News coverage re: immigration bothering you too?

[astronaut 3]

Watching the news lately, it's amazing how often CNN especially is talking about illegal immigration. Of course they're focusing on the mexico border and primarily those originating from Mexico, or Chinese arriving in Mexico and crossing illegally through the border.

What I don't understand is why don't they ever take a look at the red tape in the process for legal immigration? I'm not the only one who has talked to a State congressmen's office who are helpful, yet explain that situations like ours are "not on the radar" of politicians. Just ticks me off.

Had this crazy thought last night. It would have been easier on our family here in Canada if I as a US citizen would have divorced my Canadian spouse and got him a K1 visa, rather than the wait and extensive travel for a 5 minute interview in Montreal. Interviews that are taking longer and longer to book from what I'm reading.

As a US citizen I'm just ticked that this whole thing is happening. My parents watch admitted illegal aliens working in a restaurant they're eating at, while their US citizen child and 2 US citizen grandkids wait so long for a Canadian spouse to be processed. Nearly every aspect of life is up in the air thanks to the US govt.

Why doesn't the media cover the red tape of the legal immigration process?

[Dream'nJordan 9]

Wow! Enough said! You just said a mouth full! Everything you said is so true! I really wish there was something we could do about all of this!

[sachinky 465]

Oh God, my husband has to change the channel everytime CNN comes on, I get so angry, it makes my blood boil.

I'm a legal immigrant. I'm brown-skinned. I support the Arizona law SB 1070.

[AdamW 2]

As a US citizen I'm just ticked that this whole thing is happening. My parents watch admitted illegal aliens working in a restaurant they're eating at, while their US citizen child and 2 US citizen grandkids wait so long for a Canadian spouse to be processed. Nearly every aspect of life is up in the air thanks to the US govt.

Why doesn't the media cover the red tape of the legal immigration process?

About 10 minutes before I read your post, I had written a letter to my Senator (John Cornyn, TX) expressing this very thing. It is disgusting how citizens are treated in this process, not to mention the ones that are stuck in another country waiting. I am very disgusted at the process and how it is going. My wife is educated (pharmacist)and I make $250 K a year and yet I have to prove to the government that she is not going to be on welfare. I can understand the security part, yet it comes to a point where we have to say enough. I don't really know what the answer is, but I have offered my senator my story to use as an example of why so many people are fed up with the immigration process. Thanks for you post and I am sorry for what you are going through. I am lucky as I am able to live with my wife in Thailand due to where I work.

[jennleah72 0]

I rant about this daily to my husband, personally I can see why people dont bother/cant afford to do it legally! I think he's tired of hearing about it from me

[Rob and Jill 82]

Why don't they talk about the LEGAL immigrants?

Why would they? It's not BIG news to them. It's not "worthy" of a news story because there are not protests going on about immigration in general, just ILLEGAL immigration.

I never really thought about immigration, legal or illegal, until I started this process. I can assure you of this. If Obama lets all of the illegal aliens in this country stay without fining them or something, I swear on every breath I have left in my body, I am going to send the White House a bill for the immigration pays WE had to pay.

Legal immigration is punished while illegal immigration is rewarded. I have to tell you, it even annoys me here to see people advise others "Oh it doesn't matter if you got married and overstayed, just file your AOS."

It SHOULD matter. That is just as illegal as someone walking across a border.

Oh, shutting up now before I go off for hours.

[astronaut 3]

Just reading your posts is helpful...knowing we're not the only ones going through this!

[Always+Forever 7]

I agree...there are thousands of us going through this horrific process and they don't care about out feelings. For example, we were told that our case was returned from Morocco after being denied (for calling me his lasting love too early ) on June 14...the case still has not left Morocco, but they continue to tell us that it has and to wait a few more weeks. I feel blessed that our Senator (Wyden, OR) is so hands on with our case...his office rep calls and emails multiple times a week to fight our case. But others have the politicians that say "there is nothing we can do". And its #######. I think the part that scares everyone about protesting (me included...i will admit it) is that we will get blacklisted or something and never have a chance of ever getting the visa. And its true how noone knows about the immigration process...they have no clue how complicated it is. Hoping the class action suit out of Oregon helps, but i'm not holding my breath. Hope everyone is have smooth jounreys...and for those on the rough side with me, atleast we have eachother on here to lean on

