Americans and Immigration

[Danzaivar]

I think I figured out why you guys have such a problem with illegal immigrants.

I've been looking around at how to get one of those mythical 'Green Cards', to get one you need to either Marry your way in, Get a Masters Degree + 3 years specialist work experience, have 12 years specialist work experience (If no degree), or be from some obscure country. And all of these are only a 'chance' you'll get one! Also, for the work related ones, you need to find an employer that's willing to shed out thousands of dollars and wait about a year for you to start. I understand you don't just want anyone wandering in, but seriously guys, you've got the bar set damn high.

I suppose this is just a rant about your immigration system in general, and also to make you guys realise how lucky you were to be born into your country. Do you (Americans) not think that perhaps the illegal immigrants in your country would become legal tax paying citizens if they actually had a chance of being there legally? I'm curious really.

 

[sneakypenguin]

A lot are actually headed back to mexico due to some crackdowns and less work. Thankfully, now if we could just unload all the ones there are in the jails....

 

[Toasty]

but mexicans (and other immigrants legal or otherwise) are not bad people,(tho arent all angels either) just making the the most out of the oportunity that is america. If you lived on one side of the fence where you'd get paid 30c to pick oranges/clean hotel rooms etc and have the oportunity of getting paid $3 on the other side of the fence (an theres no better jobs going) you're going to jump that fence arnt you.

-I used to live in america, my Brit accent made me an outsider, so I hungout with immigrants(mostly latinos in the area) Just a handful of generations ago America was formed from immigrants from all over. The new immigrants just stand out now as most of the 'real' Americans are too fat, and cant do manuel work like that.
-apologies for stereotypes used, bt they hold some truth.

 

[Danzaivar]

So what's your stance on legal immigrants? I'm getting the feeling there's not much love for foreigners living and working in the US, even though it's basically a nation founded on immigrants. Heh.

 

[GunnerGraye]

So what's your stance on legal immigrants? I'm getting the feeling there's not much love for foreigners living and working in the US, even though it's basically a nation founded on immigrants. Heh.

It seems ironic
But it's not that I'm a bigot or anything, I hate anyone equally who comes into the country expecting a free ride on the welfare system when they clearly they don't deserve it.

 

[Locust]

I agree. You are fairly lucky. I despise the UK and I've been looking to make it over to the US after college. The standards for getting a visa on your own seem pretty damn impossible, so I'm just holding out that I'll probably be in a long distance relationship with an American and probably marry her to get over there (Though, obviously not in a relationship with her just so I can get over to the US).

 

[[Gavo]]

Guess what? I live in San Diego, right by the Mexican border to Tijuana! I Know a lot about immigration, mostly illegal.

Do you (Americans) not think that perhaps the illegal immigrants in your country would become legal tax paying citizens if they actually had a chance of being there legally? I'm curious really.

And yes, I think they would. Some pay taxes even though they're not legal. I know some.

 

[Kriegsherr]

Could be worse, you could live with us Australians where we just let anybody in, and then they get drunk and crash their cars into our primary schools, and they spread diseases everywhere and whatnot. I'm not saying that they are all like that, some are genuinely hard working people and some just really want an education, but we let in more bad eggs than good because we're way too overly lenient for fear of being considered a racist or bad country

 

[Danzaivar]

So what's your stance on legal immigrants? I'm getting the feeling there's not much love for foreigners living and working in the US, even though it's basically a nation founded on immigrants. Heh.

It seems ironic
But it's not that I'm a bigot or anything, I hate anyone equally who comes into the country expecting a free ride on the welfare system when they clearly they don't deserve it.

To get in legally you basically need mad qualifications or be brought in for a specialist job (Which usually have crazy pay), as far as I can tell it's impossible to get in and do 'normal' jobs. I didn't even realise you guys had a welfare system, heh (Part of my reason for wanting to go there is actually because you have very stringent welfare, it's a real 'you are what you make of yourself' culture from what I can see).

I mean i'm currently doing a degree in Software Engineering and am planning to move to the US when I graduate, but now I have to do another year afterwards to get a Masters, then find a multinational company and so on. I'm just a bit bitter about it all really.

--

To move into the UK by the way, there's a 'point system' where you earn points based on qualifications and your previous salary, the higher your points the higher priority you are. There's also asylum seekers which get in with no qualifications but they might get kicked out (and if they're not for 10 years (Or they have kids) they get to stay i think?). Over all it's similar except you don't need to find a UK company to 'sponsor' you first, which seems to be the biggest part.

 

[Zephirius]

But it's not that I'm a bigot or anything, I hate anyone equally who comes into the country expecting a free ride on the welfare system when they clearly they don't deserve it.

