Immigration laws, should they be stiffer in America?
602029
Absolutely. Take a look at what an American working in Mexico has to go through. Aside from the bribes and documentation, a Mexican could rarely immigrate to America if we were to use their own laws and methods and beuracracy.\n\nUS Citizens Working in Mexico\nThe following from a director with SW BELL in Mexico City.\n\nI spent five years working in Mexico.\n\nI worked under a tourist visa for three months and could legally renew it for three more months.  After that you were working illegally. I was technically illegal for three weeks waiting on the FM3 approval.\n\nDuring that six months our Mexican and US Attorneys were working to secure a permanent work visa called a FM3. It was in addition to my US passport that I had to show each time I entered and left the country. Barbara's was the same except hers did not permit her to work.\n\nTo apply for the FM3 I needed to submit the following notarized originals (not copies) of my:\n\n1. Birth certificates for Barbara and me.\n\n2. Marriage certificate.\n\n3. High school transcripts and proof of graduation.\n\n4. College transcripts for every college I attended and proof of graduation.\n\n5.  Two letters of recommendation from supervisors I had worked for at least one year.\n\n6. A letter from The ST. Louis Chief of Police indicating I had no arrest record in the US and no outstanding warrants and was "a citizen in good standing."\n\n7. Finally; I had to write a letter about myself that clearly stated why there was no Mexican citizen with my skills and why my skills were important to Mexico. We called it our "I am the greatest person on earth" letter. It was fun to write.\n\nAll of the above were in English that had to be translated into Spanish and be certified as legal translations and our signatures notarized. It produced a folder about 1.5 inches thick with English on the left side and Spanish on the right.\n\nOnce they were completed Barbara and I spent about five hours accompanied by a Mexican attorney touring Mexican government office locations and being photographed and fingerprinted at least three times. At each location (and we remember at least four locations) we were instructed on Mexican tax, labor, housing, and criminal law and that we were required to obey their laws or face the consequences. We could not protest any of the government's actions or we would be committing a felony. We paid out four thousand dollars in fees and bribes to complete the process. When this was done we could legally bring in our household goods that were held by US customs in Loredo Texas. This meant we rented furniture in Mexico while awaiting our goods. There were extensive fees involved here that the company paid.\n\nWe could not buy a home and were required to rent at very high rates and under contract and compliance with Mexican law.\n\nWe were required to get a Mexican drivers license. This was an amazing process. The company arranged for the licensing agency to come to our headquarters location with their photography and finger print equipment and the laminating machine. We showed our US license, were photographed and fingerprinted again and issued the license instantly after paying out a six dollar fee. We did not take a written or driving test and never received instructions on the rules of the road. Our only instruction was never give a policeman your license if stopped and asked. We were instructed to hold it against the inside window away from his grasp. If he got his hands on it you would have to pay ransom to get it back.\n\nWe then had to pay and file Mexican income tax annually using the number of our FM3 as our ID number. The companies Mexican accountants did this for us and we just signed what they prepared. I was about twenty legal size pages annually.\n\nThe FM 3 was good for three years and renewable for two more after paying more fees.\n\nLeaving the country meant turning in the FM# and certifying we were leaving no debts behind and no out
529091
It is the right, duty and responsibility of governments to ensure that its own citizens are 'adequately protected' from illegal immigrations.\n\nFrom our country's experience we have set periodic deadlines for illegal aliens to give themselves up to be repatriated to their counrty of origins, or face arrest and subsequent punishment of the country's laws which includes jail sentence and/or caning. In addition employers face substantial monetary fines for every illegal alien they employ. These measures were effective in reducing a significant total of illegals.\n\nAmerica is not doing enough to protect its own people from within. Illegal aliens bring diseases, cultures/practices that may be offensive/illegal and pose new dangers upsetting existing American communities and neighbourhoods. Why should the American citizens have to tolerate these additional dangers to their lives and peace-of-mind? I just cannot understand why the US government is doing so little/nothing to address this URGENT problem?!! Americans must exert pressure on the authorities, make loud noises by holding peaceful protests IF they want to wake up the government.
318628
maybe.  and they shouldn't. it's not fair for legal immigrants and for american citizens.
650441
I don't get it.  The problem with this debate is that there are too many Squares that must follow the rules. Given how much a job in the US means to an immigrant's family I feel that it is okay to look the other way.   Plus anything that makes it illegal for Children here in the United States to get an Education or go to the hospital because they'd get arrested is complete BS.
646368
There are small fines set already.  What needs to happen is they need to enforce the law.  They also need to up the ante by raising the fine and also impose jail time.  I promise, if they set enough punishment, companies will think twice about hiring them.  They also need to fire, fine and jail any law enforcement person who ignores this law, such as those idiot border patrol guys.\n\nAmericans also needs to help in this.  If they know of a company that has them hired, they need to turn them in.
