need help ASAP

[George Hayduke]

So you can see how different it is between the US and Canada ... and I find it really hard to take in some of what has been written in this thread. Personally, I would prefer anyone coming to my country to take citizenship. But if they want to keep their original citizenship, but live and work here contributing to the financial burden by paying taxes and buying Canadian when they can ... well, let them do it. It is only when they bring over the entire family, and half of them go on welfare right away, that bothers me a lot. And it happens. Sometimes people come from some other country, get off the plane, and go to a ticket agent asking where they go to get their cheques so they can go looking for a place to live. Hard to believe sometimes what people have been told. I imagine people are told all kinds of interesting things about moving to the States too.

smee2

It is not illegal to live, work, or go to school in the US without being or becoming a citizen. All one has to do is apply for the proper visa at the US Embassy or Consulate in your home country.

And don't start (not you Smee ) with the lame claim of, "Don't you realize how difficult it is for some of these people to travel to the US Embassy and fill out those forms in english?" Well, they seem to be able to make it to America without too much trouble. As for the english thing, if they can't fill out a simple Visa application, how are they going to fill out a job or rental application. They can stay in their home country until they get their act together. Many of their own countrymen follow the rules, why shouldn't they?

GH

[Francie26]

I don't. I see him as a potential US citizen. At what point in his adult life will you require him to relinguish the title of illegal immigrant and join the proud numbers of US citizen applicants?

I was drafted when I was barely 19. I had to drop my plans to go to college. I had to leave my family and the country I love for 19 months to go to a foreign country that hated Americans and tried to kill us every day. And when I came home I still owed Uncle Sam time on the books. By the time I got out, my friends had graduated from JC and were moving onto bigger and better things. Becuase I was a 'Nam vet the only job I could get was as a hod carrier for a hispanic stone company. They thought it was novel a gringo would hoe mud (no cement mixer) out of the back of a pick-up truck and scramble three stories of scaffold to keep the masons in mud. But I did it because the VA benefits were not enough to pay for my books or registration fees. So I picked at it and picked at it for ten years until VN was forgotten and I could provide for my wife and children.

Would I have liked my path to have gone another route? Not anymore. When I was younger, I bit my lip and thought why me? Why didn't I get a break? The answer is simply because I didn't need the break I thought was necessary but, I did get just the right break I needed at all the right times. It was hard as hell but it kept food on my table, lights on in the house and clothes on my children.

Tell your friend to do the right thing, dignity isn't owed, it's earned.

GH

And it's soooo sweeet, when it's earned!!

[ididitfirst]

what is the status of his parents? what if they became citizens before he became 18??? many possibilities. best answer was seek the advice of an attorney.

[wealthhound]

I don't. I see him as a potential US citizen. At what point in his adult life will you require him to relinguish the title of illegal immigrant and join the proud numbers of US citizen applicants?

I was drafted when I was barely 19. I had to drop my plans to go to college. I had to leave my family and the country I love for 19 months to go to a foreign country that hated Americans and tried to kill us every day. And when I came home I still owed Uncle Sam time on the books. By the time I got out, my friends had graduated from JC and were moving onto bigger and better things. Becuase I was a 'Nam vet the only job I could get was as a hod carrier for a hispanic stone company. They thought it was novel a gringo would hoe mud (no cement mixer) out of the back of a pick-up truck and scramble three stories of scaffold to keep the masons in mud. But I did it because the VA benefits were not enough to pay for my books or registration fees. So I picked at it and picked at it for ten years until VN was forgotten and I could provide for my wife and children.

Would I have liked my path to have gone another route? Not anymore. When I was younger, I bit my lip and thought why me? Why didn't I get a break? The answer is simply because I didn't need the break I thought was necessary but, I did get just the right break I needed at all the right times. It was hard as hell but it kept food on my table, lights on in the house and clothes on my children.

Tell your friend to do the right thing, dignity isn't owed, it's earned.

GH

George,

What a very inspiring post!!! As well as a great example to others...as for the young man in the precarious situation...it is ALWAYS better to do the right thing!!!

He must take action and believe that he will be rewarded for it...

[umbertino]

Here in Italy we have a lot of illegal immigrants but also many legal ones...The children of the legal immigrants ( who pay taxes, have a job, etc,) who were born here can stay without documents until 18 which is when they have to go get a permit visa like a newly arrived foreign person even if they were born here .. Italy is one of the few Countries which still applies the "ius sanguinis" the blood right and not the "ius soli" soil right like the US and lots of other Countries...

