Ain't dis the truth

[Whiskey11]

I do believe there is a reason why its a pain in the ass to get in, its called regulating your immigration.  We cant let every person come in that signs the paperwork, we have to put a cap on it so we dont have a mass migration from one country to another.  (god help us if all of Mexico came across our border, i'd be there shooting every one that didnt sign the paper work, pay, and wait their damned time)  In my dorm I have the son of two legal mexicans and this issue drives him nuts, he brought up the same points already stated (too expensive, takes too long, blah blah) but there is obviously a reason behind it.  

I'm not really a fan of this topic, i tend to avoid it unless brought up directly to my face, and the only reason i've posted is because there is a reason why it is a pain in the ass to get in.  Doing it illegally doesnt make it any better.  

On the "We rely on cheap labor"  That is a true statement, we do, but that doesnt mean that those jobs couldnt be taken up by the unemployed US Citizens (its up to what now? 5%)

[GUNFIGHTER6]

Actually 5% unemployment isn't all that bad, could be better, could be worse.  However, I take issue with employers that knowingly hire illegal aliens so they can pay them below minimum wage, withold pay, work them excessive hours, refuse health coverage, and deny incentive pay like overtime, and holiday pay.  Anyone who thinks that their is any other reason why employers like illegal labor, they are fooling themselves.

This also speaks volumes about the inability of the Mexican government to regulate and control it's economy.  That people would risk a hazardous, potentialy fatal trek through a desert, only to work as little better than slave labor is beyond my comprehension.

[Raven1]

My Wife Is Japanese and I just went through the entire process.

No I Didn't like it!

Yes, It Is Confusing as Hell.

Yes, It Is Expensive ($4,300 to be exact).

What I did do is contact an immigration lawyer before entering the country with my fiance'.  Then followed my lawyer's directions to the letter and let the lawyer handle the particulars.  My wife and I did get married, (also had a kid) and start to finish (her receiving her permenant residency card) took 9 months.

Difficult?

Yes!

Impossible to do on your own - Damn Right It Is!

Hire a lawyer and do it legally.  All others go the fcuk home and quit messing up my country!

In my opinion, it is not "messing up my country." The thing is, like it or not, a significant portion of our economy rests upon the cheap labor that illegal immigrants provide. I think that if they were able to do it by the book efficiently, at moderate cost, and were given the opportunity to pay taxes they would. Realistically, do you think that every illegal immigrant is so dishonest that they don't want to pay taxes? I don't think so. I think they are afraid of being caught, so they try to maintain as low a profile as possible.

Looking at the problem logically creates an interesting perspective on the "problem." It is estimated that there are between fifteen and twenty million illegal immigrants in this country, the fact that we devote so much time, resources, and legislation to a group that makes up about five percent of the US population is incomprehensible to me. If the government spent as much time on reforming tort laws to bring malpractice, and thus, healthcare costs down as they do on illegal immigration, we could have a working solution to that problem.

I Do Respect Your Opinion.

I am Mexican, born in America, Yuma/Arizona.  I have grown up knowing first hand the impacts of cheap labor (actually having worked in the lettuce fields myself at age 9).  Having seen immediate family members claiming other children (other than their own) on income tax returns. Why?  Because the parents are illegals, but want their kids to go to school.  They willingly exploit themselves for jobs that grossly underpay them With No Health Care Benefits!  The ripple effects are huge because being here illegally doesn't allow for the proper living arrangements such as car insurance etc.  But they still are usually the first inline receiving benefits that have been established for citizens.  Like free health care, food subsidizations and now factor in labor laws and programs for fair and ethical treatment of the affected people group.  And I haven't even mentioned the cost of the logistics of apprehending, processing, immediate health care, housing, feeding, transporting the arrested individuals back to their country of origin.

My point is if You Haven't Lived It and Seen It First Hand.  The View from the Outside IS Always Different!  I could go on for days about this however the issue still remains.

How do you manage a massive influx of people wanting to better themselves as the move away from a governing body that could care less if they stay or go.  Who if regulated properly could absolutely benefit our economy.  How can one actually enact and enforce legislation to help the local business economies and simultaneously protect the exploited people group?  While still keeping our borders safe.

The law is the law and is black and white.  If you cross our borders illegally you are breaking the law.  It's as simple as that,,,