My father was receiving threats for not cooperating with the military govt. Breaking US law was the ONLY was to keep us safe. He could have stayed in fought the government, but would have taken care of his children once they killed him.
Did you father continue breaking US law after you came to America or did he work to make himself legal ASAP?
Kendy:
Nice catch!!! I missed that
Lucania:
:tiphat:Kendy:
.
Of course, people are going to retain some of the heritage. When I meet Italian-American families they are not the same as the families who came on the Mayflower.(QUOTE)
Nice catch!!! I missed that
We did everything in our power to get asylum, which took eleven years. Sometimes, that of course meant doing nothing because trying to get asymlum can just get you deported. I suspect if they were legal ways for the 11 million to resolve the immigration status they would do it as well. Most of the time, our lawyers would just tell us to do nothing. Once they even had us show up to court without counsel, which was scary knowing that would just delay the case.Did you father continue breaking US law after you came to America or did he work to make himself legal ASAP?
Also, and perhaps I should have mentioned this 1st, it sounds to me like your father wasn’t breaking US law if he came here and asked for political asylum.
It’s a relevant question because coming to America to ask for political asylum is WAY different than sneaking into America for work
Kendy:
Well, whether those Italians just blended into the predominantly English culture or not, there are still distinction in Italian-American culture and neighborhoods. I lived in the Bronx, very close to Italy, and it’s a little different. They hate different foods, had different accents, and different family values (it was more frequent to see multi-generational homes). They are certainly American, but no American is like every American,
Alice Walker was once asked by an African, what is an American? And she rightly said, I can’t answer that. There is no one way to be American.
Kendy
Kendy
It’s not really different. You CANNOT come to US and ask for political asymlum legally (unless, you are Cuban-American). You can ask for political assylum while you are in your native country and come in legally if it granted, which is highly unlikely. Or you can find a loop hole to stay (like overstaying your visa) or sneak inand wait for an opportunity to ask for political assylum due to a change in the law or some temporay program.Also, and perhaps I should have mentioned this 1st, it sounds to me like your father wasn’t breaking US law if he came here and asked for political asylum.
It’s a relevant question because coming to America to ask for political asylum is WAY different than sneaking into America for work
There is a legal way and they have given it the finger.
I wouldn’t say they are stupid, but a good chunk of the illegal aliens from south of the border have at most a 9th grade education.
Wabrams,
In Haiti, which 90% illiterate, we have saying, “illerate is not stupid.” The average Haitian, whether in Haiti or in the U.S, whether legal or not, understands immigration far better than the average American. We have too. We depend on having the right information in these matters. I can’t imagine, that Mexicans, who are on average wealthier and more educated than the average Haitian, would be any different.
Why do it when you outnumber immigration services at least 20 to 1.
Not having to pay taxes, free healthcare (at least one hospital per county has to give free care), not paying the fees to become a citizen.
Usually happens when you are breaking the law.
They shouldn’t get in-state tuition.
Took 'em long enough to fix that problem. It stinks it took 9/11 to get changed.
Again, there are but they choose to ignore them.
Or knowing you really don’t have to worry about it since the laws are rarely enforced.
You’re putting words into my mouth.
BTW, your argument essentially says these 11 million illegal aliens are here, the system is too tough (maybe unfairly, maybe to keep the no. of immigrants down, who knows?) and we should just keep looking the other way and loosen all the laws.
I am not put words into your mouth Wabrams. I am telling you the logical conclusion from your words. I know we took the first oppurtunity to become legal residents. Everyone else in that situation did the same thing. So, either we and all lawyers are all ignorant of of these opportunities or we are stupid and insane.
wabrams said:
My argument is, 11 million, of which I was once one of, have escaped desperate situations by breaking US laws. There is no denying that. However, anyone who thinks that a mother will not lie to feed her children (if she has no honest means) or a father will not forge documents to keep his daughter from getting raped (if he has no other recourses) lives in La-La land. Until we have laws (and foreign policies— but different threads) that recognize these two realities, you’re going to get illegal immigration.
You legally became a citizen and so could they. You say that they would at the first opportunity, but some have been here for over 2 decades and hadn’t done anything about it.
Maybe the one’s who genuinely waant to be naturalized.
Logical fallacy.
I never said it was great, but it is better than nothing and it is abused.
You honestly expect me to sit here and believe that most people from Mexico would even consider paying for forged docs? What kind of idiot do you think I am?
Prove it.
You must think I’m really an idiot to believe they are breaking no laws to come over here undocumented and not even trying to apply for citizenship.