Anger at USCIS and security

[peejay 327]

I've shopped in Lowes. I've shopped in Home Depot. I've not seen ONE single person who was not from this country. To assume that these stores are full of illegals is just poor form, imo. If I worked in Home Depot or Lowes I'd be pretty pissed at a comment like that which assumes that most people who work in one of those stores must be of illegal origin.

Please think before you make comments such as those. Thanks.

The stores themselves are not full of illegals- they hang out outside the store and in the parking lots hoping someone will come along and offer them some work.

My comment was a fact- This is where they are in Louisiana.

Wow, where are the americans looking for work. Typically, if I see an american standing around he is looking for a handout. Maybe we are shipping the wrong group out??

Yep I have to agree, only groups of people I see hanging around on street corners is American's looking for a free hand out.... and the majority of americans dont complain about legal and illegal immigrants they just complain about Immigrants.... when the big rallies were happening last year the press did not list them as ILLEGAL Immigrants they just listed them as immigrants.... To this day I still meet people who belive that if you are married to a USC then you become a citizen automatically.... when I explain to them that NO it does not work like that and explain the process to get from entry to citizenship they are amazed...

I have been told by at least 4 people that I have stolen a job from an American..... sadly there are a lot of people who think just like them... they dont care if you have a greencard or not, you are just another Immigrant to them....

Kez

Working in the oilfield as I do, we get a mix of foreigners from oilfield related countries. I met a Scottish contractor on a drilling rig I was working on here in the USA Gulf of Mexico. He b*tched loudly about all the "damned Pollocks" flooding in to wherever he lived in Scotland and undercutting the locals. It seems not everyone is enamored with being a member of the E.U. I have heard comments about Poles on another occassion from another U.K. citizen that was not so happy to see so many show up there.

As far as illegals go...when 1/6 of the people walking the streets of my city are illegal aliens...that is a huge problem. They are birthing 66% of the children born in our city hospitals. Who pays for this? This is a big problem in many parts of the SW USA. This is insane. How can this be good for our country? It is a burden and a nuisance in too many ways to put in one post. To blame the American people for not issuing unlimited visas to anyone that wants to drop in on the USA is absurd. (You didn't state that, but someone's earlier posts insinuated as much.)

As far as I'm concerned...just because someone wants to come here doesn't mean they should be able to in unlimited numbers. And when someone sneaks in or fails to honor the terms of the "temporary" visa they are issued...they should be deported.

[Caladan 19]

*shrugs*

Keep telling yourself it doesn't matter if you talk smack about immigrants.

After all, the laws that are written - fueled off the misconceptions of middle America about immigrants - won't affect your family, will it?

This is a good point. My husband passes for American; if my friends didn't know us and our story, they'd never guess he was Canadian. And I think most illegal sentiment is (sadly) directed at Hispanics. Almost no one ranting about illegals means 'those with an expired I-94!' but 'there's a sign in my neighborhood in Spanish and I saw a group in the parking lot at Home Depot.' (This is regional; never seen it at any Home Depot in two states.)

Many people don't distinguish; Tancredo wants to halt legal immigration and had fanatical support at one point just because people don't like foreigners. (If you hadn't noticed that Tancredo was against legal immigration, that's pretty good evidence for rebeccajo's claim.)

But every law that is passed out of ignorance (pretty much every DMV law meant to 'catch' illegals, any hoop to make sure you're not working illegally) makes it 100 times harder for a legal immigrant. The illegal immigrants are going to ignore the law anyway, but we'll make sure that legal immigrants have to show ID in order to get basic services. What worries me when people get all on the i-hate-illegals train is that they'll get another dumb law passed that won't do a blessed thing to secure the border or help enforcement, but will make sure that no one here legally can get a bank account.

[Kevin and 10]

*shrugs*

Keep telling yourself it doesn't matter if you talk smack about immigrants.

After all, the laws that are written - fueled off the misconceptions of middle America about immigrants - won't affect your family, will it?

This is a good point. My husband passes for American; if my friends didn't know us and our story, they'd never guess he was Canadian. And I think most illegal sentiment is (sadly) directed at Hispanics. Almost no one ranting about illegals means 'those with an expired I-94!' but 'there's a sign in my neighborhood in Spanish and I saw a group in the parking lot at Home Depot.' (This is regional; never seen it at any Home Depot in two states.)

