What About the Hopes and Dreams of Documented Immigrants?

So-called "legal DREAMies" draw parallels between documented and undocumented kids who were brought to the United States at a young age.

http://www.alternet.org/immigration/...ed_immigrants/

If you are LEGAL the sky is the limit.

I realize that the situations "legal Dreamies" are put in is unfortunate and unfair, and I support changing it. But they shouldn't compare themselves to undocumented Dreamies.

For one thing, they are still here legally and don't have to live in fear of deportation every time they go out. For this and other reasons, life is easier for them.

As for being legally obligated to leave, I agree that must be fixed but in all truth they don't face an official 10 year ban like an undocumented Dreamie would if he/she were deported.

A DAP member was quoted in the article ... Congrats to that person!

Knowing some of the legal dreamers of the site, their life is not easier. I am not going to say that my hardship is worse or better. Every situation carries its own demons. God knows that half the hardship will be just getting the damn green card. The real hardship will start when we are force to deliver the promise of a greater America.

Another example, I speak perfect Spanish and my mother owns a home in Mexico. I have many relatives in Mexico and several citizen/legal resident uncles. Many DAP members are from China and have no relatives or knowledge of the language. IF we are deported the same day, just because my situation is a little easier, does not mean that being kick out to Tijuana without money to dangerous streets is easier, not to me, hell no.

Instead of wondering who has the worst situation or who suffers the most, we should all feel compassion to the pain of others and realize that is our own struggle. Unite that energy into a force that will achieve the goals of everyone.

I'm sorry... but are you kidding me? The difference between an undocumented 'dreamer' and a legal 'dreamer' is as big as between a legal dreamer and someone with a GC. My immediate family has been split for a while with one legal dreamer, and me being undocumented. The legal dreamer managed to:
a)get a DL.....this would be enough for me at the moment.
b)not have to fear deportation virtually all the time.
c)get a SS# once he got his EAC.

Eventually he went out of status, but he still has every single one of these things and while at this point he does fear deportation a little, he has every single piece of paper on him that establishes his "legal" status on face value, such that an ICE agent would never even bother checking it in the system. I mean would you really question someone who speaks virtually perfect English, has a valid DL(from a state that clearly doesn't issue DLs to undocumented immigrants) and a SS card, if you had stopped him at a routine checkpoint?

I'm sorry but comparing our situation to that of legal dreamers just makes me angry. Our problems are virtually insurmountable without some really significant outside help from the highest levels of the U.S. government, while most legal dreamers still have a lot of options...starting with not having to face the 10 year ban if they ever decide to leave, to actually being able to live their life while waiting for the DA or CIR.

Well I am sorry to make you angry -secretly I am not - but feeling less fortunate that other DAP members is not going to help at all. Neither rubbing in their faces how great is their life compare to yours. What you want them to do? To say oh yea, my personal struggle does not matter because you have it worst?

The article help us all by showing the different types of dreamers that will benefit from the Dream Act. It sheds light to the issue from another angle. We should be grateful that one of our legal members was part of the article and had a link to the site. It can also booster our own count with legal dreamers that might not even know that they qualify.

Why start another fight with something as simple as this? This is not a suffering contest, is all people under the rain, some with rain boots and others bare foot. Still, the goal is for us all to get into a shade.

Let's not be bitter for what makes us different but united in our common suffering.

He dicho!