K-1's Treated as Criminals While Illegals Live and Love

[irishgirl73 0]

LOL, that's what I meant.

I know

[Caladan 19]

You know, it's frustrating. But I, as an American, and my soon-to-be fiancé, have never had to cross a desert to try to be together, and we have to wait, what, about as long as it takes to plan a church wedding?

It sucks, but this smacks of middle school, and being mad because the bad kid got a cookie and you got a cookie, too, and you did your homework and being pissed at the world that no one gave them a cookie. There is no option for 99.9% of illegal immigrants; their choices are stay in Mexico in poverty, or migrate illegally. Illegal immigration is a huge problem, but let's face it, someone making $3 a day doesn't have a better life than me and my boyfriend.

If there were no K-1 option and our options were be apart forever or sneak across a border, I dare say we'd sneak, too. It's unfair, but so's life.

[zethris 0]

What part of this do you consider being treated like a criminal?

With the passage of IMBRA, K-1 applicants are now selectively singled out as presumptively guilty as abusers until declared and proven innocent by even more background checks.

Got a multiple name match? Welcome to AR.

That is being treated like a criminal in the name of social engineering.

The point of the thread however is that we are a drop in the bucket compared to the tsunami of illegal immigrants. To subject us to unending (and increasing) scrutiny, when viewed in the context of the big picture, must make a reasonable person shake their head in disbelief.

here here!

That pisses me off with this country.Why are people who legally come over treated like shite while illegals get what they want. How would these politicans like it if they were forced to live on one wage for 6 months, their whole lives been scrutinsed. Mr bush has alot to answer for but does he care.Hell no as long as the iraqi war is going on.Well bring on 2008 when we will hopefully see a new U.S.A

I wouldn't expect things to get BETTER from your perspective with a democrat in the White House...quite the contrary my friend!

also here here!

While I am not democrat or republican. I know the Democrat agenda, especialy the liberal agenda, does not include "rights" for pending immigrants, nor their petitioners. Frankly, the republican agenda, because there isn't really one other than to find cheap labor (obviously because of it's current actions with 13 million cheap labor workers as apposed to a few hundred thousand incoming legaly this year) is a bit more friendly to incoming aliens who are to be naturalized, while the democratic party is concerned more with internal "civil rights" and such.

[zethris 0]

Anyone who thinks that the majority illegals are living the life of Reilley while legal immigrants suffer is living in la-la land, frankly.

And despite the fact that I'm currently in IMBRA limbo, I'd still rather be in the position I'm in right now than to be in the US illegally struggling to support a family, living with the fear of deportation. Most people are illegals out of economic desperation, and to complain that they have it so good while we who are 'doing it right' suffer is very shortsighted. The whole system is screwed up, and if by some miracle Congress manages to come up with a workable system to issue guest worker visas, I'll be happy for those people rather than complain that they haven't fixed my problem first. All immigrants are in this mess together.

There is a reason why I had to move to the east coast away from the mexican boarder. It is because most are making a true MINT off of having multiple people in a household working and undercutting applicants for regular paying jobs by bidding 43-$5/hr lower than the job should pay to ensure getting the job. Their apearance is because of the work they do, and the lifestyle they are used to. However, get 4 or 5 in one apartment or house working at $5-$8/hr and combine income, you have a household making almost $70,000/yr.

I ran into this all over California and Las Vegas. I am chef, and had been through over 12 jobs in 1 year due to being let go for someone who was willing to work for much less like that. I alone cannot do that. I need to be paid what the job is worth $13-15, not $7-9. Living expenses are too high on the west side to support oneself on that. Prior to that I did other manual labor and listened to how they do. How they have enough money to live like they want to, and even send some home.

So yes the system is screwed up. But the lifestyle they choose to live is not because of lack of money due to low pay or fear of deportation (if that was the case, then so many wouldn't have been so bold as to do multiple potests, besides they know then can come right back if that happened because now they have the money to do it over and over again) it is because this is what they know, and this is their comfort level.

So my friend, unfortunatly here the short sightedness also happens to pertain to your view as it does go a bit further than what you have been lead to believe. Yes, years ago back in the 70's when undocumented workers became more of an industry than a once in a while occurance, they were poor. They worked individualy for pennies. They didn't have enough experience yet to know that they can work together in groups to live very well (as they see living well is).

[evansfan 0]

What part of this do you consider being treated like a criminal?

With the passage of IMBRA, K-1 applicants are now selectively singled out as presumptively guilty as abusers until declared and proven innocent by even more background checks.

Got a multiple name match? Welcome to AR.

That is being treated like a criminal in the name of social engineering.

The point of the thread however is that we are a drop in the bucket compared to the tsunami of illegal immigrants. To subject us to unending (and increasing) scrutiny, when viewed in the context of the big picture, must make a reasonable person shake their head in disbelief.

here here!

That pisses me off with this country.Why are people who legally come over treated like shite while illegals get what they want. How would these politicans like it if they were forced to live on one wage for 6 months, their whole lives been scrutinsed. Mr bush has alot to answer for but does he care.Hell no as long as the iraqi war is going on.Well bring on 2008 when we will hopefully see a new U.S.A

I wouldn't expect things to get BETTER from your perspective with a democrat in the White House...quite the contrary my friend!

also here here!