Which brings a few contradictions imho.. Like the easiness with which some peple of very far Italian origin ( their granpa or even grangranpa was Italian) and they do not speak italian at all , have never been here before but they can come and get a passport and the citizenship while somebody who was born here and has lived here their entire life has to go through literally bureaucratic hell for getting that same citizenship and passport..

Something is rotten in Denmark ( Italy).

[dog53]

Very nice dog53. My very first post and you pretty much called me stupid. Nice.

I only asked the question because I fully believe that if someone is here illegally, whatever the reason, and they want to stay then go ahead and become a citizen. I pay all my taxes and I want everyone else that uses the resources that I help pay for to pay their full share of taxes too.

First let me say I agree with you 100% in regards to illegals paying their fair share. And I apologize if you thought I was trying to make you look stupid. But you really need some work on seeing when someone is making a sarcastic remark on something he really doesn't have all the facts on. Also if you plan on surviving this forum your going to need to have a somewhat thicker skin or you just ain't gonna make it. Believe me when I say there are sharks in here that make me look like a puppy.

Again sorry if I caused you offence.

[DEESEAN]

All i know is that even the Immigrants who come here legally have a hard time becomming citizens. My wife came to the grand Ole US when she was 8 from Guatamala. She followed the gov rules and didn't become a citizen until she was 17. Though i don't agree with Illegals you can't fault a child. A person who has been here for 15 years hopefully has the process started to become a official part of the greatest nation in history..

Always remember this people, if it wasn't for imigration we would not be where we are at today. People forget about the great melting pot that is the USA. This is one of the reasons that this nation as a whole is so great.

[Francie26]

First let me say I agree with you 100% in regards to illegals paying their fair share. And I apologize if you thought I was trying to make you look stupid. But you really need some work on seeing when someone is making a sarcastic remark on something he really doesn't have all the facts on. Also if you plan on surviving this forum your going to need to have a somewhat thicker skin or you just ain't gonna make it. Believe me when I say there are sharks in here that make me look like a puppy.

Again sorry if I caused you offence.

And there are also some of the finest, kindest, and most genuine people on earth in this forum. But we all have to sort them out, so give it time.

[dog53]

And there are also some of the finest, kindest, and most genuine people on earth in this forum. But we all have to sort them out, so give it time.

+1 Francie Your right . kindest,finest, and genuine defintitly outnumber the sharks

[Francie26]

+1 Francie Your right . kindest,finest, and genuine defintitly outnumber the sharks

And, dog53, I might add that you are among them. (The good ones, I mean. lol).

[Francie26]

Yep and you probably never will

I agree with you, dog53, so (as they say in the vernacular) I got your back. In other words, I gave you a + to negate your -. You didn't deserve a negative for an honest opinion, one with which many of us would agree.

[lomeygoat]

I don't. I see him as a potential US citizen. At what point in his adult life will you require him to relinguish the title of illegal immigrant and join the proud numbers of US citizen applicants?

I was drafted when I was barely 19. I had to drop my plans to go to college. I had to leave my family and the country I love for 19 months to go to a foreign country that hated Americans and tried to kill us every day. And when I came home I still owed Uncle Sam time on the books. By the time I got out, my friends had graduated from JC and were moving onto bigger and better things. Becuase I was a 'Nam vet the only job I could get was as a hod carrier for a hispanic stone company. They thought it was novel a gringo would hoe mud (no cement mixer) out of the back of a pick-up truck and scramble three stories of scaffold to keep the masons in mud. But I did it because the VA benefits were not enough to pay for my books or registration fees. So I picked at it and picked at it for ten years until VN was forgotten and I could provide for my wife and children.

Would I have liked my path to have gone another route? Not anymore. When I was younger, I bit my lip and thought why me? Why didn't I get a break? The answer is simply because I didn't need the break I thought was necessary but, I did get just the right break I needed at all the right times. It was hard as hell but it kept food on my table, lights on in the house and clothes on my children

Tell your friend to do the right thing, dignity isn't owed, it's earned.

GH

George , can you here that....its the sound of the worlds smallest violin. We have all endured hard ships, your not unique.

