Both of you bring up very valid points.

And I am not disputing that there are bad living conditions in other countries.

Here is my question:

If you are going to risk your life to come here to work and earn money....why don't you save, invest, become and American citizen......then move your family here with you, ALL become American citizens, learn our culture, adapt to our "way of living" and make a better life for yourself and your family HERE?

Isn't that what the "American Dream" is?

Isn't that why we are the "land of opportunity"?

This is of course just my opinion. But that is why I feel that America is being taken advantage of.

For the record, I am not saying that people are not welcome here.

But I am pretty sure that hundreds of years ago when immagrants first starting migrating to America it was to start a new life, and to bring the rest of their family here as well, as soon as possible, if they weren't with them to begin with. And many families have succeeded, otherwise the population in America wouldn't be what it is, except for the Native Americans who have always been here....of which I am a decedent of....for the record.

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Stacey

The moment we begin to fear the opinions of others and hesitate to tell the truth that is in us, and from motives of policy are silent when we should speak, the divine floods of light and life no longer flow into our souls. ~ Elizabeth Cady Stanton

I was talking to my DH the other day and he actually read these posts to see what others thought and he actually brought up some valid points that he wanted me to share. Yes there may be some tax money out there floating around from illegal immigrants- but would those costs cover everything that they could get from here? If they needed hospitalized for something major- that extra money floating around would not cover as much as they paid in towards taxes (i.e.- I just heard tha in Iowa there was an illegal immigrant that fell out of a tree and broke his back- I am not going to say the whole story since it is long but- that is a very costly hospital stay!). Not to even mention the costs of what it is when they are caught by the authorities and need to be detained to be sent back to their countries!

The thing that my DH said that really stuck out is of course they can effect our economy is that in my DH business- they build houses, you have to put a bid on a house in order to actually build the house- and of course the company or the person that is going to bid on a house is going to pick the lowest bid out there. A lot of times when my DH is building a house- right next door is a group of illegal immigrants building a house. So yes- it is effecting our economy since these people are only here during the prime building season- do there work- send it home and go back to there homes! That is effecting my household by the money my DH is not bringing in by having jobs lost to immigrants(I did not think it was until my DH told me what it was like out there in his business!).

Yes- we all understand that every country has a problem with poverty (which we also have in the US! Just take a look at a lot of the small towns in Appalacia areas! There are areas throughout the entire world that is still horrific besides Mexico!) and yes I understand how some legal citizens send money back to there homes- which I would do the same thing if that was my position- what I have a problem with is if it was an illegal immigrant doing that! My brother in law is now a legal citizen- yes it took him a long time to become a citizen- yes he had to go back to his country for a few months and work in the sugar cane fields and work for pennies before he was able to become a legal citizen and marry my SIL- but he did it the legal way and did not complain about it (he is originally from Curaco)! The whole thing about it is that yes it does take time for it to happen- if you did not just want to take advantage of the system they would do it!

Amen to that Sister! BTW- I have a lot of Native American in my ancestory as well!

That's what exactly my mom did 15 yrs ago. She couldn't handle the life in the Philippines so she brought me with her. We both became a US citizen and believe or not we are living the "American Dream" . What I am trying to say is that there are both side to the story.You come here illegaly and yes you are still welcome but you have very little opportunity that are available to you and the fear that everyday the immigration is going to deport you. I don't think its fear that some people can just cross the border while some are trying their hardest to come legally and have to wait forever to get a visa from the US Embassy. It makes me really uneasy because of what happened after 9-11. Yet like I said before I can't blame them for doing it. At the same time all of us have the same purpose to seek a greener pasture in the land of opportunity. For the "undocumented" people that do come here its like they are taking the advantage of the US (yes you are right about that) but at the same time majority of these people are still hired working minimum wages. So I guess both sides are even. You come here "undocumented" and yet you are taking advantage by the people you are working for because they don't want to pay you big. They save a lot of money by doing that. Its wrong for them to come here illegaly and yet people who are hiring them should ask for proper documents before they get hired. If they can't provide for one they should call the immigration is that simple. For some reason busineses are trying to hide them too. You never know that maybe they are hiring a terrorist.

