What Part of Illegal Don't You Understand?

[peejay 327]

more illegals..

and one is a pervert...he has a teeshirt..saying "i got wood..."

note to self: get one of those

As our good amigo Pedroh always says..."How do you know they are illegals? Do they look illegal?"

(Maybe the Quebec driver's licenses and the fact that they speak only French is the dead give-a-way.)

The English language T-shirt is just a disguise to confuse ICE.

[SMOKE 1,426]

I, myself, just love haters, that is all. Not even going to weigh in on this debate. I will start and stop only by saying I love people who hate!!!

just a reminder raspect

[almaty 19]

more illegals..

and one is a pervert...he has a teeshirt..saying "i got wood..."

note to self: get one of those

As our good amigo Pedroh always says..."How do you know they are illegals? Do they look illegal?"

(Maybe the Quebec driver's licenses and the fact that they speak only French is the dead give-a-way.)

The English language T-shirt is just a disguise to confuse ICE.

lol..at that tee shirt comment..that was good

[Gaby&Talbert 1]

I know I've come a bit late to this thread, but couldn't help but wonder if any of you have ever met an illegal imigrant and had a conversation with them and gotten to know why they are here and what their life is like.

I have, and I have some real sympathy for them. There are plenty of them here in Miami. Even if they imigrated for the wrong reasons, many of them feel they can't go back for whatever reason and they would like to be legal in a place they call home. I actually know a few who have a SSN and pay their taxes, but don't have valid paperwork anymore. Many places that hire illegals only require that they have a SSN, they don't check the papers... So, they do pay into the system mostly with hope that if they do, the laws will eventually change and if they can prove they haven't been delinquent they will be allowed to change their status. I say a large part of the fault is letting people work without papers with a SSN on file and not tracking them down by the use of that SSN... Most illegals I know actually pay taxes on their paychecks, it's just that the employers don't check for work papers

It's a large problem, and it will be interesting to see what happens. I'm just glad I'm trying to get my habbibi (fiance) here legally

My wife and I also have met many immigrants without permission and yes they all work hard and are here to provide for their families. They are not against paying taxes and the ones that can pay do. They understand they broke a law but what is the alternative for them back home? They would be extremely poor and their children would have no opportunities. I know many American feel this is no excuse and we should deport them all but we don't agree. There has to be some middle ground.

[britty 1]

Interesting that the "illegal haters" here have yet to take on the forum members who themselves are "illegal," that is, they have overstayed and are therefore here illegally and breaking the law, but are adjusting status by virtue of marriage to an American citizen. Why haven't you lashed out at their partners who post here looking for advice? I don't advocate this approach, but I don't understand why you unleash your fury only on hypothetical groups of people rather than actual individuals.

I get it, you hate people who come here illegally and blame them for all sorts of social ills. Many of you think they should be rounded up and sent home immediately. That's not the issue I was trying to address. I still think we should remember that they're people. Should we start calling all convicts "illegals"? How about people who don't pay their taxes? Or people who run through a red light? Who drop litter on the street instead of putting it in a garbage can? Why have we separated out this one group of people who are breaking a law and decided that they should be labeled "illegals"? There are plenty of people out there (really, just about everyone) who have done things that are illegal, some of which to me seem far more serious, and nobody is reducing their entire personhood to the one single word.

Oh come on - did you actually read what you posted here? We will call convicts, "convicts" (funnily enough), people who don't pay their taxes are "tax dodgers" or "criminals" (you choose your favourite word there). People who run red lights are "w*nkers", and people who throw litter on the street are "litterbugs". If people are here illegally and doing the aforementioned things, we just put the word "illegal" in front of the other words. Simple.

[SMOKE 1,426]

I know I've come a bit late to this thread, but couldn't help but wonder if any of you have ever met an illegal imigrant and had a conversation with them and gotten to know why they are here and what their life is like.

I have, and I have some real sympathy for them. There are plenty of them here in Miami. Even if they imigrated for the wrong reasons, many of them feel they can't go back for whatever reason and they would like to be legal in a place they call home. I actually know a few who have a SSN and pay their taxes, but don't have valid paperwork anymore. Many places that hire illegals only require that they have a SSN, they don't check the papers... So, they do pay into the system mostly with hope that if they do, the laws will eventually change and if they can prove they haven't been delinquent they will be allowed to change their status. I say a large part of the fault is letting people work without papers with a SSN on file and not tracking them down by the use of that SSN... Most illegals I know actually pay taxes on their paychecks, it's just that the employers don't check for work papers

It's a large problem, and it will be interesting to see what happens. I'm just glad I'm trying to get my habbibi (fiance) here legally

My wife and I also have met many immigrants without permission and yes they all work hard and are here to provide for their families. They are not against paying taxes and the ones that can pay do. They understand they broke a law but what is the alternative for them back home? They would be extremely poor and their children would have no opportunities. I know many American feel this is no excuse and we should deport them all but we don't agree. There has to be some middle ground.

there is middle ground. DO IT THE RIGHT WAY! get a visa! and don't expect the US taxpayers to support the worlds poor.

