Thread: Illegal Immigrants Say Senate Agreement Could Be Too Risky

Illegal immigrants say Senate agreement could be too risky
By PETER PRENGAMAN
05/17/07 16:02:17

David Guerra wants to be legal, but he says the path to citizenship offered by the Senate on Thursday would be too risky and too expensive, and could end up driving him deeper into the shadows.

Guerra's wife and children in El Salvador depend on the $300 he sends home each month from his job as a day laborer. Key provisions of the legislation would require him to return home to apply for residency, pay a $5,000 fine and spend thousands more in application fees.

That would be disastrous for his family, he said, and, worse, he's not sure he can trust U.S. immigration authorities who have been rounding up and deporting his fellow immigrants for months.

"If I go home, who is going to guarantee that I'll be let back in?" said the 44-year-old who lays bricks, clears weeds and does landscaping.

Across the nation, illegal immigrants, many of whom toil in dirty, low-paying jobs, sharply criticized the Senate's immigration overhaul package as overly burdensome and impractical.

"Where would I find $5,000? In two years, I don't get $5,000," said Daniel Carrillo Maldonado, an illegal immigrant who was looking for construction work outside a Home Depot in Phoenix.

The agreement between the Senate and White House would allow illegal immigrants to obtain a special visa. After paying fees and the fine, they could get on a path to permanent residency that could take eight to 13 years. Heads of household would have to return to their home countries first.

Some illegal immigrants said returning home presented another major hurdle: applying for residency at U.S. embassies in their home countries.

Amy Ndour, a 23-year-old illegal immigrant from Senegal who lives in New York, said she would be willing to pay the $5,000 fine, but not return home because her family there depends on what she earns as a hair braider.

"I'm helping myself" here, she said. "I'm helping people there too."

Karina Corona, 32, an illegal immigrant in San Diego, works seven days a week at two jobs - one at a delicatessen and another as a seamstress. She said $5,000 is a small price to pay.

"Compared with the better jobs you can get, it's nothing. It's well worth it," she said.

Carlos Velazquez, a 40-year-old illegal immigrant in Los Angeles, said he applied twice for visas in Honduras, and both times had to pay several bribes to local embassy staff.

"Only with money will the monkey dance," said Velazquez, using an idiomatic expression to refer to bribes.

The Senate agreement includes a so-called "point system," which for the first time would prioritize immigrants' education and skill level over family connections in deciding how to award green cards that allow permanent residency.

Family connections alone would no longer be enough to qualify for a green card - except for spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens. And new limits would apply to U.S. citizens seeking to bring foreign-born parents into the country.

Many illegal immigrants said they had little incentive to apply for residency because the process was long and did not offer much hope of bringing their families.

"If I'll never be able to bring my family, why should I apply?" said Jose Monson, a 33-year-old illegal immigrant from Guatemala who has lived in Los Angeles for four years. "I prefer to just stay here illegally."

"If I get deported and need to cross the border again, that's not a problem," he said.

Several unions, which have many immigrants in their ranks, took issue with the creation of a new temporary guest worker program.

New workers would have to return home after two-year stints, with little opportunity to gain permanent legal status or ever become U.S. citizens. They could renew their guest worker visas twice, but would be required to leave for a year between each stint.

"Temporary workers depress wages and create a second-class work force that is disconnected from the U.S. mainstream and not equal," said Eliseo Medina, executive vice president of the Service Employees International Union.

Pablo Alvarado, director of the National Day Labor Organizing Network, said the guest worker component would likely exacerbate rhetoric between anti-illegal immigration groups and immigration groups. Groups such as the Minutemen regularly stage protests in front of day labor centers.

"You will still have the anti-immigrant organizations blaming immigrants for depressed wages," Alvarado said.

Still, the agreement gave some hope.

In Houston, Marco Antonio Rodiguez, said he would be happy with a permit that would allow him to work legally and return to Mexico twice a year to see his wife and three children.

"Immigration reform would benefit us so much, both ourselves and families," said Rodriguez, a 48-year-old illegal immigrant who does odd jobs. "We want the law to be approved. I'm praying to God that it passes."

Pascual Bravo, an illegal immigrant who works at a construction company in Middletown, N.Y., was also eager to achieve legal status.

Bravo, 49, last crossed the border in Arizona eight years ago, paying a smuggler $1,800. "I miss my country," he said.
Associated Press writers Deepti Hajela in New York, Elliot Spagat in San Diego, Terry Tang in Phoenix and Monica Rhor in Houston contributed to this report.

http://www.fresnobee.com/384/v-printerf ... 48372.html

Pascual Bravo, an illegal immigrant who works at a construction company in Middletown, N.Y., was also eager to achieve legal status.

