The Dream Act

[cdwjava]

The immigrant still needs sponsorship. It's just not as black and white as it's being made out to be.

They just don't need to guarantee support, apparently. Once upon a time, you did.

[cyjeff]

You're offering what is often called "a distinction without a difference."

Okay, here is the difference.

In one case, a person committing a crime worries that he will hit a cop that will arrest him. Makes the crime, at least, a bother.
In the other, a person committing a crime knows that there is no penalty. Therefore, not only this person but a whole bunch MORE people that may not have committed the crime before will not commit the crime.

This is not a semantic argument. There is a real difference.

[Dogmatique]

They just don't need to guarantee support, apparently. Once upon a time, you did.

It's actually...well, I don't want to belabour the point (truly!), but it's actually somewhat reversed. Once upon a time, that affidavit of support was not legally enforceable. If your sponsor skipped out and dumped you, there was no recourse. Now? Now it's absolutely enforceable. The immigrant can sue the sponsor (this is in addition to any State agency going after the sponsor) for support.

That is a positive step (in my opinion). Not to encourage a sponsored immigrant to sue for the sake of suing, but it does give the immigrant (and the State) a legal way of making darned sure that the sponsor fulfills that obligation as much as humanly possible so that the immigrant doesn't become a public charge.

[cyjeff]

This country was founded upon immigrants that wanted a chance to make something of themselves through hard work, sweat and hope.

[cdwjava]

I recall when my relatives came to this country (I'm second generation American on my father's side) they had to be provided for. The fear was that the family member would be deported if they did not work or could not provide for themselves, or their sponsor would be held accountable (in many cases, my Grandfather - himself a previously "illegal" immigrant, but that's a story for another time). Whether that was legally possible, who knows? But, then, we were talking about a time when the laws were a wee bit different and I suspect that even deportation was not nearly as complex as it can be now.

It simply frosts me that illegal aliens can be eligible for benefits and assistance that legal residents and citizens are not.

[Dogmatique]

If your parents have been here for 17 years and can put you through college - they are doing a lot of illegal stuff. If they can afford a house, they can afford the few thousand dollars to file paperwork and make you all LEGAL Immigrants.

And you should know enough by now to know that this simply isn't how it works. Come on Pandy - I'm really disappointed here. What makes two illegal parents suddenly able to make their children legal residents?

[PandorasBox]

What I mean is: If they are earning money and can afford a house.....they likely are working illegally, since they don't have SSN's. If they have enough money for a house, they should be able to afford the expense of filling out forms and paying the fees to try to become legal citizens, for themselves and the kids.

Sure, there is the chance of deportation....either way.....

[horseyjess]

This country was founded upon immigrants that wanted a chance to make something of themselves through hard work, sweat and hope.

Now it seems alot of people immigrate. With the hopes of making money off the books, sending the money home. Meanwhile using the benefits and assistance of the states and current taxpayers! (Sorry if I butted in unwelcome I mostly read but couldnt keep my fingers quiet)

[PandorasBox]

HorseyJess....that is ok, and welcome aboard.

[souperdave]

My opinion is that the "amnesty" aspect of this is total horseshit! It's also an obvious ploy to gain some sorta support from certain sections of the populace in a bid for reelection. Sort of a 'I can do whatever I want whenever I want and bypass whatever I want' simply to sway lines of thought one way or the other.

But whatever this loser does is TOTALLY nullified by one simple thing the turd failed to do recently and instead focused his efforts toward courting the deep pockets to finance, in what I hope is a failed, reelection campaign.

Obama did not even make some sort, or rather ANY SORT, of commenorative gesture on June 6. That, in my humble opinion, is damned despicable!

And now he wants to give a free pass to a bunch of undeserving lawbreakers and expect it to be somewhat universally accepted? My main regret is that when it comes time, I only have the right to one vote!!!!!