<p>You seem to enjoy making unsubstantiated comments, it seems. Can you qualify this statement?</p>
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<p>It may not provide an excuse acceptable to you, but it is the reason.</p>
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<p>This belies your lack of knowledge of what a refugee truly is.</p>
<p>Here is a comprehensive definition for you:</p>
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<p>I believe far more groups would qualify for refugee status than your comment suggests. Take the Roma people, for instance. They are clearly refugees, yet I do not believe anyone would sincerely suggest that their situations are quite analogous to that of the victims you referenced. Or, better yet, we can turn our eyes toward Rwanda and examine those who we denied refugee status. Again, these things are often politicized. Abiding strictly by the letter of law is an admirable goal, but we must remain cognizant of reality whilst endeavoring to do so.</p>
<p>Excellent point. Quite frankly, even the implementation of a guest worker program would incur costs greater beyond the original estimate, unless all of the secondary and tertiary costs were accounted for. As it is, eating healthily is unaffordable for a good deal of Americans, especially those living in inner cities. To implement a shock therapy sort of policy would precipitate both an economic and public health crisis.</p>
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<p>There are not enough; the demand far supersedes the supply. </p>
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<p>Having “an idea” is not enough in this case, especially if you are going to make sweeping statements like you have been doing. </p>
<p>In making your statements, you are forgetting one key thing: many of those who desire to immigrate to the United States simply do not have the resources at their disposal to satisfy these requirements, for a good deal of them are isolated from the necessary sources of information and thus unaware of various prerequisites. Make a judgment on that if you will, but acknowledge the truth at the very least.</p>
<p>The United States already has the highest incarceration rate out of all the industrialized nations in the world. We don’t have more crime; we just don’t deal with it effectively enough. You do realize that in California, more is spent on feeding and clothing inmates than is spent on the average public college student? Something’s wrong with that, and something’s wrong with a nation where the solution to every crime is to stuff the purported perpetrator in jail.</p>
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<p>However, one problem with this immediately appears: we already let in some individuals that we shouldn’t, something that points to some of the problems of the bureaucracy. Would you expedite the process, only to let more dangerous elements inside our borders - legally?</p>
<p>Mexico has a host of problems, but a good deal of them are connected to America. Who has provided support for despotic regimes? Where do the majority of drug users reside? Whose agricultural subsidy policies are creating conditions that make usage of cheap, disposable labor?</p>
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<p>If you find it terrible that people admire America so much that they would leave everything they know behind to come here, then perhaps you’re confused about who ought to be leaving this nation.</p>
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<p>There are few, if any, legislative proposals that seriously espouse expediting naturalization. Rather, many of them aim to provide a temporary permanent resident status, from which illegal immigrants will acquire the documents necessary to secure certain aims (financial aid, jobs, et cetera). From there, they will be required to file requisite forms in order to go through the naturalization process, beginning at step 1: obtaining a visa.</p>
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<p>It has been pointed out already that illegal immigrants do pay taxes. For instance, many of them pay into Social Security, yet they will never reap the benefits of that program. </p>
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<p>Being a lawbreaker is now the same as being a criminal? I’m guessing every President who has smoked pot is now a criminal, too? :rolleyes:</p>
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<p>As someone who immigrated here legally, I do not feel as if anyone is “cutting in front of the line.” Remember, the proposals give temporary permanent resident status. Follow-up forms still have to be filed.</p>
<p>Not trying to pick you out ksarmand but what illegal is still ILLEGAL. Yes i know that alot of Mexicans who come across want a better life but a TON are bad ppl (drug cartels, rapists, kidnappers). These criminals are hurting Americans. You are an American, care about ur fellow citizens before you care about scum from another country. Have you ever heard of National Security?.. yeah kinda a big deal. Terrorists are blending as Mexicans and are able to EASILY come over and do who knows what to this country… as if 9/11 wasnt enough. </p>
<p>Also what part of the 14th Amendment do you not get?!
“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and SUBJECT TO THE JURISDICTION thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”</p>
<p>That means even anchor babies need to Go!!! “Subject to the jurisdiction” means that you pledge no allegiance to any foreign country and you are bound under our government. Illegals from any country are not subject to jurisdiction. The Founding Fathers were smarter than you think. They knew foreigners would try to take advantage of our system by having babies here and then claiming that they’re Americans… uuummm IDTS. </p>
<p>Stop being persuaded by the sob stories you see on TV. Mainstream (left) media is always quick to show you illegals suffering but they never have the time to show you AMERICANS WHO ARE LEGAL suffering especially on the border states. You try living in Arizona where you can barely step out ur house or ranch because theres signs everywhere that say “Illegals are Present”. People are getting shot on their own property. WAKE UP!!!</p>
<p>Oh and BTW. If the illegals left, our food prices would only go up about, get ready for this…</p>
Okay, so now the Constitution of the United States doesn’t matter because you want to deny citizenship to people just as born in the US as so many people on this forum, just because a political pundit or conservative “think”-tank came up with a catchy insult? If a human being is born in the United States of America, that human being is a citizen of the United States. Funny how you go contrary to this after quoting the Constitution. Clearly, you treat it as only a word to throw out when it suits you.</p>
<p>So what you’re saying is hypothetically: If a pregnant American citizen is on vacation in Mexico and she goes into labor while shes there, the baby is a Mexican citizen.
