DREAMers Respond To KIDS Act: ‘We Will Not Stand For This' - Page 4

Good movie.

Wow, some people on this forum are so misguided and ignorant about this issue, it's almost concerning.

It's disingenuous to say that Immigration will be about votes for the Democrats etc, since Hispanics don't vote, but when they do, the vast majority of them prefer Democrats since they know for a fact that the GOP does not like them.

As for the GOP being shut out from the national race, it's almost mathematically improbable for the GOP to win without carrying some votes from both the women and the Hispanics. Since the GOP are known for antagonizing these both groups, it is highly reasonable to say that the national race will be out of the hands of the GOP unless they change their ways.

What issue?

The first few posts about how Immigration is strictly tied with votes for Democrats and the GOP.

I don't think I can agree with you on this issue Ianus.

Yes, legal protection from deportation is very important to all immigrants, regardless of status. However, in the case of legal immigrants, who either have a tourist, student, or LPR visa, their fear of being deported is often representative of their own conduct. Bear in mind, I am only talking about deportation, as denial-of-entry typically falls within the authority of the immigration and customs officer at the point of entry.

At the same time, individuals with tourist or work visas must be prepared for the time when their status will finally expire. Both visas are designed to allow only for a temporary presence in the US, and it will be the visa holder's choice to leave before expiration, or stay as an undocumented. I realize there are many reasons for choosing the latter, but they are irrelevant.

You mentioned that people who decide to overstay may do so because of an assumption that once they leave, they may be denied entry in the future. In my opinion, it looks like these individuals are primarily concerned with being able to stay in the United States, and are willing to become undocumented - and consequently deportable - to do so. In the current immigration climate, which has been hovering over us for over a decade, there exists no direct way - other than through marriage - to adjust your status once you become undocumented by overstaying your visa.

I am not judging people who choose to overstay or EWI, but people that make these choices must realize that they will have future consequences, especially with respect to any immigration legislation. People who immigrated using means other than those directly specified by the USCIS should never expect to eventually earn their US citizenship, which is a legal process in itself. It is laughable that people who are currently under a very real threat of deportation and have no access to any benefits, are looking at a "path to legal status" as something detrimental to their situation in the United States.

Also, as far as legal status goes - and here I am imagining something along the lines of LPR without the right to apply for US citizenship - there are hundreds of thousands of LPRs, who do not apply for US citizenship regardless of their right to do so, and the fact they actually live in the United States. Many countries do not allow for dual-citizenship and will require their citizens to renounce their citizenship - and many people are unwilling to go through with this step, as this would prevent their children from actually being eligible for dual-citizenship by the virtue of Jus soli in the US, and Jus sanguinis for their home country. These individuals are clearly not as worried about deportation, as you suggest, and given the choice between staying in the United States free of fear of deportation, and renouncing their citizenship, they will choose the former.

Would I prefer a version of CIR that included a "path to citizenship" for all undocumented who have lived in the US for X years etc. ? Of course. Do I condone the behavior of immigration groups that scoff at any legislation other than one that includes the above provision? Absolutely not.

I know how I felt before DACA and how I feel now with my EAD and ID, and the level of fear is exponentially lower, even though we only got a TPS. In fact, these days, fear of deportation seems to be the last thing on my mind, and now I worry about my job, bills and other real-life problems. My family is still stuck in the immigration limbo - as am I and the rest of us - and we all still need CIR. At the same time, I know how big of a difference a 2-year TPS can make for an undocumented immigrant, so it seems inconceivable to me that immigration activists have taken an citizenship-or-nothing approach to the legislation.