Okay, so I've been seeing on some profiles lately propaganda about how illegal immigration is okay because everyone deserves to come to the US if they want, everyone was an immigrant once, etc.

Okay, I can concede that. But that does NOT make violating international law okay.

We wanted to come to the US so what did we do? We applied for a visa, got it, moved here, then applied for greencards when we decided we wanted to stay.

It took me seven years to get a greencard, SEVEN YEARS, and I just recently got fully legalized for work, which took 5 years.

Now I don't want this to turn into a debate, just want to know if anyone else has gotten into this frustrating situation? I feel like with all these people rallying that it should be a-ok it's a slap in the face to those of us that worked our asses off to be legal. :(

edit/ Corrected pronouns since it was our whole family.

i fully agree with you. just saying. ^_^

I coincide with ya. I'd be upset if I had worked that hard for a GC to find that some guy from Mexico living down the street from me was getting extra attention from people who support his procrastination. :[

I agree with you also.

Its not fair. And ... while I am Canadian, and this doesn't necessarily effect me completely, in my mind, There were rules put in place for a reason. Its hard to follow them and complete them fully, but its plain not fair if you dont.

Follow the rules, become an american. Simple

Well, we were once immigrants, too!

^ That's usually the argument morons give.

It wasn't so much of an issue back then, because the immigrants weren't exactly stealing people's hard-earned jobs.

Now all these illegals are getting free education and the works.

It's not even that hard to apply for citizenship.

It may take a while, sure, but it's not difficult -_-;

I agree with you. I don't think illegal immigration should be tolerated. Yeah, it sucks that some people are born in an underprivileged/troubled country, but that doesn't mean they have to push their troubles on another country.

I live in America and it's hard as hell for teenagers to find jobs here (at least in my city/area/whatever), because most easy jobs that don't require many skills like waitress-ing or working in fast food or bagging groceries are taken by unskilled and illegal immigrants. Teens could be doing those same type of jobs. I don't want to sound like I'm stereotyping, but a lot of these people are too uneducated/poor to go to school and find a higher paying job like most other adults. It takes away jobs from people who are legally part of the country.

If someone goes through the work to gain citizenship it really proves that they want to be here for a reason, not just so they can mooch off the welfare system.

Tl;dr... I agree with you 100%.

I mean hell even in the days of Ellis Island there was heavy record keeping and registrations, you couldn't just walk in. Ugh I don't know. I have no problem with people that want to move in hopes of a better life, just don't take illegal shortcuts and expect to have the same rights as those of us that went the long way.

That's definitely not fair to you. :/

My family and I was born in America so I don't have a similar story.

That's exactly what I've been saying to people. I'm happy people want to come here, I just want them to do it legally.

What country were you originally from, if I may ask?

Northern Canada.

We didn't have to go far but we did it the right way. We easily could have just stayed past our visa and probably wouldn't have gotten caught but that's not how it should work.

The reason I haven't gotten my citizenship yet is that I'm unsure if I'm going to stay in the US and am really hoping to immigrate to South Africa in a few years, also legally.

I mean yeah, the paperwork is daunting and the lottery for non-vital workers can take forever, but it's not impossible.

it's unfair, but rules change. I mean, these people might very well deserve their stay just as well as you do. If there is a need for more immigrants (or if the immigrants have a greater need to escape) then you will have to accomodate for that.

I don't live in America though, and I'm not 100 % knowledgeable about the whole illegal immigrants thing over there :P

But we have them too (obviously), and it is a tough situation: who gets to stay and who gets shipped off? Especially since most of the immigrants who go to Sweden are those who are escaping war. A majority I think are from the middle east (and who wants to live there?) I mean, can you really send them back?

I'm not really saying that the rules don't need some changing, but that while the current rules are in place they need to be followed and people don't need to be shouting Amnesty for those that knowingly break them.

Maybe I'm just overly sensitive to it. We were lucky because we could apply for a needed worker visa, my mother was a nurse. Even then it took us that long because it's a complicated process.

I actually haven't heard anyone I know taking that view, but then again, I live in Texas and almost everyone is fed up with the influx of illegal immigrants hovering on street corners and at gas stations, hoping to be picked up for some sort of job.

well, they do it by their own free will, right? If you flee to escape I reckon you don't want to be there. :P not like sweden sends a whole bunch of soldiers there, you have to be determined to go to get the chance really...

i think the system could be better (granted i don't know a lot about it) i think the fact that it took you SEVEN YEARS to get a green card is the reason why there are so many illegal immigrants. it should be easier, those people deserve to have a chance.

i remember in school, we took the test that immigrants have to take, and very few kids actually passed. they're not even fit to live in america themselves :P

You misunderstand.

It only took a few months to get a visa and move here, but seven years to be considered a resident and allowed to stay indefinitely. With visas you have to reapply every six months or so depending on the purpose.

And that test is only if you're applying for citizenship, which you have to have lived in the US for 10 years to qualify to take.