USA Today: President Donald Trump orders crackdown on 'visa overstays' in latest push against illegal immigration

[Ash.1101 1,756]

8 minutes ago, millefleur said:

In terms of overstayers and other abusers of the system, I'm also going to add that there are cultural differences towards laws. Some cultures see laws as flexible, bendable, not strict and have been brought up in a culture where bending the law to your own benefit is basically a way of life, if not a survival technique. Such people can carry this attitude with them to the US and apply it to our immigration laws. If our government doesn't put any deterrence or punishments in place, people are just going to keep ignoring or bending the law for their own gain. If someone already comes from a culture where laws and law enforcement are not to be trusted and they know people who've adjusted on the wrong visa, there's little we can do to stop this person from carrying out their plans to overstay and/or adjust. 

 

Then there's the political will question here on the US side, people don't want to get into the details of immigration law. It's complicated, it's red tapey, it's boring. People don't want to have a public discussion about what forms are allowed, what visa types, what fees should be in place...it would bore the public to death sadly. I think this is why "building the wall" become such a huge mantra for people who are interested in immigration, because it sounds exciting and solid, it is something people can visualise and imagine it. Imagine a politician going on stage to proceed to discuss matters of the I-864, and this type of visa versus this type, and people on X visa overstay more than this, and blah blah...people would fall alseep I'm afraid. It's a hard topic to get people here in the US to focus on in a way that would be truly productive because paperwork is boring and immigration gets people riled up for emotional reasons.

I think you hit the nail on the head for this. We see so many issues in the immigration system, because we look at the boring side of things. The regular joe doesn't want to read the instructions for a form, and then have a debate on the semantics of what may or may not be required. Building a wall though, you can imagine people at that wall going "Let me in!" and then the good old American Eagle standing on the other side going "I'm here to protect you America!" There's a defined line in the sand when you think of a wall.

But when you tell people that maybe those who we allow into the US on a visa are more likely to come in and overstay and become illegal than those who sneak the border undocumented... nah. That's too much to wrap around. "But if we let them in, wouldn't we know they're illegal? Wouldn't we just send them back?"

Immigration has become a spooky boogeyman riling the people together in some sense of camaraderie. The problem is, those people piling up and screaming for changes are usually those who have no idea what immigration is like. I'm pretty sure everyone thinks my husband is a USC, and those who know he's not are confused as to why we have to do more paperwork.  

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

2 minutes ago, millefleur said:

Same here. I've had conversations with pretty intelligent people who voted for Trump specifically over the immigration issue. When I explained how basically a ton of overstays and other issues are caused by the fact that it's all up to the CBP officer determining intent at the border, they are in disbelief. I imagine that most people assume that the system for VWP and other NIV's is much, much stricter than it really is...and that visas/GC's for spouses and family members is much, much easier than it really is, i.e. you just automatically get citizenship if you marry a USC. There's just so much public ignorance about immigration.

I have tried to explain to people what needs to happen in order to stay here legally for people who are Anti-Trump and you could literally see their eyes start to gloss over when I told them what people needed to do. It was like they liked the fact that anything Trump did immigration wise was bad but didn't care to actually learn about the immigration process. 

[Unidentified 2,930]

15 minutes ago, Boiler said:

You would end up with a forum on VJ discussing how you could push it, what documents you need, what about a Grandparent or an Uncle etc etc. We all are going to die so how close do you need to being terminal.

Usually terminal means you'll die very soon. 

14 minutes ago, Ash.1101 said:

Ah okay I could see that! It would be so rare though, that yeah I think something like that could be a by consideration circumstance. Now if everyones family members started becoming ill during a visit... we have a problem lol.

Would obviously need evidence, documentation from the doctor. 

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

4 minutes ago, Ash.1101 said:

Immigration has become a spooky boogeyman riling the people together in some sense of camaraderie. The problem is, those people piling up and screaming for changes are usually those who have no idea what immigration is like. I'm pretty sure everyone thinks my husband is a USC, and those who know he's not are confused as to why we have to do more paperwork.  

This is what astounds me as well in reality. When you actually sit down and talk to people that shout out that "We need to fix the broken immigration system" and ask them "How can we go about doing that or what ideas do you have in regards to fixing it?". These very same people who just 2 minutes previously were shouting to the rooftops about fixing the broken system are quiet and have no idea what to say. This is because it is just a cliché thing to say all the while the vast majority have no idea what it means, or if they do they want open borders. 

[Crazy Cat 41,985]

9 minutes ago, chi6488 said:

We need to enforce laws on the books

 

Such as?

