What Would CE&P Do Series: Immigration Reform

[ussimperius]

I should preface this by saying that I am conflicted about immigration. As a Dominican I see a LOT of people coming into the country illegally and see how living in a country with no papers sucks. A lot. For the people that I know, it's not all food stamps and Escalades, it's more housekeeping and mass transit. I also worked in an immigration law firm and I saw first hand how people could put forth ALL of the documentation needed, but because of the wind that was blowing you could get deported with no recourse.

I've seen families separated and children left behind. I've seen people come in on skilled worker visas and get their visas in no time flat. I've seen a pretty broad spectrum of this life and I don't think that it's paid attention to nearly enough in mainstream English media (I see it on the news all. the. time. in Spanish media) except when laws like SB 1070 get passed and then there the usual players come out the "GET OUT OF MY COUNTRY!!!!!11!!" and the "AMNESTY FOR EVERYONE!" which are two extremes that I think are - for obvious reasons - not really reasonable.

I don't think that everyone should be given a path to citizenship that enters this country illegally, even as I see my family members who are one speeding ticket away from deportation and it makes me feel super guilty. But I also think that it's damn near impossible ,with given laws, to enter into this country legally and have a legitimate chance. The Obama administration has broken records for the deportation of undocumented people and yet still I see complaints about his immigration policy from the right and the immigrants themselves are up in arms about it from the left. How do you win?

How would CE&P reform immigration in the United States? I feel like I have a very myopic view here and I'm interested in hearing the opinions of this group since you guys are all so smart

[basilosaurus]

This is a topic I feel too big to grasp and fix, so I don't bother really formulating thoughts about it. Sorry, it's a good conversation starter, but I can't contribute. I just didn't want to leave you hanging with no responses

[msmerymac]

I'm more in the amnesty camp than the deportation camp, but I also don't feel it's totally fair for those who are in the country, undocumented, to "skip the line" so to say. Perhaps we should have a system where those applying for citizen ship from within the country have a parallel process, but not the same process, as those applying from outside the country.

I do think if you feel you have no better option that to come to this country illegally because your home/country/government SUCK and working for $4 with no legal recourse seems appealing to you, who am I to make you go back?! I think there are a lot of situations in which people wouldn't qualify for refugee status (I know the US has to officially "recognize" a country or region in order for those leaving to qualify as refugees), but that have really appalling conditions in their home countries.

I've always thought that the way to "solve" the issue was to improve conditions in the countries where most of the undocumented workers come from - to make it not as appealing to come to the US. Or, you know, allow the US to go to hell in a handbasket. Either way. The latter is probably easier.

[Michelle]

We need to overhaul our whole immigration process. We set up visas with specific criteria and then through rule making and regulations make all kinds of exceptions behind the scenes. Then depending on which congressman or senator has his panties in a twist we increase enforcement on one type but not another. The rules for complying with U.S. Immigration laws and regulations change regularly and are very difficult and complex to keep up with.

I also don't think it makes sense to give blanket amnesty. What are you telling other people who want to come in illegally, and moreover what are you telling those who sit in the same job for 12 years on a visa waiting for their PERM visa to come in? Doing it all the right way?

As for youths with no work authorization option because they were brought as children, I support the Dream Act. It is unreasonable to expect a child to go live in another country where they will have no concept of how to live and make their way. And we have spent money in our school systems training them - why not train them and give them hope for opportunity? Why do we think drop-out rates are so high in some areas - many of those kids know they can't get a job better than some under-the-table-cash paying job. If kids brought over illegally are willing to pursue studies in areas where we have worker shortages, I say give them a path to citizenship that way. It is just as merit-worthy as entering the military. If they aren't, then we need to see what their impact is on existing citizens.

there IS a point where we can't keep taking people in, which is why there are visa limits in the first place. But the whole system is mired in bureaucrazy.

[Deleted]

Its an international problem, from what I can see there are few (no?) countries that handle this well. Temporary protection visas have been suggested for Aust, but I really don't understand how it all works. All I know is towing boats back out like they have in Italy and NZ is not the answer.