While I am not democrat or republican. I know the Democrat agenda, especialy the liberal agenda, does not include "rights" for pending immigrants, nor their petitioners. Frankly, the republican agenda, because there isn't really one other than to find cheap labor (obviously because of it's current actions with 13 million cheap labor workers as apposed to a few hundred thousand incoming legaly this year) is a bit more friendly to incoming aliens who are to be naturalized, while the democratic party is concerned more with internal "civil rights" and such.

and civil rights became a bad thing when

[zethris 0]

ILLEGAL IS ILLEGAL. It really annoys me that ILLEGALS can get jobs-but because my man is coming here legally(as galwayman said) he can't work for 3 months. When he CAN work there may not be jobs because ILLEGALS will do the work for 1/2 the rate.

I am sorry but that really aggrivates the sh*t out of me

I've yet to meet anyone who couldn't get a skilled labor job because an illegal took it. I doubt that your man would want to slaughter cattle or pull weeds in a field. As "W" has said, they do jobs that americans won't do.

Well meet me. I am a chef who has been replaced more than I care to say by these individuals for exactly the above reason. Guess what we do? We butcher cattle (as do many legal American's in the slaughter process). We use produce from farms that are run by legal Americans (of all races) all over the country. Sometimes they use cheap labor, but it's not because "they do jobs that American's won't do". That line of thinking is a disaster.

Total and utter bull #######.

What part of this do you consider being treated like a criminal?

With the passage of IMBRA, K-1 applicants are now selectively singled out as presumptively guilty as abusers until declared and proven innocent by even more background checks.

Got a multiple name match? Welcome to AR.

That is being treated like a criminal in the name of social engineering.

The point of the thread however is that we are a drop in the bucket compared to the tsunami of illegal immigrants. To subject us to unending (and increasing) scrutiny, when viewed in the context of the big picture, must make a reasonable person shake their head in disbelief.

here here!

That pisses me off with this country.Why are people who legally come over treated like shite while illegals get what they want. How would these politicans like it if they were forced to live on one wage for 6 months, their whole lives been scrutinsed. Mr bush has alot to answer for but does he care.Hell no as long as the iraqi war is going on.Well bring on 2008 when we will hopefully see a new U.S.A

I wouldn't expect things to get BETTER from your perspective with a democrat in the White House...quite the contrary my friend!

also here here!

While I am not democrat or republican. I know the Democrat agenda, especialy the liberal agenda, does not include "rights" for pending immigrants, nor their petitioners. Frankly, the republican agenda, because there isn't really one other than to find cheap labor (obviously because of it's current actions with 13 million cheap labor workers as apposed to a few hundred thousand incoming legaly this year) is a bit more friendly to incoming aliens who are to be naturalized, while the democratic party is concerned more with internal "civil rights" and such.

and civil rights became a bad thing when

When it's nothing more than selfishness and lazyness in the disguise of such rights.

When he CAN work there may not be jobs because ILLEGALS will do the work for 1/2 the rate.

I am sorry but that really aggrivates the sh*t out of me

It aggravates the sh*t out of me too-- but I'm aggravated at the dirtbag employers willing to exploit illegal workers for their own profit, not at the workers. One such employer was very open about that in the NY Times a few weeks ago. He said he preferred to employ illegals because they worked harder for less money and didn't complain about the lack of benefits lest he call and have them deported.

Yep, and it's because of the general consensus of the attitude toward their bottom line that is being exploited by these illegal's at the expense of many legal citizens ability to gain entry level, labor intensive work at a living wage.

When he CAN work there may not be jobs because ILLEGALS will do the work for 1/2 the rate.

I am sorry but that really aggrivates the sh*t out of me

It aggravates the sh*t out of me too-- but I'm aggravated at the dirtbag employers willing to exploit illegal workers for their own profit, not at the workers. One such employer was very open about that in the NY Times a few weeks ago. He said he preferred to employ illegals because they worked harder for less money and didn't complain about the lack of benefits lest he call and have them deported.

I place much of the blame on our gov't and those employers-believe me

as for the work thing-it isn't just jobs like that..................it is now construction jobs, landscaping-my brother is a union plumber & he says that people are willing to work for next to nothing. Great if that is what they need to do-but what about the guys that need to feed their families-but can't because they are now out of work?

again-it isn't only the illegals. there are a lot of people to blame

Yes and I feel like they are chasing me too. They are getting into the IT industry as more and more are able to speak english and/or are able to handle the 13 million possible customers on a spanish speaking line. They are getting more and more into the culinary industry beyond the stereotypical dish washer. They are eating up entry level jobs left and right, and even for those out of college with a degree (myself in both Computer Science and Culinary Arts) we can barely find a job because the business would rather hire the cheaper labor.

You know, it's frustrating. But I, as an American, and my soon-to-be fiancé, have never had to cross a desert to try to be together, and we have to wait, what, about as long as it takes to plan a church wedding?

