How did you become...

Just out of curiosity.

I am interested about the "other" categories... I did not know there were other ways...

Well, technically I belong to category 2. But I chose to abandon my F1 status in order to file I485 under my mom when I was a dependent. Obviously that didn't go well, so now I am out of status. So I picked other.

Interesting. If people are telling the truth... then this reflects the fact that half of all undocumented immigrants came legally to begin with. It's not just about securing borders...

Of course, most people ignore that fact; the average American believes all illegals are Mexican "wetbacks" so congress won't do anything to stop the flow of visa overstays. They don't actually want to stop all illegal immigration, wouldn't be profitable. Let another Congress worry about it another 20 years from now

60-70% of illegals are Mexicans, 80-90% of which cross the border illegally.

I read that stat somewhere. Don't know if it's right, don't know if it's wrong. Not siding against Mexicans either, just laying the numbers out there.

In the event that that statistic is true (I'll look for the source, I didn't read it too long ago), then just over half (maybe 60%-ish) of all illegals came here illegally. That's why "border security" is such an enormous issue. America once again targets the majority, no matter how slim the margin is.

- Dan

I chose other because I came with a tourist visa. However, I lost my passport and i-94 and INS does not have any records of me entering the country legally.

How did INS lose your records?? I had to turn in my old passport when I renewed it because of some weird embassy rules. Therefore, my B-2 and other info is no longer in my possession. However, when you ask for the FOIA information, shouldn't INS be able to retrieve all that information? How the hell do they lose information on when/how someone came when on a tourist visa?

I think that people who overs stayed their visas are dumb. Because they had a chance to be legal.

Sometimes there is no way to become legal. Sometimes all the doors close in your face. Also, some people just get bad lawyers that take all their money and don't do a damn thing.


I think that comment was kinda overgeneralized. These people aren't dumb; they came here for the same reasons as the people who cross the border but for whatever reason, they can't solve their situation.