Citizenship Not Assured for Unions Involving Illegal Immigrants
| AR Articles on Immigration Law |
|---|
| The Green Card Crap Shoot (May 2003) |
| Fade to Brown (May 2003) |
| A Chronicle of Capitulation (Aug. 2002) |
| Immigration: The Debate Becomes Interesting (Jul. 1995) |
| Search AmRen.com for Immigration Law |
| More news stories on Immigration Law |
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“It didn’t bother me that he was undocumented,” said Mrs. Avila, an American citizen who moved here from Michigan in 2003. Like many, Mrs. Avila believed that once she married, the process of getting her husband’s status legalized would be simpler than it is.
She was wrong.
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In 2005, there were approximately 6.6 million families in the United States in which either the head of the family or the spouse was unauthorized, according to the Pew Hispanic Center.
Just getting married to a U.S. citizen does not grease the rails to permanent residency, even for someone entering the country legally. And the task gets far more complicated, sometimes impossible, for illegal immigrants.
According to current law, even if a relative or a spouse asks for someone to be granted permanent residency, it can be a three- to 10-year bar, depending on how long they have lived in the United States illegally.
Along with massive amounts of paperwork, there are interviews with immigration officials, background checks, court papers to file, medical exams, fingerprinting, photographing—many little parts that add up to the whole.
The cost can be prohibitive. Filing fees, medical exams, photos and other expenses can cost about $2,000, immigration lawyers say. Attorney fees can add from $1,500 to $6,000 on top of that.
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The process is easier if someone has simply overstayed the term of a visa since those cases can be handled while the person remains in the United States, Mr. Olsen said.
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(Posted on April 16, 2008)
Comments
“And the task gets far more complicated, sometimes impossible, for illegal immigrants.”
Sometimes? It should always be impossible for illegal aliens. Otherwise they will just take advantage of the loophole in pursuit of their true objective and at the expense of their American partner. If the spouse knew their status beforehand, no sympathy here. If not, they should be allowed to annul the union based on fraud. For everyone else who is doing it the legal way, thank you. American citizenship is difficult to achieve for a reason. Let’s keep it that way.
Posted by Edward at 6:50 PM on April 16
“In 2005, there were approximately 6.6 million families in the United States in which either the head of the family or the spouse was unauthorized, according to the Pew Hispanic Center.”
Well, there are 6.6 million “families” where the spouses and their whelps should have been thrown out of this country in 2005. The “authorized” partner, regardless of race, has aided and abetted a criminal; their “unauthorized” counterpart is that criminal; and their progeny are not and can never be full US citizens.
What is so hard to grasp here?
I say not one quarter, not one eighth of an inch of leniency, toward these symbiotically multiplying parasites and traitors, that thrive on destroying the continuity and progress of this country’s future. They are worthless and prove it, by standing by their debased and selfish manipulations to achieve their wretched goals, and for declaring these vile goals as being “noble” acts of duty or pride.
They draw this country toward an abyss of Third World “transformation;” I say throw all of them into the existing ones, that were created by them or people just like them!
Posted by John PM at 9:34 PM on April 16
This is the reason those of us married to foreign wives are so upset with the South of the Border Invasion. We all brought them over on either a Fiancee Visa (6 month wait) or a Spousal Visa (1 year wait). We filed papers with and paid fees to the Department of Immigration (now Homeland Security?). It took great time and expense but we did it completely legally and all of our wives are eligible for American Citizenship (mine took 5 years from leaving Asia and arriving in the USA). This is the way it is supposed to legally be done. Why are others allowed to cut in line in front of us?
Posted by Lost in Paradise at 11:05 PM on April 16
This is the reason those of us married to foreign wives are so upset with the South of the Border Invasion. We started our families on either a Fiancee Visa (6 month wait) or a Spousal Visa (1 year wait). We filed papers with and paid fees to the Department of Immigration (now Homeland Security?). It took great time and expense but we did it completely legally and all of our wives are eligible for American Citizenship (mine took 5 years from leaving Asia and arriving in the USA). This is the way it is supposed to legally be done. Why are others allowed to cut in line in front of us?
