledge of the catechism?
Because the church wants the convert to truely understand what he is doing. When he approaches the Eurcharist, the church expects him to understand the meaning of the Real Presance, how to be properly disposed to receive, etc.
I think it is reasonable for nations to place requirements on immigrants wishing to become citizens, for the sake of the health and ensured stability of their country and their citizens.
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NoxSineStellae
Guest
I’m American, my DH is Belgian (Flemish). Initially, we planned to live in the US, as I’m very close to my family. Then we saw what was involved.
Instead, I moved to Belgium. We were engaged August 2006. I got all my papers together (birth certificate, letter from the SOS of the state I was born in, couple other forms, total cost about $30).
We went in person with my forms to the American Embassy in Brussels in January 2007 - a blast, by the way, the soldiers posted there are the definition of Southern gentlemen, all the clerks were friendly and helpful and professional, the mix of people in the waiting room soooo interesting. Anyway, that took a whole day and about 100 euros. I had to sign a bunch of new papers and swear an affidavit that I was who I said, and was not currently married to anyone else.
June 2007 I moved over here, and we had to register with his local district house for marriage, which is right around the corner. I think we went about 3 times, spending about 10 minutes each, mostly filing old papers/signing new ones.
Married August 2007, and formally announced the marriage at the district house.
September 2007 had a “spot-check” by a police officer who came by to verify I was indeed living here - it took 5 minutes, he looked at my passport, and we both signed a paper. DH’s grandfather was a police officer though, and we think that made it quicker than usual.
First week of October 2007 got my orange card (ie green card) stating I’m here legally as the spouse of a Belgian citizen. Early November I got into the health care system. I’m officially a resident alien (no plans on giving up my US citizenship).
I now have to do a mandatory integration program that includes 54 hours of social classes where you meet other expatriates and learn how to function in Flemish society, and take 5 months of Dutch language courses. There is an optional employment training course that I plan on taking in the future if my health improves - and I’ll be placed in a job I choose. This is all paid for by the government - if I want to take more Dutch classes after the 5 months, we’ll have to pay 80 euros.
Not complying with the classes means fines though, and not deportation. I’m also not allowed to leave the EU until February 2008, or I could possibly be refused re-entry. And there are supposed to be more random spot-checks by the police, but no one has shown up yet.
So total time, about 9-10 months, I’d say. Cost including train tickets to Brussels and whatnot is under 200 euros. I’ve heard that having a baby here is harder, if we desire dual citizenship (you have to bring the mother and baby to the American embassy in person within 14 days of the birth!). mostly it was a lot of signing our names and making sure we filed the correct forms in the correct order.
Edited to add that when my orange card expires in two years, unless I’ve been convicted of a felony or something, I automatically will be given permanent residency with no more interviews/paperwork/money.
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puzzleannie
Guest
every Catholic diocese in the US has an immigration, migration and tourism office, to deal with related problems not only of lay Catholics in its territory, but also of priests and religious who are living and serving there. In fact, the US Bishops have an office to oversee this responsibility (which may recently have been merged with other departments). It is an ever-present and increasing headache in most dioceses to deal with visa problems for foreign-born clerics and religious, who are strictly limited in the kind of work they can do, how they can be paid for it, what benefits they may receive, who may hire and supervise them, and often are abruptly removed from their positions and returned to their home country because of visa or residency issues. We dealt with similar issues when I worked in a university setting, particularly with graduate students and untenured professors and researchers.
The whole immigration problem does not revolve around undocumented workers picking fruit and plucking chickens, or on keeping drug dealers and terrorists out of the country (the very classes who seem to have no difficulty whatever in coming and going freely).
The whole immigration problem does not revolve around undocumented workers picking fruit and plucking chickens, or on keeping drug dealers and terrorists out of the country (the very classes who seem to have no difficulty whatever in coming and going freely).
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seekerz
Guest
We’re talking about coming to the US as a legal temporary or permanent resident to live/work/study etc, not necessarily about becoming a citizen (which is a different process which rightly takes a very long time.
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