2006-08-12 16:15:25 · 25 answers · asked by jrod 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Immigration
Can you read the question again BY TODAY'S STANDARS. Of course back in the days was easier to immigrate in a legal way, but apperently you have no idea how strict are immigration laws nowadays.
2006-08-12 16:25:19 · update #1
Ruby : are you cuban ? or do you have cuban roots: if so why you attack illegals so much if cubans come swinming here, the only difference is that they have a law that protects them.
2006-08-12 16:34:59 · update #2
No. I have no idea why you would think that everyone's ancestors came here illegally. All of my ancestors came here legally as immigrants. And there are a lot of people still coming here legally.
2006-08-12 16:21:37 · answer #1 · answered by Fall Down Laughing 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Assuming that every single immigrant that has entered the US did it illegally is very ignorant of you. A lot of people that have immigrated to the US did it legally, going through INS, and eventually, becoming naturalized citizens through the legal process. My friend's parents did, and they have their certificates hanging framed on their wall, along with a national flag that is folded and framed. They are proud of coming here, and becoming citizens, and they don't understand why there are people that think they are OWED the right to be here - legally or not. So argue that one to them, and then if you can convince them why everyone is OWED the right to be in our country no matter what, then I might be willing to look at things differently.
No one gets something for free. Illegal immigrants think they are owed the right to be citizens simply because they didn't want to wait and go through the process. What about the ones that did? Why should others be allowed to bypass the system they had to go through - and did - to get the opportunity to live here? Why are we favoring people??
So many questions, only so much energy in my fingers. . .
P.S. - your indignant comment to Ruby: Cubans are seeking asylum from a government that will persecute them for their beliefs, or the fact that they spoke out against it. Cubans don't just swim here because they are looking to make a better buck in the US - they are (in most cases) escaping with their lives! How can you even begin to compare the plight of a Cuban refugee to the "poor illegal Mexican immigrants"? They are not escaping a government that is going to kill them for speaking their mind. They are looking to make more money. That is it. So how is that the same thing????
Maybe a little more thought before you begin slamming answers might make things better for your argument.
2006-08-12 23:40:56 · answer #2 · answered by volleyballchick (cowards block) 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Not unless they sneaked in somewhere and didn't go through Ellis Island. They weren't so strict then. Legal and illegal immigration wasn't like it is now with the millions entering illegally from our southern border. If they came before then there were no laws on immigration. You can't break a law that isn't in existence. This is just yet another way you pro-illegal supporters are trying to justify illegal entry. We have laws against it. By entering illegally a person is committing a criminal act. They should be deported! No amnesty!
Cubans seek asylum, they are not illegally crossing our border to abuse our welfare system and they willingly assimilate.
2006-08-12 23:26:08 · answer #3 · answered by «»RUBY«» 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I AM NOT AN IMMIGRANT I WAS BORN IN AMERICA, MY NON NATIVE ANCESTORS WERE NOT ILLEGAL THEY CAME HERE LEGALLY!!!! THIS IS A TIRED ARGUMENT!!!! GET A CLUE!!!!
Just for the record you need to research how hard it is to immigrate to this country, it is way easier than you think. I have done the research and posted it here on answers, it is not that hard, I recently asked a friend who came here legally, from south of the border, he said it was a piece of cake and cost him less than $500, the only thing that took a long time was the 12 month residency in the U.S.
2006-08-13 00:09:48 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
If today's standards of entering the US were around when my ancestors showed up, they would have followed the LAW and done what had to be done to enter legally - just like they did when they came here earlier!
One set of ancestors came over in the mid 1600's - they were orginal settlers. The other set came through Ellis Island and did all that was required for the standards of the day.
2006-08-13 00:02:15 · answer #5 · answered by sara_pk1 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yepp. Immigration laws started to get tight in the last 50 years. You know the saying "without papers", those were people coming to Ellis Island in the large wave of immigrants in the late 1800's-early 1900's who didn't have legal passage. So, there is a good chance there are millions of Americans out there who come from illegal immigrant ancestors.
2006-08-12 23:23:39 · answer #6 · answered by MadforMAC 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
No, at that time (1900-1920) there weren't limits on most immigration so immigrants who arrived did so legally. Today, there are limits, so persons who arrive but not through the lottery system are illegal. Back then there were limits for (i believe) the Chinese (yeah, since 1882). So I chinese person immigrating after 1882 might have been illegal, but there were no limits on European Immigration until 1917. With Out Papers did not mean you were illegal, it just meant you were harder to process.
2006-08-12 23:24:15 · answer #7 · answered by Charles D 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Perhaps.. but it wasn't like it is now.. Besides, my family reported to Ellis Island. I have another ancestor that came in on the Nina... I suppose you're going to call them illegal too--
You act as if these laws have been in place ever since the late 1400's..
It's not like the Indians set up a booth on the beach to process everyone through....
-----------------------------------------
Thats what you don't understand. We aren't talking about what happened 200 years ago..
We're talking about the here and now!
Live with it!!
Next question.....
--Rob
2006-08-12 23:24:59 · answer #8 · answered by stealth_n700ms 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No. The immigrants that actually do get all the paperwork they are supposed to are not illegal. All those who came thru Ellis Island were not illegals. Some people's ancestors are TRUE Americans, (Native Americans) and probably to them all the rest of us are illegally in their country.
2006-08-12 23:24:10 · answer #9 · answered by elfn'magic 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No, because today's standards require a person to go through the naturalization process to become a legal citizen.
My grandfather on my Dad's side immigrated here from Lithuania in the 1920's. He landed in Baltimore. He went through the naturalization process and he became a legal citizen. Same with my great grandmother and her brothers and sisters who arrived here from Poland... ALL went through the process to acquire LEGAL status.
My neighbors came here from Mexico in the 1940's. They went through the naturalization process and became legal citizens.
My 93 year old friend came here from Spain in the 19 40's. She went through the naturalization process and she, too, has become a legal citizen.
On Mom's side, her family dates back to the arrival of Pilgrims, before this piece of land we live on became the U.S.A.
**edit: And I have friends from China who are, as we write, in process of becoming legal. Yeah, it takes more time now, but it is STILL possible. And it is STILL necessary.
2006-08-12 23:24:15 · answer #10 · answered by scruffycat 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