NO! The baby is American because She is American no matter if she had the baby in Mexico or China or France.</p>
<p>It’s because I love America and the Constitution that I feel so strongly against people who dont care that ILLEGAL foreigners are pretty much spitting on our precious document. Do u really think they care about our laws or what our Founding fATHERS had to go though to make America the greatest country in the world? They dont care! They dont even respect us enough to learn basic English! or to actually be an American! Are u kidding me right now!? Crossing our border isnt enough to be American, you have to come here Legally. which they dont so the obviously dont care. They consider themselves Mexicans or whatever the case might be, Not American. That means something to me… I wish it met something to you too.</p>
<p>Who said that? Mexico’s laws are not the same as our laws. Therefore, US laws would not apply to Mexico’s government…</p>
<p>The 14th Amendment has been continually interpreted to mean that anyone born here is a citizen here. Until the Supreme Court rules otherwise, or there is an amendment to the constitution, that is how the law is interpreted. </p>
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<p>You, sir or ma’am, have English issues yourself but that is besides the point. Besides, English is not our national language. It is the default language we use- but except for when you take a citizenship test, you do not technically need to know English. </p>
<p>And I am damn proud to be an American, so didn’t give me that crap. My mom became an American citizen because she was an “anchor” baby. My grandpa became a citizen by bombing his own home country and being shot down three times for this country. I am Hispanic and I come from a military household. I have given more of my family to this country than you could ever imagine so don’t you DARE say that being American doesn’t mean something to someone who supports immigration reform. </p>
<p>Im a girl. First, you didnt fully quote me i said a baby born in Mexico while his/her mom is vacationing there would not be considered a Mexican citizen.
Second, please do not base my English skills by the slang I use in a forum. I obviously do not write like this in school.
Third, You and I should be proud of ur grandpa for taking multiple bullets for this country but unfortunately most illegals are not ur grandpa… Too bad b/c He is one in a million.
No matter what, the cons of having easy immigration outweighs the pros and you know it. Do not compare you’re honorable family to the dirtbags who cross our borders, there is no comparison.
Fourth, English as u said is our DEFAULT language. Illegal immigrants dont even attempt a good crack at it b/c they know they dont have to. They do not try hard to assimilate into American society. Quite frankly, Why should they? Its not like their citizens or anything…
Also, idc what the Supreme Court has ruled recently. The people who established this country and the attorney general back then declared that citizenship comes from COMPLETE jurisdiction. Look it up.</p>
<p>And?! I said, American laws do not apply to Mexico. Their laws are different than ours (I do not know what theirs are, but you are still using American laws to dictate what another country would do). What are you trying to say?!</p>
<p>You need to look up what the Supreme Court says about the 14th Amendment. </p>
<p>And I am a girl. My grandparents came here illegally and got citizenship from the inside. They are no different than the Mexicans who are coming here now- the only difference is that they had options. </p>
<p>Now I’m really done with this “conversation” with you. Just go away and come back when you have anything to back up what you’re saying and when you can make arguments that don’t make you sound like you’re completely lost (ie- the idea of American laws applying to Mexico).</p>
<p>And PS: You keep saying our “founding fathers” wanted this that and the other thing. The 14th Amendment was created in the mid-1800s. I didn’t know that Congress qualified as our “founding fathers”.</p>
<p>Exactly. Mexico does have different laws. Im saying in most countries (including this one), you do not obtain automatic citizenship by just being born there. Hence why anchor babies are not citizens. You’re right i’ll stop refering to them as founding fathers if that makes you happy. The 14th amendment was really meant for newly freed slaves if anything. But it definitely was not a loophole so that illegals could have their babies here and then reap the benefits.</p>
<p>You made it rather clear that you look down on all illegal immigrants regardless of what they do for a living.</p>
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<p>Seeing as you give off that kind of impression, it’s not surprising that I would take you to mean “dirtbags who cross our borders” as most illegal immigrants crossing the border.</p>
<p>Actually, that’s exactly what I mean. People who could care less about being here legally and leech our system and hurt innocent AMERICANS are dirtbags. If it looks like a duck…</p>
I suppose I’m not a citizen, then, because I was just born here. Or is it because I was born to American citizens? Because they’re just citizens because they were born here. And one side goes back to Irish immigrants who were treated like you’re treating Hispanic immigrants. The other goes back to Italian and Dutch, so likewise. Also, why “exactly” about other countries having different laws? Are you saying the US should have laws just like other countries? Because if so, my family could really use some single-payer health care. But since being born here doesn’t constitute citizenship in your mind, given your “knowledge” of US citizenship law, I would be interested in how well you’d do on a citizenship test.</p>