Psh. American welfare. Methinks there are a lot of countries with much better systems that pay more. Then again most of them are across the ocean.

 

[Grenbyron]

The bar was set high because we border a 2nd world country. If you think it is hard to become an American citizen, check out what you need for a Canadian or French. Western Europe has it pretty easy since they are surrounded by 1st world. I will likely take a lot of crap for saying that but that is my observation.

 

[TwistedEllipses]

Could be worse, you could live with us Australians where we just let anybody in, and then they get drunk and crash their cars into our primary schools, and they spread diseases everywhere and whatnot. I'm not saying that they are all like that, some are genuinely hard working people and some just really want an education, but we let in more bad eggs than good because we're way too overly lenient for fear of being considered a racist or bad country

huh? I always got the impression that Australia was one of the harder line countries on immigration...

 

[Danzaivar]

I haven't looked up what you need for Canada but I have heard a fair bit about how it's an attractive alternative to the US because its the same continent, but much easier to get in.

UK Welfare means a free house, no council tax, £45 (Bout $70) a week + £32 (Bout $50) a week per kid. Also obviously all Healthcare is free for everyone. Maybe you do have some form of welfare but I doubt it compares to the highly socialised welfare EU countries tend to have. (That's not a dig by the way, its the sort of thing I hate about Europe, damn people getting a free ride.)

 

[ace_of_something]

I work in a jail that is also a holding facility for ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) holds.

By the by INS no longer exists; it merged with customs that way customs officers have arresting power.

What annoys me the most is how LONG illegals can sit in jail. The average I've seen is about 4-6 months if they're from Mexico, El Salvidor, or Sudan. If you're from pretty much anywhere else, expect to be sitting in jail for about 12-16 months before you get deported.

The reason is a cost issue, they want to wait until they have so many of a given country of illegal immigrants before they send them all out at once.


This bugs the ever loving crap out of me that they sit in there -family men, who work hard, even pay taxes, and provide for their kids- with crack addicts and little fucking thug shits who cant keep their hands to themselves.


Whatever country you're from Danzaivar, if you do the research there is likely an immigration consulate in the united states that you can get a hold of to help immigrate legally.

 

[ace_of_something]

I agree. You are fairly lucky. I despise the UK and I've been looking to make it over to the US after college. The standards for getting a visa on your own seem pretty damn impossible, so I'm just holding out that I'll probably be in a long distance relationship with an American and probably marry her to get over there (Though, obviously not in a relationship with her just so I can get over to the US).

That doesn't work as well any more; people who marry Americans AND have KIDS can still get deported. I've seen it.

 

[Lord George]

It does seem strange that America as a country seems so xenophobic but oh well. Its a nice place to visit but you wouldn't want to live their, well not for me anyway.

 

[letsnoobtehpwns]

Illegals piss me off. There are so many at my school!

 

[Danzaivar]

I agree. You are fairly lucky. I despise the UK and I've been looking to make it over to the US after college. The standards for getting a visa on your own seem pretty damn impossible, so I'm just holding out that I'll probably be in a long distance relationship with an American and probably marry her to get over there (Though, obviously not in a relationship with her just so I can get over to the US).

That doesn't work as well any more; people who marry Americans AND have KIDS can still get deported. I've seen it.

From what I read tho, that's only while you just have a green card right? When you 'naturalize' and become a US Citizen it's pretty much the same as being born there (Minus running for president of course). I'm assuming you mean people who've committed crime during that period, which is fair enough really. Sucks for their kids but Daddy shouldn't have been doing anything naughty.

[edit: I am noticing a lot of people in here are only commenting on illegal immigrants, which is quite enlightening really]

 

[Scolar Visari]

Ignorance and stereotypes ahoy! The U.S. is not a xenophobic country. Our immigration standards can't be too high considering how many people come here every day. And yes we do have problems with illegal immigrants, we have some of the largest borders around so stopping them is quite hard.

 

[McClaud]

Do you (Americans) not think that perhaps the illegal immigrants in your country would become legal tax paying citizens if they actually had a chance of being there legally? I'm curious really.

I believe some would, but I also believe that some come here illegally under the impression that if they avoid becoming citizens, they can avoid taxes and hold on to all their money.

I know some on both sides of the fence (pun not intended). I have one friend who is illegal who would pay taxes and love to be a citizen if it wasn't so difficult, and I know a house full of illegal immigrants who are glad they aren't citizens, so they stay taxless and don't have to contribute to American society as a whole. They'd move to Canada and also be illegal if Canada was closer and paid better.

Part of our problem is that American corporations don't want to encourage legal immigration because it means they would have to give those people certain benefits that takes money from the bottom profit margin.