Many people don't distinguish; Tancredo wants to halt legal immigration and had fanatical support at one point just because people don't like foreigners. (If you hadn't noticed that Tancredo was against legal immigration, that's pretty good evidence for rebeccajo's claim.)

But every law that is passed out of ignorance (pretty much every DMV law meant to 'catch' illegals, any hoop to make sure you're not working illegally) makes it 100 times harder for a legal immigrant. The illegal immigrants are going to ignore the law anyway, but we'll make sure that legal immigrants have to show ID in order to get basic services. What worries me when people get all on the i-hate-illegals train is that they'll get another dumb law passed that won't do a blessed thing to secure the border or help enforcement, but will make sure that no one here legally can get a bank account.

Don't forget the people that are dead set on the Gov't enforcing fines and penalties on employers who hire illegals. When the Gov't is what causes the problem by not securing the border. If the Gov't did their job there won't be millions of illegals here.

[almaty 19]

Illegals are easy to find- just go to Home Depot and Lowes.

That's really unnecessary.

Unnecessary maybe but not untrue.

i think you are incorrect in this as well as, sister stacey..we do both accounts and all the employees are documented..maybe there are a few that snuck in but io feel like both corporations are careful in their hiring practices ..just cause someone works there is a Hispainic..does not mean he is illegal..

[MissStacey 1]

Illegals are easy to find- just go to Home Depot and Lowes.

That's really unnecessary.

Unnecessary maybe but not untrue.

i think you are incorrect in this as well as, sister stacey..we do both accounts and all the employees are documented..maybe there are a few that snuck in but io feel like both corporations are careful in their hiring practices ..just cause someone works there is a Hispainic..does not mean he is illegal..

I wasn't referring to people who actually work at Home Depot and Lowes- I was referring to those who hang out outside the store and in the parking lots of these stores.

[rebeccajo 14]

Illegals are easy to find- just go to Home Depot and Lowes.

That's really unnecessary.

Unnecessary maybe but not untrue.

i think you are incorrect in this as well as, sister stacey..we do both accounts and all the employees are documented..maybe there are a few that snuck in but io feel like both corporations are careful in their hiring practices ..just cause someone works there is a Hispainic..does not mean he is illegal..

No way!

[MissStacey 1]

Illegals are easy to find- just go to Home Depot and Lowes.

That's really unnecessary.

Unnecessary maybe but not untrue.

i think you are incorrect in this as well as, sister stacey..we do both accounts and all the employees are documented..maybe there are a few that snuck in but io feel like both corporations are careful in their hiring practices ..just cause someone works there is a Hispainic..does not mean he is illegal..

No way!

I can understand why people thought I was talking about the employees at home depot, etc.

It very common here in Louisiana, Texas and probably other Southern states that illegals hang out in the lots of these store hoping that they will get hired by people to do work for them. Many people here are still rebuilding and I know many of them do get hired to help with construction and rebuilding.

I wasn't originally thinking about the fact this doesn't happen in many states and I see why it was misconstrued.

[Fandango 1,439]

I'm of the opinion that since most of America doesn't fully comprehend the immigration bereaucracy, they can't understand why so many people go illegal.

People come to the US illegally because they have no desire to go legal. Or even try. Grass = greener & all that.

I'm also of the opinion that most of America doesn't care if you are a legal or an illegal entrant when it comes to American jobs being 'taken away' by non-citizens.

Not in my world. Every single job J has applied for he has been asked for proof of his legal status. I, too, am being asked if I can prove I am legal to work when I apply for jobs. And these are professional jobs that require certifications/degrees - not McDonald's. He is considered a catch because of his international experience not a threat to Americans whose job he might 'steal'.

I disagree about the entry bit. I'm unconvinced that all these scorned illegal entrants would choose coming over here illegally over legally IF there were a legal vehicle for them to enter.

As far as what most of America thinks - I believe that when you discuss any behavior amongst a category of people negatively, you risk pigeon-holing all of them negatively. I fear that much of the negative chatter in the media about illegal immigrants can lead to public policy that will make life for our spouses legally difficult in this nation.

'There's no legal path for them so that's why they are illegal' is really not justification for anything. The law is the law. I suppose I should tell the cop the next time I'm speeding that the law doesn't suit *my* purposes therefore the law is wrong and not me!

But we've all been on this merry go round before, so that's nowt new.