Posted by Lost in Paradise at 11:14 PM on April 16
End immigration, chain migration, secure the border, and kick the modern-libs and neo-cons out of office. Back to true conservatism. Domestic government deregulation combined with fair trade. Let’s innovate, manufacture, and sell stuff again!
Posted by Unemployed WASP at 12:10 PM on April 17
If staying in the US is so hard for these criminals, perhaps they and their families should just leave.
Posted by Michael C. Scott at 12:44 PM on April 17
Something is healthy with our immigration policy after all.
Posted by seeker at 1:27 PM on April 17
hi!! it is me, Robert, the Korean guy in Toronto.
I am going back to Korea for summer. My cousin has a private learning institute in Korea, and she told me I can come to Korea and teach kids in summer. I am waiting for my Canadian passport to be finalized… I cannot use my Korean passport. It expired, and I currently have a Canadian citizenship. I want to live with her family but my parents say I should live away from her in Korea!! which makes me a little bit unhappy.
My best friend finished his degree in chem eng at U of Toronto St. George campus, and he is currently working in Korea. he and I are considering doing some schooling in Sweden. he will do his masters, and I will probably do the remainder of my undergraduate. The university education is offered in English in some schools in Sweden, and the price of the education is extremely low even for international students.
Posted by at 3:21 PM on April 17
Well, Korean in Toronto, do you like visiting old ships? The Danish frigate “Jylland” is preserved at Ebeltoft, Denmark. This was one of Admiral Suenson’s ships at the Battle of Helgoland on May 9, 1864.
The British have preserved both the three-decker ship of the line HMS Victory, and the ironclad HMS Warrior. Warrior was the first seagoing battleship with an iron hull.
The wreckage of the Swedish Vasa and the English Mary Rose can also be visited.
The Russians have preserved their old cruiser Aurora at St. Petersburg, because of her role in the revolution, but she is also one of only two ships remaining that fought at Tsushima in 1905. The other is IJN Mikasa, preserved at Yokosuka with a nice statue of Admiral Heihachiro Togo nearby.
The only type-VII U-boat is preserved in Germany, I think at Wilhelmshaven or Kiel. The US has the former U-505 in Chicago, but she’s a type-IX.
If you scuba dive, many of the North Sea World War One wrecks are diveable: HMS Invincible, HMS Queen Mary, HMS Indefatigable, HMS Defense, HMS Black Prince, HMS Audacious, SMS Lutzow and SMS Pommern are all tech dives. Indefatigable is probably not worth the visit, as the wreckage is quite broken up. Invincible, Queen Mary and Lutzow are quite interesting wrecks. They’re all about 200 feet down. Pommern was also blown in half by the explosion that sank her with all hands, and the bow ornament can be visited in Laboe, at the German naval memorial there. The wrecks are war graves, and should be treated as such.
If you don’t scuba dive - and the North Sea is very cold - visit castles and museums. Much of my childhood was spent in Europe, and the castles and museums left a lasting impression. My favorite is Craigmiller Castle, outside of Edinburgh.
The Russians have a huge tank museum outside of Moscow. If you’re worried about Russian neo-nutzis, wear a hat and sunglasses. You’ll look white at a distance that way; my wife does this sometimes.
I envy you, and I hope you enjoy your stay in Europe.
Posted by Michael C. Scott at 3:59 PM on April 18
Queen Mary is my favorite wreck. She’s mostly upside-down, her severed bow and stern resting near each other. 1266 men died when she sank, and 9 survived.
Posted by Michael C. Scott at 3:59 PM on April 19
thanks for the suggestions!! :) you must have had a wonderful childhood.
For some reason it makes me feel very uncomfortable to hear that you envy me, Michael!! mostly because you are one of the ones that I enjoy reading from most. I did not post in the last couple of months but I always admire how calm and gentle you always are.
You are a castle lover too?
Yes, I am looking forward to visiting all over Europe via train. :) I would love to go to Germany. I want to try their black forrest cake, and I want to visit Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany.
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/4206/neuschwanstein32sd0.jpg
http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/8686/neuschwansteinir1.jpg
The picture of the Neuschwanstein castle was in my house when I was about five years old. I thought it was very beautiful. And I remember, at the bottom of the picture, it read, “Germany”. and when I became a teenager, and when internet became popular, I looked up for this castle… I found it!
Posted by at 12:15 AM on April 20