I am very proud of both of you!! That is quite an accomplishment!

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Stacey

The moment we begin to fear the opinions of others and hesitate to tell the truth that is in us, and from motives of policy are silent when we should speak, the divine floods of light and life no longer flow into our souls. ~ Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Does anybody here know how long it takes to call family over from another country. My Dh was a citizen when we married and I came from the UK and it took 1yr. not bad.
My cousins came over on green cards, they got married to fmaily back in Pakistan, they have to wait 5yrs to become citizens and it takes 3-5yrs to get their spouces over here on a green card.
My FIL applied for his kids who live in the UK and Pakistan 10yrs ago!!!! and now, in spetember they got an interview, if they are approved, they can come over, if not then they have to wait more time.
It is not an easy process. if the governments want peopel to live and work ehre and bring their family here, then they have to make it easier for the fmailies to come over LEGALLY! Isnt it easier for me to just jump the fence and come over rather than wait for 10yrs to come here?
And if the immigrants are illegal, they have to become legal to call their family over, so you are looking at 5,10,15yrs process!
I dont think it is wrong for people to send money to their family back home. They are working hard to earn their money and they can do what they want with it. If you say they are not paying taxes on it, well, make them legal citizens and then they would.
But remember, a lot of the people who come over to work ehre, are working jobs that "Americans" dont want to do. If they all left, our economy would grind to a halt.

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We buy things we dont need,
with money we dont have,
in order to impress people
we dont like?
(Ramsey, D)

Thank you I realized that America is a great country that's why after 9-11 I enlisted in the Army and that's how I met DH. I would never leave this country though. This is become my new home,new hope, new life.

I can see both sides of this. I try to put myself in other's positions. I can't imagine having my family living in such awful conditions as they do in some of these other countries. I would do anything to make it better for them. The selflessness of some of these people who will go to another country and work hard and send the money back so that their family can eat. My goodness, how many deadbeat dads do we have in this country who won't stand up and take care of their children. And if we aren't going to be accepting of people from other countries, should we take down the plaque that sits on the base of the Statue of Liberty?

One the other hand, I do understand the frustration that Stevesgal's dh pointed out. It's hurting some of our businesses. How can an American countracting company put in a bid and win if they are going to pay good wages and benefits to American workers when they have to compete with people who will work for so much less. They can't. We live down the road from a farmer who is building a big house for his migrant workers. The workers have no intentions to stay here, they just come every summer to work in the fields. This farmer needs them. I see many, many unemployed American's out there who would rather just walk to their mailbox and collect unemployment checks than to go work in these fields.

I don't have any answer. But I can say, that I don't understand why people don't treat the imigrants nicely. They are people too. I have overheard sales clerks speaking badly of them and even people I know. The one's I have come across just seem like hard working people to me and should be treated like people, not intruders.

I live in Texas and can tell you that it definately hurts us. Our schools are overcrowded and spend so many $ on English as a second language that it takes away from all sorts of things the schools need. Our early childhood schools that were set up for special needs kids to help get them ready for school by the time they start kindergarten are full of english as a second lang kids and they are turning away children with disabilities because of it. I had to fight to get my son a spot in one. Our hospitals are going broke because all these babies are being born and the parents pay nothing and never respond to the bills. Therefore we pay more to cover them walking out on their responsibilities. We have lower wages for construction workers etc. now because the illegals are willing to do it cheaper. I see it everyday. I get so frustrated that the majority of Americans want the border closed and then something besides an amnesty program set up but somehow the people we elected do whatever THEY want instead. It's sad but unfortunately I really believe that it's going to take a terrorist attack and thousands dead with proof that they came across the Mexican border before anything is really going to get done.

Thank you for serving. My dh is also an immigrant (from Mexico) and when his mother who became a citizen when he was a child, finally "fixed" his papers he enlisted in the Marines and almost immediately was sent over to Desert Storm. He is still only a legal resident, mostly out of sheer laziness he hasn't applied for citizenship, but I always encourage him to since we don't have plans to retire to Mexico.

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Our house is clean enough to be healthy, and dirty enough to be happy. ~Author Unknown