Who said this?

"I believe in the idea of amnesty for those who have put down roots and lived here, even though sometime back they may have entered illegally"

[www.npr.org]


"President Obama's decision to grant amnesty to potentially millions of illegal immigrants is a breach of faith with the American people." Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX)

"A politically-motivated power grab" - Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)

"I’m prepared to bring a suit and seek a court order to stop implementation of this policy" - Rep. Steve King (R-IA)

“President Obama and Secretary Napolitano’s decision to end the enforcement of many of our nation’s immigration laws is stunning in both its arrogance and shortsightedness” Rep. Ben Quayle (R-AZ), who has introduced a bill, “Prohibiting Back-door Amnesty Act of 2012”, to block the measure.

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[www.giyf.com]

Apparently, McCain thinks that Reagan used up all of the good illegal immigrants.

I guess those new Obama immigrants aren't worth keeping.

Illegal immigrants is only an issue because the GOP has learned they can't count on getting everyone in their party to foam at the mouth about abortion, and freaking out about flag burning is passé.

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"Stop thinking about art works as objects, and start thinking about them as triggers for experiences." ~ Brian Eno

Do you think Republicans do focus groups to find out what makes them foam at the mouth and then report it to the higher-ups?

damn, they even look alike

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[www.freethegrapes.org]

norwegian wood reality TV

[www.youtube.com]

He did nothing for them. They are still illegal.

What if somehow every Mexican in the US were made legal? Would some of you be OK with them then since you always say your problem with them is that they are "illegal?"

Do you also have a plan for those who have been waiting, outside the country, 10 years for an interview? Who gets the first dibs?

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Avenger
He did nothing for them. They are still illegal.

But they can apply for a work permit and then be legal for 2 years.

Or would you prefer he just granted them all amnesty?

Nobody - and I'm pretty sure that nobody HERE - has the cojones to sweep out every "illegal" immigrant from age 89 years to 2 weeks old and dump them all on the other side of our border.

This all or nothing approach is what perpetuates the problem. There are gray areas in this discussion, if you're not an idiot.

Well said Pops...

And the sad reality is that by our political failure to recognize this issue and deal with it, we have done the following:

1- Created a sub-class of illegal immigrant workers in the US whose very existence makes them criminals, thereby creating a population that is preyed upon by actual criminals and cannot be protected by normal police processes.

2- By continuing the failed "War on Drugs" we have produced an enormous failed state on our southern border, with a heavily armed and brutal criminal empire that drives more people into problem #1. And then follows across the border and preys upon them AND upon US citizens.

It's a death spiral, and America does not have the political will or gumption to get out of it. I can only hope that after the 2012 election, politicians recognize the critical nature of these issues and work to coherently resolve them. Before we end up with pitched battles in the Southwest.

most of the people i know have good jobs and own homes, contribute to society in positive ways, and smoke pot.

which makes them all drug criminals in the eyes of the government.

would they all be better off in jail? no.
would society benefit from them being in jail? no.
would it burden taxpayers? yes.

spineless lawmakers won't admit that pot (not bath salts or meth) is not the demonic drug they'd like us to believe.

What is Mexico's primary drug export? Is it pot?

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Acer
What is Mexico's primary drug export? Is it pot?

You must be thinking of California.

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"So be proud to be a decent American instead of just a w'anker whipping up fear!" - Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland

Quote

The net flow of Mexicans into the US has dwindled to a trickle and may now be in reverse, giving the lie to right-wing warnings of an "invasion" of illegal immigrants and bringing to an end four decades of inward migration.

A survey from the Pew Hispanic Center finds that the largest wave of immigration in American history to have taken place from a single country has now been brought to a virtual standstill. In the five years from 2005 to 2010, about 1.4m Mexicans immigrated to the US – exactly the same number of Mexican immigrants and their US-born children who quit America and moved back or were deported to Mexico.

[www.guardian.co.uk]

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"Stop thinking about art works as objects, and start thinking about them as triggers for experiences." ~ Brian Eno

I'm not sure what the answer is to the immigration issue. I have a very difficult time with it since my wife is an immigrant (but not from Mexico). We've spent thousands of dollars and countless days/months/years working with the INS (at the time) to get her citizenship here. It was a source of constant annoyance and stress for years and years. All so she could be a citizen. Now they just want to hand it out like candy.

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Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity

I don't believe that non-deportation is the same thing as amnesty. These people aren't going to be made citizens. They simply are not going to be considered illegals, or criminals, for two years anyhow.

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"Stop thinking about art works as objects, and start thinking about them as triggers for experiences." ~ Brian Eno

why is it so hard to become a legal American citizen?

this is a giant graphic:
[www.vbrunetti.com]

here, too
[reason.com]

[fairimmigration.org]

[reason.com]

If you glean one fact from the illustration, make it this: In an economically expansionary era in which 20 million jobs have been created in 15 years, unemployment hasn't once cracked 7 percent, and even the supposedly recessionary economy we're suffering through right now grew 1.9 percent in the second quarter of 2008, unskilled foreign workers are expected to fight over just 10,000 green cards a year. Restaurants and construction companies around the country have an exponentially higher demand for low-skilled workers, and laborers in Mexico have an insatiable desire for more money, but poorly conceived U.S. law prevents supply from meeting demand. That's one part of illegal I don't understand.

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[www.giyf.com]

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decay
[fairimmigration.org]

This is so true. So pathetically true. My wife and I went through something very similar trying to get her green card and then her citizenship. One of MY favorite parts from our experience was finding out that hey, your fingerprints can expire! Who knew???

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Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/2012 03:52PM by bazookaman.

the fairimmigration link is worth reading, really.

Although I am a U.S. citizen — belonging to a fourth-generation immigrant family — I count myself among that group. What I learned through the experience is that the difference between a “legal” and “illegal” immigrant often comes down to whether one can afford a decent, well-connected lawyer.


sounds like the U. S. Criminal Justice system, too.

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[www.giyf.com]