Bravo, 49, last crossed the border in Arizona eight years ago, paying a smuggler $1,800. "I miss my country," he said.

I miss my country??!!! Go HOME!!!

[quote="Disillusioned"]Illegal immigrants say Senate agreement could be too risky
By PETER PRENGAMAN
05/17/07 16:02:17

(snip)

Carlos Velazquez, a 40-year-old illegal immigrant in Los Angeles, said he applied twice for visas in Honduras, and both times had to pay several bribes to local embassy staff.

"Only with money will the monkey dance," said Velazquez, using an idiomatic expression to refer to bribes.

(snip)



So Carlos, why not stay in your own country and try to get your own government to change its methods instead of coming here illegally and complaining about our government?

Anyone....? Anyone....? Bueller....? Bueller....?



Rice

Get out of the United states law breakers,,,You have no right what so ever in this country. Go clean your home up.

David Guerra wants to be legal, but he says the path to citizenship offered by the Senate on Thursday would be too risky and too expensive, and could end up driving him deeper into the shadows.

Guerra's wife and children in El Salvador depend on the $300 he sends home each month from his job as a day laborer. Key provisions of the legislation would require him to return home to apply for residency, pay a $5,000 fine and spend thousands more in application fees.

That would be disastrous for his family, he said, and, worse, he's not sure he can trust U.S. immigration authorities who have been rounding up and deporting his fellow immigrants for months.

"If I go home, who is going to guarantee that I'll be let back in?" said the 44-year-old who lays bricks, clears weeds and does landscaping.

WHY DO THEY THINK THAT EVERYTHING IS ABOUT THEM, EVERYTHING IS FOR THEIR WELL BEING. WHEN DID WE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE VOLUNTEER TO BECOME THEIR KEEPERS? WHY DON'T THEY UNDERSTAND THIS IS ABOUT AMERICANS AND AMERICA, NOT ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT OR NEED AND THEY ARE INVADERS? GRRRRRRRRR. . . ..

"and, worse, he's not sure he can trust U.S. immigration authorities who have been rounding up and deporting his fellow immigrants for months."



Well boo-hoo. I don't give a crap if he trusts our immigration authorities or not! Why should we trust HIM is the question. HE"S the lawbreaker.

WhatMatters I totally agree. They act like they are special and they even get offended when someone doesn't have that same attitude about them. Entitlement. Wonder how they got it in their heads that God loves them best? My Bible doesn't allude to that. If anything He chose the Isralies as his favortites.

To all the Illegal Aliens that are complaining,
here's a message from Real Americans:

Isn't it obvious that these people only care about themselves and money? They don't give a rat's butt about this country or it's citizens. Ship them all out and bring in the legal immigrants that actually CARE about life here!

No wonder all their countries are pieces of crap! They make absolutely no contribution, they have no ambition or moral fortitude.

If I'll never be able to bring my family, why should I apply?" said Jose Monson, a 33-year-old illegal immigrant from Guatemala who has lived in Los Angeles for four years. "I prefer to just stay here illegally."

Well stay illegal can't wait for you to be picked up by immigration.If they are still even going to do their job, but probably not! I noticed since the whinning stoped so have the raids.

Know matter what they are offering them they complain it is never enough and they should no even be here, you get so tired of the whinning bull crap!!

Are we suppose to trust Chertoff to get the border closed and be honest about it. Ha what a Joke that is.

NO AMNESTY PERIOD!!!!

Originally Posted by katydid278

"and, worse, he's not sure he can trust U.S. immigration authorities who have been rounding up and deporting his fellow immigrants for months."



Well boo-hoo. I don't give a crap if he trusts our immigration authorities or not! Why should we trust HIM is the question. HE"S the lawbreaker.

WhatMatters I totally agree. They act like they are special and they even get offended when someone doesn't have that same attitude about them. Entitlement. Wonder how they got it in their heads that God loves them best? My Bible doesn't allude to that. If anything He chose the Isralies as his favortites.

It's getting to the point that everytime I read the crap these losers whine about I feel like ripping something to shreds. All they do is whine, complain, beg and demand from us, yet they have the nerve to proudly wave the flag of a country with a President that hated them so much he mapped out a route for them to get the hell out. Their mentality is that of abused, battered dysfunctional children. The more Messyco mistreats them the more loyal they are. Go figure.