Why do people choose to enter the country illegally?

Question

I understand why people want to come to the U.S. and I welcome legal immigrants. I just don't understand why so many people choose to come here illegally. (I'm not talking about criminals, the reason they enter illegally is obvious)

Answer 1

to have a better life

Answer 2

For poor Mexicans usually their visa application is denied because they cannot prove beyond a doubt that they have ties to their home country, and, that if they visit the USA they will do so temporarily and return to their home country.

Mexico does not offer any opportunities for a better lifestyle, not even a dignified one, so they turn to the USA where so many have made a better life for themselve and their families. That means risking their lives, and facing abuse and living as second or third class citizens in another country.

How many more Mexicans will have to migrate after the upcoming elections on July 2? Have you any idea of what's at stake here? Every Mexican is worried about the future, it's either a crazy Hugo Chavez wannabe, a rerun of the same old PRI corrupt dinosaurs, another member of the elite PAN who will at least continue the work started by his predecessor Mr. Fox, or any of the small contenders who have no opportunity, or maybe they do. Many people run away from lack of opportunities, from lack of a better life, from a country with a Government whose ruling corrupt elite class has just milked the country for all it was worth, without ever thinking of the people.

Honestly, what would you choose?

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

Well, I'm a citizen, but I can answer this question, since I've been doing some research. Not anyone from any country can enter the US. Specifially, US will choose some people over others, based on their financial status (yes, being rich will win the Government's favor), family residing here, and country of orgin. For instance, it takes almost 18-20 years for someone from some of the Asian countries, to be granted access to come to the US. Can you imagine being 35 years old, and then filing to come to the US, only to hear that you were rejected or appoved when you're 55?

As for financial reasons, the goverment will grant quicker access to immigrants who will invest $500,000 into a US business. It can take a matter of weeks, if not months for them to be granted access, over someone who is poor and had filed legally who would have to wait 8 years.

The answer to your question is: Because the immigration process is very screwed up. It takes many years, lots of techincal forms that were made to be read by attornies and not by people who's main spoken language isn't English, and because the Government favors certain races over others.

If you had a child, who was dying because you were too poor to afford any medical care, would you do anything to save them?

Answer 4

I welcome legal immigrants too. Based on posts I have seen here in the last few months, many illegals feel justified in entering illegally because they see the documents one needs to obtain to enter legally as "just a piece of paper". Many complain that it is too time consuming to go through the process of entering legally(although I would bet that many illegals have never even looked into what it would take to enter legally). Many claim that illegals are poor and hungry but according to the PEW Hispanic research center the vast majority of illegals entering were "gainfully employed" prior to entering America. The reasons they enter at all is mostly selfish. They have no intention of offering anything at all to America or it's people.

Answer 5

A lot of people come illegally because they cannot afford to come legally. They also get free health insurance and a lot of the perks legals citizens get without pay taxes. I don't approve of it but I don't really mind as long as they make an effort to get their future generations legalized. And as racist as it sounds, they should make an effort to learn english. I work in the health profession and see obvious illegal immigrants and wouldn't mind so much if they didn't have to bring their kids in to interpret for them. I have taken the steps to learn basic spanish. Take the steps to learn a little English. Just meet us half way!

Answer 6

I'm sure most of them are not really "choosing" to come to the US illegally. For some it's the only way to get to the US... and probably living in the US illegally is a lot better than living where they came from... it's a crazy world

Answer 7

because the USA has very strict quotas on how many people from each country they will accept ( each is different) every year and it is hard to get to be one of the lucky ones. many people cannot qualify to come here but still want to come for the obvious benefits of USA so they cheat and sneak in.
once they get here they can hide out for a long time and maybe get married and stay legally

Answer 8

Hate to burst your bubble, but by entering the country illegally, that makes them criminals! The word illegal" doesn't mean it's ok, it means it's against the law. You break the law, you're a criminal, especially a law about illegal entry into a foreign country.

Answer 9

It is sometimes very difficult to get a Visa to enter the country especially when one does not have callateral. e.g a house, a good job to go back to. therfore, desperate people who want to enter this great country, the land of the free will do at all cost even though it cost them their lives.
Juliet

Answer 10

Immigrants have been told that the US is a home of milk and honey. Some of them feel they can find jobs here where there are no jobs in their country. Then they have rights here.

Answer 11

My opinion on immigration.



I have heard a lot of back and forth on the news and on the streets about this whole immigration issue. And really I just want to put my two cents out there for anyone who cares to read this. How dare you right wing bastards tell Hispanics to go home to their own country???? Home is where ever you choose to make it. And if I am not mistaken the entire South West section of our country used to belong to Mexico. (States such as California, Texas, and Arizona.) Those states were part of their country until they were robbed of their land. In addition the original Constitution of California was written in Spanish. Yet the right-wingers have a problem with the Star Spangled Banner being sung in Spanish. Why is that? What happened to freedom of speech? Does that not extend to the Hispanic Americans in this country? I have heard a lot of people very loose with their go back to your own country opinions and I am past sick if it. AMERICA IS A MELTING POT. IT IS PART OF WHAT MAKES THIS COUNTRY GREAT!



Let me just put this one more thought out there for you heartless pricks to ponder. I have heard comments such as, Why dont they come in legally? Let me answer that on behalf of one girl that I know can not answer it for herself Imagine being a young girl living in a country in Central America. Now it is very poor there. But that is okay because this innocent girl does not know any better. Now envision being way down there and your mother being in America. Put yourself in this girls shoes. She knows that her mother loves and misses her dearly. She calls and sends money. But there is no greater joy then a mother wrapping her arms around a child and giving them all the affection they can. This girl hears promises of how she will get to come to America to be with her mother, brother, sister, and new step-father. She waits years and years for the NIS to process her paperwork. And after years of waiting the NIS is no longer an agency post 9/11. It has been turned over to Homeland Security. In this transition they lost all and any paperwork that was in process for this child. Now stop and consider the heartbreak that she felt. All of these years she has longed to see her family; only to be told that she would have to go through the process all over again. Reach into her mothers soul and feel her heart break as she realizes it may be several years before she can obtain citizenship for her daughter.





Now this is a true story. I cant tell you how it ends; because it is far from over. However the reason that I put it out there is for people to realize that it is not simple to follow a flawed system. And in the meantime children are longing to be with their parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers..and anyone else that they love. So before you say Adios Amigos to all of the hardworking Hispanics in this countyjust try to open your mind to the fact that they are human beings who just came here to make a better life for themselves and their children. And as far as I am concerned..THAT IS THE AMERICAN DREAM!