Monica

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWyG39k_0Jg&feature=player_embedded

[Flames9_RN 358]

Personally could care less about illegals. Doesn't bother me that they are here. I sleep great every night knowing I came here legally, and not worried about the police picking me up and deporting me, of course there are some days i wish they would deport me back to Canada,lol

Edited August 5, 2010 by Flames9_RN

[Hugglebuggles 60]

Personally could care less about illegals. Doesn't bother me that they are here. I sleep great every night knowing I came here legally, and not worried about the police picking me up and deporting me, of course there are some days i wish they would deport me back to Canada,lol

Couldn't have said it better myself Flames

Honestly, It doesn't bother me. I don't really care what others decide to do with their lives. It's not like life as an illegal alien is easy, it's a hard road, and why someone would chose to go down that road really boggles my mind.

I went through the legal process and it certainly wasn't quick and easy, but it also wasn't the hardest thing I have been through in my life. It was 7 months of a little extra stress and some added inconvenience. It wasn't cheap but it didn't break the bank. I guess when all is said and done you can look back with some extra hindsight.

[ashenflowers 5]

Frankly for us, immigration DID break our banks, and I am sick of people back home wondering WHY we spent so much money on it, and WHY it took so long to get everything processed, and WHY we didn't just move and marry like most apparently think we can. What bothers me is that people don't understand the legal process, and think that you CAN just move over here and stay and it's legal. It's NOT. And I also hate that there's this underlying assumption that just because you're an immigrant then you must be here illegally. That's not the case either.

[astronaut 3]

I think people assume that it's quick and easy to marry and move to the US because not that long ago it used to be that way. So much has changed in the last 12 years since my husband got his permanent residency in 1995. We called our senator, who put us in touch with a border crossing, who told us which forms to fill out and medical exam to take, RCMP finger prints, and 2 days after we married in Canada we crossed the border with a big welcome to my hubby...stamped papers for him to work, AP and all right on the spot! Sad that we didn't know what it would have been like at this point in our lives. Maybe we would have stayed longer in the states, got his US Citizenship, and then moved back to Canada for a couple of years to take care of his aging parents.

This is putting a financial strain on us, and the earlier comment of 7 months to process...that must have been for the K1. We're doing the CR1 which is longer.

[Danu 19]

My process took like 10 months to do, and while we aren't completely broke, it was a huge amount to deal with right at the beginning, especially adding in moving across the whole country. I do get a bit upset with the whole illegal thing. I have a few friends down here who are latino and immigrated legally and they are for the legislation in AZ as well. It actually makes me more upset that LA is putting all these stupid meaningless boycotts in place that people are just getting pardons for anyway so that business can be done in AZ. The area I live in has a big immigrant issue over all, not just with people of a latin decent. I don't think its fair I had to go through so much ####### (and some of my fellow people like ashen or kim who are getting screwed at every step) to be with the one I love while these other people have come in and stayed in a manner that isnt legal.

[warlord 73]

What I hate is people are all up in arms about the whold needing to prove you are legal and that's what the illegals are screaming about. From what I remember when I was on my GC, I had to carry that around with me at all times in case I needed to show it to any authority. What is so different then the Arizona Law? I never complained about it and I would have gladly shown it to any officer if asked (and was under the assumption that I could have been asked).

Nothing wrong with asking people if they are here legally after all this isn't a refugee camp for people who want better jobs. If they do, then suffer through the damn process like we had to. Wait and wait, go through interviews, different statuses etc. If I would haven't known all I had to do was cut a hole through a fence and walk through then I probably should have done that and then screamed and cried out how unfair it is that I can't be catered to hand and foot while I'm here illegally...

[lgg 2]

lol!

Hilarious, Flames. I'll deport you back to Canada!

I'm heading back at the end of the month to spend a week up at Lake Simcoe at a cottage. Cannot wait!

Personally could care less about illegals. Doesn't bother me that they are here. I sleep great every night knowing I came here legally, and not worried about the police picking me up and deporting me, of course there are some days i wish they would deport me back to Canada,lol