Illegal Immigrant Wants Law License

[poetgrl]

<p>Sorry to hear that about your daughter, anxiousmom. I imagine it won’t be too long now for your daughter and her partner. I live in a relatively conservative area, and I can’t recall the last time anyone thought it was anyone’s business who wanted to marry who. It’s considered pretty tacky even among the right around here. So, hopefully soon.</p>

<p>Bay, I’m not really kidding. We have too many lawyers. We should deport half of them.</p>

[sorghum]

<p>

Here’s my plan:</p>

<p>1) No more anchor babies. Like virtually every other country, you now inherit citizenship from your parents.

</p>

<p>Actually, the main problem is that the US does not have a rigorous federal level identification system. There are millions of Americans who simply don’t have documentation to ‘prove’ who they are, people living without bank accounts or school records, etc. This is the biggest barrier to changing the citizenship by birth law.</p>

[hops_scout]

<p>

it’s not right and it is not fair to take a child who only knows American society; who has been educated as an American and who thinks of him or herself as an American, and who is in NO WAY responsible for being brought to the USA… to take that child and deprive him or her of the right to live and work in the country that is home.

</p>

<p>He has NO rights. He is here illegally! Is it really that difficult to comprehend? </p>

<p>I think it’s interesting that so many people want to “be like other countries” when it comes to gun control, healthcare, education, etc but when Americans want immigration policies to match that of other countries we can’t do that!</p>

[sorghum]

<p>A crucial point is that the US government policy (of non-enforcement of immigration law) is largely responsible for the problem today. It is hardly a child’s fault today that 20-30 years ago you wanted cheap labor to cut lettuce, so you turned a blind eye to the illegal immigration of his parents.</p>

[parent1986]

<p>Reagan gave amnesty to over 3 million undocumented workers in 1986. ^^^^^</p>

[poetgrl]

<p>Well, I don’t think we had the same kind of lawyer problem back then that we have now. Just sayin’</p>

[TatinG]

<p>I wonder why this law school even admitted him. Our state medical schools will not admit anyone other than a U. S. citizen or permanent resident. It would be a total waste of limited medical school space to admit someone to medical school who could never legally practice. Law school space is not as valuable, I suppose.</p>

[ellemenope]

<p>

Reagan gave amnesty to over 3 million undocumented workers in 1986.

</p>

<p>I think it would be interesting to see what happened to those people. What were the results of that amnesty? Did it benefit the US?</p>

[Bay]

<p>

What were the results of that amnesty? Did it benefit the US?

</p>

<p>One result that we know of, is that the number of illegal immigrants residing in the US increased from 3 million to 11 million.</p>

[cartera45]

<p>

It would be a total waste of limited medical school space to admit someone to medical school who could never legally practice.

</p>

<p>I’m glad this guy was successful. </p>

<p>[Hopkins</a> Medicine Magazine - The Alfredo Story](<a href=“http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/hmn/W07/feature1.cfm]Hopkins”>http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/hmn/W07/feature1.cfm)</p>

[alwaysamom]

<p>What a great story, cartera. Thanks for sharing that.</p>

[notrichenough]

<p>He somehow became an American citizen during the process, which means he could legally practice. It appears he got there by marrying an American, but the article doesn’t really go into the details. Perhaps he went back to Mexico and came back on a legitimate student visa.</p>

[BCEagle91]

<p>He wouldn’t have to go back to Mexico to get a change of status.</p>

[cartera45]

<p>

It appears he got there by marrying an American,

</p>

<p>No, he was a product of immigration reform in California in the 80s. This is how he describes it in an interview - </p>

<p>

Remember, it was the immigration reform of California. So around the same time, 1986-1987, it said if you work in the fields for X amount of days, we will give you working authorization. If you pay your taxes, if you are an outstanding citizen and you keep working, that will turn into a temporary green card, which in turn, if you keep doing the same thing, will be a green card. And then, by the time I was at Harvard Medical School, in 1997 at Faneuil Hall, I had one of the most beautiful celebration. That’s when I became an American citizen.</p>

<p>MARTIN: How long did it take overall, for you to become a citizen?</p>

<p>QUINONES-HINOJOSA: Ten years.</p>

<p>MARTIN: Ten years. Did you cry?</p>

<p>QUINONES-HINOJOSA: Of course I did. I was sitting right there and I was among 500 people and I did cry. I mean, it was a dream come true. But I tell you, Michel, I also cried because my parents, all right, who had been trying to become U.S. citizens, hadn’t been able to accomplish this. And I had an anecdote in my book where I was treated differently when I went to my U.S. citizen exam, because I was a Harvard medical student. And that is sad - that sometimes we treat people, but I was the same guy.

</p>

[poetsheart]

<p>One word: “Self-deportation.”;)</p>

[anxiousmom]

<p>Some of you are so cold. It saddens me to read these posts and see how casual you are about these folks lives…</p>

[hops_scout]

<p>

Some of you are so cold. It saddens me to read these posts and see how casual you are about these folks lives…

</p>

<p>Those people can live their lives in their country if they choose not to follow the rules in place here.</p>

[Bay]

<p>anxiousmom,</p>

<p>The US is the most generous country in the world, with millions of immigrants welcomed every year via our lawful process.</p>

<p>No one here is suggesting that these real life people get out and stay out. Rather, these immigrants did not come here as political/persecuted refugees or pursuant to a lawful process, so they need to do that. If there is a legitimate need to shelter them, the US government provides for that. </p>

<p>Mexico has some bad areas and crime, but overall it is a pretty decent country and could possibly provide better opportunities for a US-trained lawyer with Mexican citizenship than we can here. In the meantime, he can pursue the lawful process for returning to the US.</p>

[Bay]

<p>anxiousmom,</p>

<p>If Mr. Godinez was a Canadian citizen, and was in the same predicament, would you still feel that he must be able to stay here? I’m just curious and trying to gauge where you are coming from with your feelings.</p>

[CTTC]

<p>

I think it’s interesting that so many people want to “be like other countries” when it comes to gun control, healthcare, education, etc but when Americans want immigration policies to match that of other countries we can’t do that!

Very good point!</p>