Look on the bright side

[LouRose]

Waiting for visas sucks, we all know its unfair, and I've read a few posts on here by people wondering if it wouldn't be easier to just get to Mexico and cross the border, considering how a lot of illegal immigrants manage to live just fine in the US. But today I read an article in the New York Times that made me realize how lucky we are that we are in a situation where we can afford to apply for and wait for the real deal. Imagine getting your SO to the US, starting lives, having kids and everything, and then one day finding out your spouse was just deported despite the fact that he/she is now settled in a family of US citizens. I pasted the beginning of the article below, you can check it out.

So what's my point? I just want everyone who is stuck waiting to see the bright side. It may be miserable now, but once you do get your SO to the US, you will not be worrying that he/she will be taken away from you again. Once you do start your lives together, it'll be forever, and thats more than a lot of people can say, so try not to take it for granted!

 

A Mother Deported, and a Child Left Behind

By NINA BERNSTEIN

Published: November 24, 2004

 

In April of last year, when her mother dropped by federal immigration headquarters in Manhattan to complete some paperwork, 8-year-old Virginia Feliz became part of a growing tribe of American children who have lost a parent to deportation.

 

Her mother, Berly, 47, who migrated to the United States illegally a decade ago, went to the immigration office on a routine visit to renew her work authorization. But because an old deportation order had resurfaced, she was quickly clapped into handcuffs, and within hours placed on a plane to her native Honduras, unable to say goodbye to her husband and little girl.

 

"I'm not happy; I'm sad," said Virginia, who lives in a small Bronx apartment. "Because it's not fair that everybody else has their mom except me." She dropped onto a couch next to her disabled father, Carlos Feliz, an American citizen who was born in the Dominican Republic, declaring that she hates her last name, which means happy in Spanish.

 

No one keeps track of exactly how many American children were left behind by the record 186,000 noncitizens expelled from the United States last year, or the 887,000 others required to make a "voluntary departure." But immigration experts say there are tens of thousands of children every year who lose a parent to deportation. As the debate over immigration policy heats up, such broken families are troubling people on all sides, and challenging schools and mental health clinics in immigrant neighborhoods.

 

Officials at the Department of Homeland Security say they are simply enforcing laws adopted in 1996, which all but eliminated the discretion of immigration officers to consider family ties before enforcing an old order of removal.

[tonymasiello]

That is a scary story, but I expect in this era these kinds of stories will become increasingly frequent. You are right LouRose, there is no substitute for the peace of mind that will accompany my fiancee's legal and permanent residence. That wait is long and hard, but it will be worth it in the end.

[Razbre]

Maybe if they were STOPPED and sent back before they have a family...this wouldn't happen....I can understand the heart ache involved....but...my god...being able to work...live...raise a family as an illegal....leaves me to ponder just WHY we have immigration laws.....expecially where our good President wants to give 'amensty' to the illegals aready here....oh...my mistake....the illegal MEXICANS that are already here...everyone else gets sent back..

[tonymasiello]

Maybe if they were STOPPED and sent back before they have a family...this wouldn't happen....

How do you do that?

[lele]

How do you do that?

A good question Tony.

 

I would propose by helping to reduce the poverty and environmental damage around the world. I would suggest by helping to raise the standard of living and by providing education and health coverage to people who are less fortunate.

 

I know that this runs counter to the mainstream thought, and certainly to the dominant expences in us foreign policy since the end of WWII, but I think that it is the best way to go, in the long run.

 

If we did want to stop everyone, how many people would it take? Say 40 for every mile of boarder (20 for the day shift and 20 for the night shift)? But the boarder is HUGE!!! More than 10,000 miles if we include all of our boarders (including sea boarders). This also does nothing for airports, or for outlying possessions like hawaii, puerto rico, and alaska. The numbers are staggering...and seem beyond being reasonable unless we turn into some type of police state (ie: nazi germany).

 

Can anyone think of an alternative if we are to go the route of actually policing EVERY inch of our boarders??

[NY-Viking]

This is, of course, a reminder to make sure you do everything in a timely fashion once the visa is approved with AOS and green card renewals.

[tonado]

It is possible that a permanent resident can be deported.

 

Read this link

 

"How to Keep Your Green Card After You Get It

Follow these rules and you'll never lose your status as a permanent resident of the United States.

 

Once you receive a green card, there are a few conditions required to keep it for life. For one thing, you must not violate certain criminal or immigration laws. For another, you must not abandon the United States as your permanent residence."

[calaf&turandot]

It is possible that a permanent resident can be deported.

Yes, it is possible for "illegal" permanent residents.

 

I'm an immigrant myself but don't feel much sympathy for this kind of story. I paid my dues coming here legally as a foreign student, then a permanent resident and a citizen. Now, I've been paying my due to be united with my SO by 18 months of loneliness and frustration while watching this government is allowing millions of illegals to live in this country. I want to say to the deported men/women; "you took a short cut while I was paying my due. It's time to pay your due."

Somehow, the media tries to conjure up sympathy when children are involved, but nobody is tying them up here. If they feel their family tie is more important than having an easy life here, they can go with their deported mother/father.

[tonado]

It is possible that a permanent resident can be deported.

Yes, it is possible for "illegal" permanent residents.

 

I'm an immigrant myself but don't feel much sympathy for this kind of story. I paid my dues coming here legally as a foreign student, then a permanent resident and a citizen. Now, I've been paying my due to be united with my SO by 18 months of loneliness and frustration while watching this government is allowing millions of illegals to live in this country. I want to say to the deported men/women; "you took a short cut while I was paying my due. It's time to pay your due."

Somehow, the media tries to conjure up sympathy when children are involved, but nobody is tying them up here. If they feel their family tie is more important than having an easy life here, they can go with their deported mother/father.

My point is that you can be deported even though you are a legal permanent residents. I don't consider illegals are permanent residents.

[Guest hakkamike]

Sounds like she got what was coming to her, her husband should be also incarcerated for knowingly aiding an illegal alien. They played the game and came up losers.

Later, Michael Perez

[Guest hakkamike]

Watch Terminal, its about a guy that played the immigration game and won.

Later, Michael Perez

[Guest hakkamike]

I know Don I should have harder on them but it is the Holiday season lol lol

Still Laughing, Michael Perez

[kfman]

Its crazy how our government does little to stop this. I work in a Federal Prison, see tons of illegals being held here in prison, will go to a hearing when their sentence is up, and will actually be considered to stay!!! Ugh, liberalism. However, I do disagree with my president on this issue. If we are waiting and playing the game the proper way, then allowing the illegal alians the right to stay is just wrong. The problem is the press, the libs, and their allies are loud, and make much noise... oh well. I know my wife will be legal, and that is what I care about for now.