It sucks, but this smacks of middle school, and being mad because the bad kid got a cookie and you got a cookie, too, and you did your homework and being pissed at the world that no one gave them a cookie. There is no option for 99.9% of illegal immigrants; their choices are stay in Mexico in poverty, or migrate illegally. Illegal immigration is a huge problem, but let's face it, someone making $3 a day doesn't have a better life than me and my boyfriend.

If there were no K-1 option and our options were be apart forever or sneak across a border, I dare say we'd sneak, too. It's unfair, but so's life.

Your stereotype is atypical of the majority unfortunatly. These people aren't making $3/day. That hasn't been the case for years. No, they wont work for so little and have banded together to ensure that is the case. Many work for minimum wage or just under, but hourly. While others work for $3-4 less per hour than the job normaly pays and the business takes them on. Far be it for me to bid that much less than the job normaly pays, because then that must mean there is something wrong with me. But if a mexcian does it, well those guys will do great to the bottom line nothing could be wrong with them "thats normal".

[Keith & Xiang 0]

Well let's see, we have people coming to work in the United States to work jobs that the average born and raised American won't work. We have people coming to work in the United States because we don't have the "talent" or the "knowledge" for the job. Hmmmm, is it that we won't work the jobs or that we don't have the skills and knowledge to perform the other jobs, I think that it boils down to one thing and one thing only, corporate greed!!!

I don't blame anyone at all for wanting a better life, we all want that! I blame corporate America for selling out people, not just American people but people from all countries, all races, all religions. Think about the patrolium industry, yes people, it's a monopoly where they set the prices, the rules, the standards. Now think about corporate U.S., same thing applies, exploiting the people, no matter where they're from.

Just my thought, please don't blame people for wanting a better life.

[zethris 0]

Well let's see, we have people coming to work in the United States to work jobs that the average born and raised American won't work. We have people coming to work in the United States because we don't have the "talent" or the "knowledge" for the job. Hmmmm, is it that we won't work the jobs or that we don't have the skills and knowledge to perform the other jobs, I think that it boils down to one thing and one thing only, corporate greed!!!

I don't blame anyone at all for wanting a better life, we all want that! I blame corporate America for selling out people, not just American people but people from all countries, all races, all religions. Think about the patrolium industry, yes people, it's a monopoly where they set the prices, the rules, the standards. Now think about corporate U.S., same thing applies, exploiting the people, no matter where they're from.

Just my thought, please don't blame people for wanting a better life.

Absoulutely, it's all about corporate greed. Largely the republican money machine is to blame for that part. It is still good for their bottom line to keep the boarders wide open, and allow a trickle of legal immagrants to come in. Take away that incentive with heavy fines (we are talking $10,000 per month fine per undocumented worker) and that will change very fast.

On the flip side, democrats have no incentive to allow anyone in. In further regards to the "civil rights" comment I made, Civil is the key word. (Of, relating to, or befitting a citizen or citizens) that does not include rights for incoming legal immigrants, and barely any for those that are already here illegaly (they get sympathy points from the emotionaly driven liberal side though, so the line isn't as firmly closed as it is for legal immigrants). No, rights are fought for current citizens of the USA not any others.

The general concensus of the democrat about legal immigrants is: We have too many here taking our jobs already, we don't need any more. But oh, don't you dare ship our jobs overseas when we ask for a ton of money and benefits.

But the gist of this example is, neither party has the right focus to create the reform that is needed to truely cut the red tape, or prevent illegals from coming in. They don't care.

[KarenCee 3]

What part of this do you consider being treated like a criminal?

With the passage of IMBRA, K-1 applicants are now selectively singled out as presumptively guilty as abusers until declared and proven innocent by even more background checks.

Got a multiple name match? Welcome to AR.

That is being treated like a criminal in the name of social engineering.

The point of the thread however is that we are a drop in the bucket compared to the tsunami of illegal immigrants. To subject us to unending (and increasing) scrutiny, when viewed in the context of the big picture, must make a reasonable person shake their head in disbelief.

They don't presume you are guilty. They ask the question and they verify the answer.

Do banks do credit checks for loans because they presume you are a deadbeat? No -- they want to verify you are creditworthy.

Did the military investigate me for a security clearance because they thought I was a criminal? No -- they wanted to verify I was trustworthy.

I'm not saying that I agree with IMBRA. Actually, I think it's a knee-jerk reaction to ineffectively address a problem that can't be solved by screening applicants. I think applicants will be subjected to more red tape and waiting with little effect on the original problem but, I don't think they are being treated like criminals.

I have to heartily agree with John here. Joel and I went through a good bit of separation to do things the legal way and at least we won't have to live in fear that Joel will be deported for being here illegally. I can see how IMBRA is frustrating...but I don't see it as a way to make anyone feel like a criminal. I do think it could have been better implemented, heck I think this whole immigration process needs a serious overhaul. I think it's just the USCIS trying to do a good thing...just not going about it the best way possible. Just MHO.

IMBRA might come in handy...ya never know....