[Unidentified 2,930]

8 minutes ago, Ash.1101 said:

I think you hit the nail on the head for this. We see so many issues in the immigration system, because we look at the boring side of things. The regular joe doesn't want to read the instructions for a form, and then have a debate on the semantics of what may or may not be required. Building a wall though, you can imagine people at that wall going "Let me in!" and then the good old American Eagle standing on the other side going "I'm here to protect you America!" There's a defined line in the sand when you think of a wall.

But when you tell people that maybe those who we allow into the US on a visa are more likely to come in and overstay and become illegal than those who sneak the border undocumented... nah. That's too much to wrap around. "But if we let them in, wouldn't we know they're illegal? Wouldn't we just send them back?"

Immigration has become a spooky boogeyman riling the people together in some sense of camaraderie. The problem is, those people piling up and screaming for changes are usually those who have no idea what immigration is like. I'm pretty sure everyone thinks my husband is a USC, and those who know he's not are confused as to why we have to do more paperwork.  

Same, my mother-in-law has a hard time understanding that I just got my 10-year green card and that I am now finally eligible to apply for citizenship and that it might take a while. She seems to think that because we have been doing immigration stuff for so many years now with K1, AOS and ROC that they are going to put that time into consideration and approve my citizenship faster  People just don't know and like you guys said, immigration is boring. It's too abstract so the wall makes thinks more "understandable" for them. 

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

I saw something like this today on the Reddit immigration subforum. A guy started a post about how he can get a bank account for his fiancé. When I looked at closer at his profile he was given the path on how to file for his fiancé which is K1 or the CR1 visa. But he said "he got advice from his lawyer" about how the tourist visa was the best choice. So I informed him that he would have to wait until he gets the EAD to get bank account for his now fiancé. 

 

The whole thing was just infuriating. 

[Boiler 45,756]

1 minute ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

I saw something like this today on the Reddit immigration subforum. A guy started a post about how he can get a bank account for his fiancé. When I looked at closer at his profile he was given the path on how to file for his fiancé which is K1 or the CR1 visa. But he said "he got advice from his lawyer" about how the tourist visa was the best choice. So I informed him that he would have to wait until he gets the EAD to get bank account for his now fiancé. 

 

The whole thing was just infuriating. 

I got a Bank Account before EAD.

[Unidentified 2,930]

3 minutes ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

I saw something like this today on the Reddit immigration subforum. A guy started a post about how he can get a bank account for his fiancé. When I looked at closer at his profile he was given the path on how to file for his fiancé which is K1 or the CR1 visa. But he said "he got advice from his lawyer" about how the tourist visa was the best choice. So I informed him that he would have to wait until he gets the EAD to get bank account for his now fiancé. 

 

The whole thing was just infuriating. 

Does he really though? I got a bank account with just an SSN number back when I was an Au Pair. I know some, like Bank of America, is very strict and was really nervous about me not having my green card yet. But Capital One had no issue giving me a bank account with only SSN. 

[Zoeeeeeee 797]

Appreciate the conversation has moved on somewhat...but I will (if all goes according to plan) be entering on a K1 visa and will be getting married in LA...so I guess we’ll see what happens. We will be applying for AOS as soon as we can and we intend to follow all rules, procedures and laws - so I feel fairly confident that I won’t be deported - perhaps I’m being naive? 

[Boiler 45,756]

Just now, Unidentified said:

Does he really though? I got a bank account with just an SSN number back when I was an Au Pair. I know some, like Bank of America, is very strict and was really nervous about me not having my green card yet. But Capital One had no issue giving me a bank account with only SSN. 

You do not need a SSN, many do not qualify for a SSN who are here legally, how do you think the 20 million whatever here illegally bank?

[Boiler 45,756]

2 minutes ago, Zoeeeeeee said:

Appreciate the conversation has moved on somewhat...but I will (if all goes according to plan) be entering on a K1 visa and will be getting married in LA...so I guess we’ll see what happens. We will be applying for AOS as soon as we can and we intend to follow all rules, procedures and laws - so I feel fairly confident that I won’t be deported - perhaps I’m being naive? 

LA is a Sanctuary City.

[Zoeeeeeee 797]

4 minutes ago, Boiler said:

LA is a Sanctuary City.

Having just googled ‘Sanctuary City’, this sounds like a positive from a non-deportation perspective...though I honestly hope it wouldn’t even get close to that, as we will be following the process and not delaying anything within our power.

[Yanirose 64]

I don't agree with Trump nor on many of his policies but I do agree on this... why should some people take short cuts while us legal immigrants have to pay $$$. 

[Unidentified 2,930]

17 minutes ago, Boiler said:

You do not need a SSN, many do not qualify for a SSN who are here legally, how do you think the 20 million whatever here illegally bank?

Just pointing out that banks are different and require/accept different things.