What Part of It's An Utter Nightmare to Migrate Legally Don't You Understand?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Despite all the talk about immigration over the past several years, it's clear that many people are still mystified about how the U.S. immigration system works. But if you explain it with pictures maybe people will get it. That's the approach taken by two magazines -Reason and GOOD- who just published new graphics describing the process of immigrating to the U.S. today.

Both show how long it takes to become an American citizen, how many people are trying to do so, what it really means to "get in line," and "why coming illegally might seem like an attractive option."

GOOD's graphic is on a sheet the magazine distributes for free at, of all places, Starbucks coffee shops nationwide. (Click on the image to see it in a large size on their site.)

Good Sheet - Coming to America

Reason presents a flow chart showing how difficult and slow it is to immigrate legally. (Click on the image to go to their site and see it in full size.)

Reason Magazine - What Part of Legal Immigration Don't You Understand

Diego Graglia is a freelance reporter who contributes regularly to American and Latin American publications, including the New York Daily News, and Hora Hispana, a weekly newspaper in Spanish.

http://www.alternet.org/immigration/102157/what_part_of_it%27s_an_utter_nightmare_to_migrate_legally_don%27t_you_understand/

[*JG* 2]

Those are really pretty cool charts. Funny too. Thanks for sharing.

I found it kind of odd what some of the top states were.

[Heracles 417]

The legal immigration system is stuck in the 70's and 80's.

The modern and dynamic points system now used by numerous nations is way to go.

Skilled visas are almost non existent for those who don't have a BA. There are also no visas for those who want to travel and work here, like college kids.

Edited October 9, 2008 by Aficionado

[Heracles 417]

The other thing I absolutely hate is the fact that even those with a BA or higher have to have a job lined up before they can come here. Which is a catch 22 because how many people can secure work from abroad. Why not give people the opportunity to migrate here and then look for work. Much like the k1 visa which gives you x months to get married.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

BTW, Steve, two mistakes in the charts:

• they state "home country", which is ambiguous (it could be translated incorrectly as "country of citizenship"), rather than the more accurate "BIRTH country".
• there is an underlying assumption that the only temporary work visa holdable while in "hurry-up-and-wait" for Green Card (any stage up to approved I-140) is H1-b

As living proof. Edited October 9, 2008 by CherryXS

[Saddle Bronc 124]

The legal immigration system is stuck in the 70's and 80's.

true if you mean 1870's and 1880's; otherwise, it is nowhere past 1960's

The modern and dynamic points system now used by numerous nations is way to go.

I second this one!

[akdiver 3]

Despite all the talk about immigration over the past several years, it's clear that many people are still mystified about how the U.S. immigration system works.

That's because, based on most of the questions I see on VJ, it's because people can't even be bothered to read the instructions. So may of the questions I see on here are incredibly basic and are answered quite readily simply by reading the form instructions and related materials. But no, it seems most people can't be bothered, they just want information spoonfed to them without putting out any more effort than making a post on a forum. Alternatively, they develop some kind of neurosis and get all spastic, and want to make the process a lot harder than it really is. "Oh my god, oh my god - do I really have to send them a copy of my birth certificate? Oh my god, how do I do that? Please help!!" or my personal favourite, "Oh my god, oh my god - I sent my stuff in a week ago and they still have not cashed my check!! Oh my god, oh my god - I need to call my senator's office and get some help!! Oh my god, oh my god."

I don't think pictures will help.

I also don't think that immigrating legally is necessarily an "utter nightmare". We've found it to be a piece of cake. If you have a straight-forward case, with no complications, I don't see how it could be anything but. Sure, agencies drop the ball once in a while and some people get stuck in limbo wondering where their stuff is, but I think that's more the exception than the norm.

Overall, I think there is just a lot of whining going on.

There are also no visas for those who want to travel and work here, like college kids.

Simply not true. I know a couple of young people on travel/work visas. Some of them are even "hard cases" like single young females from countries like Russia and Ukraine. Edited October 9, 2008 by akdiver

[Heracles 417]

There are also no visas for those who want to travel and work here, like college kids.

Simply not true. I know a couple of young people on travel/work visas. Some of them are even "hard cases" like single young females from countries like Russia and Ukraine.

Russians and Ukrainians Probably here illegally.

I have never heard of this visa. Maybe the came here on student visas but there is no such working holiday visa in the US.

I know Americans under the age of 30 can travel to Australia on a working holiday visa for a year.

[akdiver 3]

Nope. The one I most recently have in mind is a unviersity student in Ukraine. Came here on a visa that lets her live and work for something like, 3,4,5 months and then go home. It's the second time she has been here on such a visa.

My understanding is that you can only get them after your 2nd and 3rd year of study. The idea, I guess, is that after only 1 year, you're not "invested" enough in your study to go back, and after the third year, you're too close to being able to get a good job when you come. Odd logic, but that's how it was explained to me anyway.

At any rate - people who find the U.S. immigration system too cumbersome to navigate should feel free to immigrate to any other country with a immigration system they find more to their liking! Try the U.K., or France, or German, or Japan, or China, or Mexico - or anywhere else. If the U.S. system is so awful and horrible, try another one.

Edited October 10, 2008 by akdiver

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Nothing worthwhile is easy.

[peejay 327]

How many times does it have to be said:

Immigration is a privilege...not a right. What part of "privilege" don't the open borders crowd understand? No matter how the illegal alien cheerleaders slice it and dice it...an innertube and midnight don't entitle you to squat.

[akdiver 3]

an innertube and midnight don't entitle you to squat.

I DISAGREE ENTIRELY. I think it entitles you to be shot at until returning to your country of origin.