I could tell you stories that would over shadow yours, but I wouldnt bore people with them. Ive struggled as well. Any way the English are suppose to be our best friends, but I suppose you would just as well fight shoulder to shoulder with an Iranian or Afgan rebel. I can see there is no feelings for others in your heart, just self, self, self.

[Shick]

That must be that Christian coming out of you........

Is it Christian to submit to wrong doing . . . Read it again!

[lomeygoat]

You've said well, been ill since age five now he should strive to live right, don't just like the free stuff the government is giving to illegals for votes (which I don't understand) I guess anything to get elected, tells you about the greed and the desire for prestige in this country, as bad as things are here with the gas prices and the economy overall you wonder if we don't fall into the sea. Peace! In the Middle East.

Illegals cant vote, neither can green card holders. Only a citizen can vote.

All i know is that even the Immigrants who come here legally have a hard time becomming citizens. My wife came to the grand Ole US when she was 8 from Guatamala. She followed the gov rules and didn't become a citizen until she was 17. Though i don't agree with Illegals you can't fault a child. A person who has been here for 15 years hopefully has the process started to become a official part of the greatest nation in history..

Always remember this people, if it wasn't for imigration we would not be where we are at today. People forget about the great melting pot that is the USA. This is one of the reasons that this nation as a whole is so great.

Its true, it is very hard and expensive to do it per the law. It is so much trouble to be a green card holder, (actualy its pink) It takes years and I was married to a US citizen. I have to renew in a couple of years, but I am still thinking about getting my citizenship and not just renewing my green card. I can see why people would come here illigally, its so hard and expensive to do it the proper way, and immigration are very hard to work with.

[Joeysixtsix]

Complex situation. The man is 20 years old,time to put on his big boy pants and get an attorney so he can start to get things moving in the right direction. Good luck to him.

[George Hayduke]

George , can you here that....its the sound of the worlds smallest violin. We have all endured hard ships, your not unique.

I could tell you stories that would over shadow yours, but I wouldnt bore people with them. Ive struggled as well. Any way the English are suppose to be our best friends, but I suppose you would just as well fight shoulder to shoulder with an Iranian or Afgan rebel. I can see there is no feelings for others in your heart, just self, self, self.

LOL! Loamygoat - you are so off the mark, I wonder if you actually read and understood the original post. I qualified my position by comparing my own real life experience with the posted fears of events that had yet not happened. Welcome007 was illustrating that bad things would most likely happen to a 17 year old illegal immigrant brought to the US @ age 5. Here is Welcome007’s post again:

Ok so lets say you were him

@ age 17 your parents told you are an illegal after you tried to get a work permit and drivers license.

the news you just got turn your life upside down. know your telling me @ age 17 the only place you know, you must leave to go a country that you don't know,it doesn't know you. you can't return to the u.s for 10 years.

you have to drop your plans of graduating HS, leave friends and family, no going to college or having a chance to live your dream.

i understand your point of not wanting people braking the law to come here illegally but its a different story if you had no control or knowledge of it.

if i was him i would do the same. i see him as a brother and a American.

I posted that brief period of time of my life not to garner sympathy but to illustrate that ‘good’ and ‘dignity’ occurs out of doing the ‘right’ thing even though it may appear the struggle and personal sacrifice will be too much to endure. It was never intended to ‘overshadow’ your, or anyone else’s, personal hardship. It was a first person narrative regarding a difficult period of my life that produced good works and success. You apparently read something into what I wrote that was never intended.

But, mam/sir, I do intend to say this to you as simply and as direct as I can; You do not know me nor do you know my background and if you did, you would not be so careless with associating me with Iranian or Afghan rebels. Your aspersion that I would fight shoulder to shoulder with terrorists goes beyond being insulting and disgusting they are words that spoken face to face are more than likely to cause a violent reaction. You may want to rethink your keyboard bravado before stepping outside to speak those words to a US Veteran…

Illegals cant vote, neither can green card holders. Only a citizen can vote.

I can see why people would come here illigally, its so hard and expensive to do it the proper way, and immigration are very hard to work with.

Simply amazing... I can see why you are not an American yet...

I hope that someday you find the reward of American citizenship to have been worth the trouble and sacrifice of your pen bleeding ink on an application...

GH

[lomeygoat]

Sorry George. I just climbed too high on the soap box.

[George Hayduke]

Sorry George. I just climbed too high on the soap box.

Accepted

GH