[rebeccajo 14]

'There's no legal path for them so that's why they are illegal' is really not justification for anything. The law is the law. I suppose I should tell the cop the next time I'm speeding that the law doesn't suit *my* purposes therefore the law is wrong and not me!

But we've all been on this merry go round before, so that's nowt new.

No one said it's justification. What was said is if they had a choice.

Stop bending what I say.

[no name 1]

Illegals are easy to find- just go to Home Depot and Lowes.

That's really unnecessary.

Unnecessary maybe but not untrue.

i think you are incorrect in this as well as, sister stacey..we do both accounts and all the employees are documented..maybe there are a few that snuck in but io feel like both corporations are careful in their hiring practices ..just cause someone works there is a Hispainic..does not mean he is illegal..

I wasn't referring to people who actually work at Home Depot and Lowes- I was referring to those who hang out outside the store and in the parking lots of these stores.

I will take pics next time I go. It's incredible. The AMOUNT of them there. ANY building/painting/gardening store has tons of them waiting outside. Last time we went to Home Depot (in a fancy area, I might add) - we had to turn around on a street nxt to it. We were rushed by one thug (of a bunch) & given a gang sign. It was terrifying.

If you don't think there is a difference between ilegal & illegal immigration - or more importantly - that most Americans don't know the difference, you are sadly mistaken. :blink:

once again, i find myself agreeing with dev. i..........must...........stop.........doing........this!

*wanders off to see if there is a blue moon*

Edited October 31, 2007 by devilette

[no name 1]

As far as what most of America thinks - I believe that when you discuss any behavior amongst a category of people negatively, you risk pigeon-holing all of them negatively. I fear that much of the negative chatter in the media about illegal immigrants can lead to public policy that will make life for our spouses legally difficult in this nation.

What?!?

Our spouses are LEGAL, there is no way it will become more difficult for them (we have enough hoops as it is). That makes absolutely NO sense.

[GabachaYucateca 0]

Pathetic really, that someone treats the statement "just because they're Hispanic, doesn't mean they're illegal" as some sort of relevation.

Because so many people REALLY don't make that distinction, I have to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart!!!!

As you can see from my avatar, my husband fits the visual stereotype of an illegal Mexican man. Very dark-skinned, short, still dresses like he did in his village, and speaks broken English (something you monolingual folks may not know...it takes years to learn a new language and thank God I learned Spanish where people are friendly and patient, not like here with people learning English).

And the reason I want to thank you anti-immigrant folks at VJ? Well, thanks to you and people JUST LIKE YOU for making my husband's transition in the US so darn difficult. Thank you for making him uncomfortable for going out into public! Thank you for staring at him and wondering what this illegal fellow (because all darkies must be illegal!) is doing with this white woman! Thank you for assuming that he will snatch your job out from under you! Thank you for being impatient as he tries to ask you a question in the language he's been studying for 25 hours a week! Thank you for watching him suspiciously and making him vacilate between anger, shame, and frustration as he wonders why people seem so racist!

The folks on VJ who spend page after page ranting about those darn illegals are just like the others out there who don't have foreign-born spouses! You think all the same things and only add to the discomfort that my husband has experienced every day since he's arrived!

[no name 1]

I disagree about the entry bit. I'm unconvinced that all these scorned illegal entrants would choose coming over here illegally over legally IF there were a legal vehicle for them to enter.

We have to stop/limit US immigration somewhere - we cna't give out a free pass to anyone who wants! Geez.

[Mags 112]

I've shopped in Lowes. I've shopped in Home Depot. I've not seen ONE single person who was not from this country. To assume that these stores are full of illegals is just poor form, imo. If I worked in Home Depot or Lowes I'd be pretty pissed at a comment like that which assumes that most people who work in one of those stores must be of illegal origin.

Please think before you make comments such as those. Thanks.

The stores themselves are not full of illegals- they hang out outside the store and in the parking lots hoping someone will come along and offer them some work.

My comment was a fact- This is where they are in Louisiana.

Ahh, okay, I understand now. I misunderstood you and I apologise.

[Ban Hammer 13,458]

I disagree about the entry bit. I'm unconvinced that all these scorned illegal entrants would choose coming over here illegally over legally IF there were a legal vehicle for them to enter.

We have to stop/limit US immigration somewhere - we cna't give out a free pass to anyone who wants! Geez.

stop that, i'm having to agree with you again!