For those of you who believe that the 1996 laws should not be changed because we must protect our borders, I would like to point out an article in the Washington Post that was printed in May of 2002.

Apparently, (while numerous spouses and other family members were exiled from this country and from their loved ones) two of the terrorists that DIED in the planes on the September 11 attack were granted PERMANENT RESIDENCY.

There is something very wrong with a system that can permit (proven) dangerous criminals to have permanent residency, while discriminating against those that upheld the highest moral standards - by sacrificing themselves to low-wage jobs with little chance for improvement or personal growth in order to provide the basic necessities such as food or housing for their families (and not only for their children, but also their siblings and parents).

Breaking a law is not always breaking a moral code, and there is nothing that can be said for tearing apart families (especially when it is in favor of money in whatever form it may come - even terrorism).

Therefore, I would like you all to seriously reconsider both your knowledge on this topic and your stance on this issue.

We must protect our borders by using background checks, we must validate marriages by allowing the OPTION of paying additional money to the US government (instead of lawyers) for our spouses to enter the country within a few months, if this option were to be chosen then there should be a certain number of random checkups that the couple could be exposed to, or an obligation for the immigrant to report every so often to INS agents for a certain period of time. But at least the family would be together. (The additional fees would cover the cost of this system)

We need to ensure the safety and the security of our homeland, not the racism and classism that our current INS system is based on.

Also, the complete disorganization is unacceptable. Not only do the 1996 laws need to be changed, but the entire immigration system needs to be revamped. We need to centralize it, make the laws and their consequences clear, not only to lawyers but also to INS employees and to immigrants and their families. There should be a clear-cut hierarchy leading to one centralized unit.

Instead of offering complete indemnity to those who have lived within the United States illegally for a certain period of time, and have green card lotteries, we should provide work visas to those who are here that are performing jobs that few if any USC would touch (such as fruit picking, cleaning houses, taking care of the elderly, etc.) This would address the issues of "they are taking my job" and it would also cut down on the need for false documents - if some sort of legal income were to be allowed to these individuals.


Not only would this reduce the need for illegal documentation, but it would also increase the number of people paying taxes.

We could also allow these individuals to study while they work, and thereby gain an education that could be used to better their own lives and their countries when they return there (decreasing emigration to the USA at its root), or if they should fall in love and decide to stay, then they should be able to be educated enough to become the America-loving, voting, English speaking CITIZENS that would also benefit the entire United States. Of course, people with these visas would have to pay for their education, thereby benefiting our colleges and universities in the process.

There are numerous things that I could say along these lines that could annoy and trouble both pro and anti immigration supporters. I do not claim that my ideas are perfect, but I do believe that they might be a step closer to a better system both for immigrants, their families, and anti-immigration believers (perhaps not in the racist/classist sense, but at least in the sense of addressing their both real and imagined concerns.)

SOMEBODY,
Well said!!!

How would you feel about using parts of your post as a form letter that we could send on to politicians? It is thought-provoking, fair, and well-articulated.

You know, I'm so glad you brought up the point about studying in this country. I have a friend from India who is paying $6,000 a semseter to go to a technical college (I would pay $1200 for same college, and I have, but he has to pay non-resident tuition). If he cannot maintaing full-time status for even one semester, he will have to go or face breaking immigration laws. To return to India after being in the U.S. is considered there to be the ultimate humiliation and defeat - as anyone can make it here, right? Ofcourse, he is not allowed to work. Why would we want someone here who has to work for a living, when we can accept only the ones whose parents are rich enough already to pay for everything, and don't really need to immigrate anyway? This is truly, truly a sad affair, and I myself have not been brave enough to bring it up.

Perhaps we need to start a web site that deals with all problems of immigration today, and break it down, instead of just dealing with the 1996 changes. We need help from a lawyer, that's for sure!

Thanks SOOOO much for being brave enough to send in your post!
juju

None of the hijackers were permanent residents. Please do not spread rumours to support your point of view.

You are trying to equate hard working legal permanent residents to hikackers. I absolutely resent that and I know I am speaking for a lot of people on this board

As far as I know you are correct that at the time of the hijacking none of the hijackers were permanente residents. The interesting part is that two of them were granted permanent residency AFTER THEY HAD DIED IN THE ATTACKS! So not only were they terrorists, but they were also dead.

Of course it is possible that I am wrong, but since the WASHINGTON POST is a relatively reliable newspaper I tend to rely upon the information that I receive there.

If you prefer to disbelieve what I am saying, I recommend that you at least double check the information that has been provided. You can easily obtain back issues of the Washington Post from April/May of 2002 by contacting the Washington Post, you might even be able to do so on line www.washingtonpost.com (I think that is the correct website address, if you have any difficulties with it please feel free to use yahoo/google/or even askjeeves.)

Also, while you are there you might want to look up other stories on immigration to see what types of things are government has done to immigrants - approximately one year earlier there was a local couple that had obtained residency but inadvertently became illegal because they were not informed regarding changes in the law. They were caught (which should make you happy) and the husband was immediately deported. As they had children that were US citizens the wife was given one onth to decide what to do wth her children (i.e. leave them in the USA, in their schools, with their friends, etc. or to bring them back with her and her husband to their native country -I believe it was El Salvador, in which case returning would have been in danger for their lives by direct physical threat, but regardless of the country they would be returning to a country they didn't really know, poverty, malnutrition, etc. etc.) This is another wonderful example of how people and families
are torn apart by the INS' lack of organization (shouldn't these people have been informed of their change in status?) and ridiculous laws that hurt American citizens.

Again, if you choose not to believe me, I will provide ther reference of the Washington Post. Heck since I have been involed in this situation I have paid a lot closer attention and have even heard stories of American citizens (born in the USA) being detained by immigration. I believe that was from a newspapper in Oregon, but I really can't give you a direct reference for that.

Either way you cannot dispute the fact that the hijackers were legally in this country and some of their past histories and suspicious behavior was never investigated in the appropriate manner (unless of course you are a neo-nazi that believes that holocost never happened... in that case I believe you could deny just about anything)

In my personal opinion we do not need to form a government organization for homeland security we need to revamp and provide more funds for those organizations (like INS) that we already have.

So that they can do their jobs appropriately and both help and protect American citizens (like many of us on this .

Juju, as for you thank you very much for your compliments. I would be proud and honored if you chose to use some of my message for a form letter to be sent out in favor of changing immigration laws and helping immigrants to the USA!

Also, I am not trying to equate hardworking legal or illegal residents of this country with highjackers. I am afraid that you have misinterpreted my meaning, I was only emphasizing the need for change in INS policies.

wE NEED YOU PLEASE EMAIL elopez@pacbell.net I like the way you think and also the way you relate all this matters with the hearth feeling.