Speaking of illegal immigrants...

[Edwina's Secretary]

Thank you Vio and Jackie for an outsider's view. We are a nation of immigrants but sometimes we are a nation of I have mine, now go away.

When some brag..."my forefathers came here legally....it puzzles me....until fairly recently coming here legally meant having the money to buy passage and not having any of a number of communicable deseases and not being Chinese (for a while there was a national law against immigrants from China.) Quotas for immigrants from different countries and much of the red tape is relatively new.

It also meant being low man/woman on the totem pole. Working the jobs others didn't want and hopefully....working your way up and into the larger society.

We often wax eloquently about being the children of immigrants...until someone else wants to immigrate that is!

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Two of my ancestors are Native American!!! Yep, they are here legally!!

[Karen]

It always astounded me when one of the most anti-immigration-of-any-sort people I have ever met was a woman by the last name of Gradziulis. (She is now deceased.) Now you know, you just know that that name was NOT present on the Mayflower, nor is it a Native American name, or even something that's been "Americanized" from being here so long. As she was more than 60 years my elder, I bit my tongue rather than pick a fight with her, but I was always astounded.

Like gun laws, immigration laws do not work if they are not enforced on anything but a sporadic basis.

[Vio&Juni]

Like gun laws, immigration laws do not work if they are not enforced on anything but a sporadic basis.

I agree with this. Having worked in a Visa Section, I have my own idea of how it should work and how it does. Yes, a lot of people in search for a better life, break the law. People pay here around $6000 to get out of the country (to facilitators WHO I would call criminals). They sell everything for a chance. They are used wherever they go. They make some little money, taking care of old people - someone's parents, cleaning fish - that goes on someone's table, collecting garbage - everyone's garbage. Not many people from rich countries would take a job like that, because taking care of an incontinent old woman is not something they've been dreaming of doing. Yes, they don't pay taxes, make the ones who hire them responsible for that.

[mugsy]

Going back to the original story...

1. If he is here illegally, then deport him and let him apply for citizenship
2. He was STILL wronged by OUR justice system and should be represented by a "free" lawyer and should have some compensation for the fact that spent 5 years of his life in prison for a crime that he didn't commit and the fact that he is here illegally shouldn't enter into the equation.
3. I'm with Richard, does he get back the synagogue that he built?
4. As far as allowing people to just come into our country without following the proper procedures...I do not,and will not, ever agree with that. We have always had policies in place to become an American citizen (after we gained our independence) and now we have so many people that it should be monitored more closely...I am not saying that the procedure should be made more difficult, I'm just saying that the tide of illegals (those not willing to follow the proper procedure) needs to be stopped. Unfortunately for the Native Americans, they have gotten the shaft at every turn by our government, yet at every pow wow we ever go to they celebrate the veterans of AMERICAN wars in the place of highest honor....
5. As for the parents who are making these false accusation should be punished with some jail time...how many lives have the destroyed? Once you have been branded a child molestor, you never lose it....even after you have been pardoned, people look at you sideways. I have known 4 or 5 people that have been accused and people still believe the worst. It also seems to me to be a form a child abuse too...(a stretch I know) when they use their child for their own financial gain.

[sparks19]

I am currently going through the immigration process right now. I have no problem with people immigrating. What I do have a problem with is them getting a free ride because they decided not to do it legally. I could have come here illegally too but I'm not. We aren't even done with the process yet. I have a temporary visitors permit they gave me at the border while I wait for my K3 to process and then we can start the REAL immigration process. I have been seperated from my husband one week after we were married until just recently. We are spending a lot of money on this. It sucks and it's hard and tedious BUT we are still doing it LEGALLY.

[mugsy]

I am currently going through the immigration process right now. I have no problem with people immigrating. What I do have a problem with is them getting a free ride because they decided not to do it legally. I could have come here illegally too but I'm not. We aren't even done with the process yet. I have a temporary visitors permit they gave me at the border while I wait for my K3 to process and then we can start the REAL immigration process. I have been seperated from my husband one week after we were married until just recently. We are spending a lot of money on this. It sucks and it's hard and tedious BUT we are still doing it LEGALLY.

GOOD FOR YOU!! And welcome to the country and may you live and be prosperous!

[Edwina's Secretary]

What I do have a problem with is them getting a free ride because they decided not to do it legally.

I not sure picking strawberries in the hot sun with toilet facilities three fields away is a free ride.....

[Edwina's Secretary]

I What I do have a problem with is them getting a free ride because they decided not to do it legally.

No, no, no....please let me apologize for thinking that in this sentence you were in any way sterotyping or being negative against any particular group of people.....

Whatever...history keeps repeating itself.