[isleta521 5]

Interesting that the "illegal haters" here have yet to take on the forum members who themselves are "illegal," that is, they have overstayed and are therefore here illegally and breaking the law, but are adjusting status by virtue of marriage to an American citizen. Why haven't you lashed out at their partners who post here looking for advice? I don't advocate this approach, but I don't understand why you unleash your fury only on hypothetical groups of people rather than actual individuals.

Your absolutely right. So tonight when we go to bed, Im going to break out the handcuffs to remind my wife what would happen if we do not file for lifting conditions on perm. residency.

[NavarreMan 10]

Interesting that the "illegal haters" here have yet to take on the forum members who themselves are "illegal," that is, they have overstayed and are therefore here illegally and breaking the law, but are adjusting status by virtue of marriage to an American citizen. Why haven't you lashed out at their partners who post here looking for advice? I don't advocate this approach, but I don't understand why you unleash your fury only on hypothetical groups of people rather than actual individuals.

I get it, you hate people who come here illegally and blame them for all sorts of social ills. Many of you think they should be rounded up and sent home immediately. That's not the issue I was trying to address. I still think we should remember that they're people. Should we start calling all convicts "illegals"? How about people who don't pay their taxes? Or people who run through a red light? Who drop litter on the street instead of putting it in a garbage can? Why have we separated out this one group of people who are breaking a law and decided that they should be labeled "illegals"? There are plenty of people out there (really, just about everyone) who have done things that are illegal, some of which to me seem far more serious, and nobody is reducing their entire personhood to the one single word.

Oh come on - did you actually read what you posted here? We will call convicts, "convicts" (funnily enough), people who don't pay their taxes are "tax dodgers" or "criminals" (you choose your favourite word there). People who run red lights are "w*nkers", and people who throw litter on the street are "litterbugs". If people are here illegally and doing the aforementioned things, we just put the word "illegal" in front of the other words. Simple.

I'll bite...

I really had not paid any attention nor searched for people who were on this site gathering information to alter their illegal status. As for the use of the word "illegal" I'll side with Britty. What do you want to call them? Unlawfuls? Gate crashers? Line cutters? People Formerly Known as Illegal Aliens? I think it is a moot issue.

Are we offsetting the illegality of their infractions by assigning a word to them? What really is your point? Is this a PC issue or are you actually concerned with whether or not our laws are enforced?

I have ardently supported the idea that if you do not like a law, fight to have it changed. If there is a law that should exist but does not, fight to create it. But at all times, obey the laws. That is one of the wonderful things about our country. We have the right to create and control our lives. “…and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” We do this by making rules and following rules and PUNISHING IF WARRANTED, THOSE WHO CHOOSE NOT TO FOLLOW THE RULES.

[Marc and Olga 0]

Interesting that the "illegal haters" here have yet to take on the forum members who themselves are "illegal," that is, they have overstayed and are therefore here illegally and breaking the law, but are adjusting status by virtue of marriage to an American citizen. Why haven't you lashed out at their partners who post here looking for advice? I don't advocate this approach, but I don't understand why you unleash your fury only on hypothetical groups of people rather than actual individuals.

Even though I touched on this earlier in this thread, I will write it specifically to you NOW.

As long as you have the NOA for the AOS paperwork, the status is not considered illegal, despite the out of status on the visa...

My wife was taking a free English class (the school is funded in part with state funds), last year one of the issuse Arizona voted on was should those who cannot prove legal status in the US be allowed to partake in state funded programs...Arizona said NO!

[NavarreMan 10]

Interesting that the "illegal haters" here have yet to take on the forum members who themselves are "illegal," that is, they have overstayed and are therefore here illegally and breaking the law, but are adjusting status by virtue of marriage to an American citizen. Why haven't you lashed out at their partners who post here looking for advice? I don't advocate this approach, but I don't understand why you unleash your fury only on hypothetical groups of people rather than actual individuals.

Your absolutely right. So tonight when we go to bed, Im going to break out the handcuffs to remind my wife what would happen if we do not file for lifting conditions on perm. residency.

PHOTOS PLEASE!!! LOL

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

there is middle ground. DO IT THE RIGHT WAY! get a visa! and don't expect the US taxpayers to support the worlds poor.

That's hilarious. The US government and by extension taxpayer keeps plenty of the world in poverty, not the other way around.