60260
I believe most Americans do like immigrants after all that is what our country was founded on.  What Americans do not like is people (immigrants if you will) that abuse the welfare system.  I say don't come if you can't pay your way.  And learn the language please.
446204
In a ideal situation we should remove the laws that restrict posession by law abiding citizens.\n\nBut more importantly...\n\nENFORCE the laws we already have.
429339
The new immigration law is as close to facism as I've ever seen in this country (next to the Patriot Act).  There are blatant civil rights issues at stake here.  For instance, the new immigration bill would criminalize any act giving assistance to illegal foreigners - making churches, charity organizations, and other worthwhile enterprises felons!  If you are a legal worker, and then lose your status somehow (say, through an administrative mix up or some such incident) you would be charged with a felony as well.  It needs to be changed, at the very least.  However, throwing the immigrants out is NOT the answer.  Making them registered, tax paying legal residents is the answer.  This would bring in revenue for the government (which it desperately needs).  It would cost billions of dollars to find them, process them, and deport them.  We are talking about 12 million people here!  People need to put their racist attitudes aside and focus on a real solution to the problem.  And by the way, we are all descendants of immigrants in this country.  Its a good thing that our great-grandparents, or however far back you would like to trace your lineage, weren't tossed out of this country like so many of their descendants wish upon the illegals in this country today.  Remember your roots, and the fact that NONE of us would be here if not for immigration to this country.
672520
wow i never knew those were there laws and they get mad at us because we don't want them here ILLEGALLY!! i think some of those laws would be pretty good for us to have some of them are a little too harsh like not being able to vote and not being able to live on waterfront property. i really enjoyed that little bit of knowledge thank you
622224
No, what we do need are law abiding immigrants.  What part of illegal is so hard for people to comprehend.  This country's foundation are immigrants but they need to be entering this country legally and by the laws that the UNITED STATES has set for entrance into this country.  The US shouldn't have to change existing immigration laws to fit the parameters set by those who are here illegally.  All illegal immigrants should be forced to leave and reenter the country legally before they have a chance at becoming a citizen.
465429
I am not sure I understand you but I do not think that all citizens in the US are prejudice. I want my taxes to pay for my kids not for kids of parents who do not contribute. I want people who have been waiting out the legal process to be made citizens ahead of people who say screw the countries laws I will do as I please. I want the poor uneducated US citizen to find a job that their skills can handle. I do not hate the people coming here for trying to improve their life but I hate the attitudes and ideas that many bring with them. Our laws can not  be broken just because someone decides that the laws do not help their cause. If that were allowed then we would live in anarchy.
562462
In the United States the percentage would be low. At the current moment, there is a huge controversey over immigration laws in the United States. Actually, if you want to come in, right now might be the easiest and best time to do so. I'm not sure about the U.K., however.
314793
Well in Europe many countries have the very same problem. Example the riotings in france last october or november. Spains problem with the africans crossing the borders in mass...etc... Many countries have this problem since they are getting wealthier and other countries are getting poorer. The reaction should be one of integration within the law, what is definetely wrong is to criminalize something that was not criminalized before and now expect to jail everyone. That`s against any principle of law. What countries should do is make laws more rationaly so they can deal with the reality and not expect to build a wall or stupid measures that don`t solve anything. Law-rights-integration-solidarity (both ways, immigrants should also be responsable for it)
954553
Enforcing existing immigration laws would be a step in the right direction.\n\nSittinpretty- My ancestors DID have to join the military to earn respect and rights.  They came from Italy.  It was join America in WWII or rot in a concentration camp.  And that was even after they came legally.  Your sarcastic remark isn't funny.
1185909
I personally have suggested that we adopt the very same laws as they have within Mexico for this country - esp after Fox came here talking about how he didn't agree with what our congress was thinking of doing on the immigration bills.\n\nDouble standards bother me - which is maybe why so many of his citizens leave.  That and the free ride that they get over here.....
694484
Lots of countries have stricter rules than us. We are a joke which is why the illegals feel free to come here and do what they want.
607152
If anyone immigrates illegally they are treated the same from the gov standpoint - no matter what country they are from.\n\nBut the truth of the matter is that immigrants from Canada do get treated better by US society than do immigrants (legal or otherwise) from Mexico.  The many posts on this question show that we often assume a Canadian will look somewhat like us and speak English (even though a good portion of Canada speaks French) and therefore, they must have come legally.  Whereas society looks at any Latino and makes the assumption they are here illegally and they are Mexican.  That is called prejudice.  And unfortunately, our great country still struggles with prejudice as this topic shows so well.\n\nUnless you are Native American, your family immigrated at some point - this is what makes America quite unique in the world.  Yes, laws should be followed and enforced, however the automatic biased negative reaction towards Hispanics is wrong.\n\nThe first step to getting better on this is admitting that racism does indeed exist.