Lots of people left my county looking for a better life, and went to America. They worked hard and were welcomed becuase the country needed the labour. These days I can't just get on a boat and show up. So I don't. But I know that if I lived in the poverty that my ancestors grew up in, I would be on a boat to somewhere better, the second I could. It would just be my bad luck that I decide to do so after the land grab is over, and the people who got there first don't want anyone else to come and ruin the party.

And by the way, I wouldn't be ruining the party. Most illegal immigrants pay taxes, but cannot recieve the benefits that they bring becasue of their lack of status.

Edited October 29, 2007 by Poiteen

[NavarreMan 10]

I know I've come a bit late to this thread, but couldn't help but wonder if any of you have ever met an illegal imigrant and had a conversation with them and gotten to know why they are here and what their life is like.

I have, and I have some real sympathy for them. There are plenty of them here in Miami. Even if they imigrated for the wrong reasons, many of them feel they can't go back for whatever reason and they would like to be legal in a place they call home. I actually know a few who have a SSN and pay their taxes, but don't have valid paperwork anymore. Many places that hire illegals only require that they have a SSN, they don't check the papers... So, they do pay into the system mostly with hope that if they do, the laws will eventually change and if they can prove they haven't been delinquent they will be allowed to change their status. I say a large part of the fault is letting people work without papers with a SSN on file and not tracking them down by the use of that SSN... Most illegals I know actually pay taxes on their paychecks, it's just that the employers don't check for work papers

It's a large problem, and it will be interesting to see what happens. I'm just glad I'm trying to get my habbibi (fiance) here legally

My wife and I also have met many immigrants without permission and yes they all work hard and are here to provide for their families. They are not against paying taxes and the ones that can pay do. They understand they broke a law but what is the alternative for them back home? They would be extremely poor and their children would have no opportunities. I know many American feel this is no excuse and we should deport them all but we don't agree. There has to be some middle ground.

[Gaby&Talbert 1]

there is middle ground. DO IT THE RIGHT WAY! get a visa! and don't expect the US taxpayers to support the worlds poor.

That's hilarious. The US government and by extension taxpayer keeps plenty of the world in poverty, not the other way around.

Lots of people left my county looking for a better life, and went to America. They worked hard and were welcomed becuase the country needed the labour. These days I can't just get on a boat and show up. So I don't. But I know that if I lived in the poverty that my ancestors grew up in, I would be on a boat to somewhere better, the second I could. It would just be my bad luck that I decide to do so after the land grab is over, and the people who got there first don't want anyone else to come and ruin the party.

And by the way, I wouldn't be ruining the party. Most illegal immigrants pay taxes, but cannot recieve the benefits that they bring becasue of their lack of status.

If the US economy went in the toilet and Mexico had all the work I would be cramming spanish and packing my family up. I will go where I must to support my family. I would follow the legal path if possible but if my only way for my family to survive was to go through he dessert then I would.

[isleta521 5]

there is middle ground. DO IT THE RIGHT WAY! get a visa! and don't expect the US taxpayers to support the worlds poor.

That's hilarious. The US government and by extension taxpayer keeps plenty of the world in poverty, not the other way around.

Lots of people left my county looking for a better life, and went to America. They worked hard and were welcomed becuase the country needed the labour. These days I can't just get on a boat and show up. So I don't. But I know that if I lived in the poverty that my ancestors grew up in, I would be on a boat to somewhere better, the second I could. It would just be my bad luck that I decide to do so after the land grab is over, and the people who got there first don't want anyone else to come and ruin the party.

And by the way, I wouldn't be ruining the party. Most illegal immigrants pay taxes, but cannot recieve the benefits that they bring becasue of their lack of status.

If the US economy went in the toilet and Mexico had all the work I would be cramming spanish and packing my family up. I will go where I must to support my family. I would follow the legal path if possible but if my only way for my family to survive was to go through he dessert then I would.

If you did that illegaly, and got caught, you would more than likely spend mandatory jail time in Mexico and a jail in Mexico is not anything as nice as a US prison.

[britty 1]

Your home is here because you established residency here. My home is here because I did the same. To stay within my analogy, we both applied for a lease, were approved and entered into it. That lease is what makes this legitimately your home and mine. Had we not applied for and been granted the lease, such claim would be questionable. But don't take my word for it. Just move into the nicest house in your neighborhood without the landlord's approval and see what happens...

Well, for sake of the analogy, in the UK at least there is such a thing as 'squatter's rights'. But anyway. My argument is more emotional, I suppose. The legality of my move didn't make the US anymore my home. The fact that I have been and continue to set down roots did. Having a marriage certificate doesn't make me love my wife more.

Squatters Rights should be abolished immediately. I hate those freeloading, wastes of space. So many decent people in the UK have to suffer squatters breaking and entering, and then claiming squatters rights. Oh they make my blood boil !!!