Backwards wrote on Feb 15, 2008 11:07 PM:Instead of relax the rules first, improve the funding for the checks later, we need to solve the security problem, and then make overall legal immigration easier. Instead, we are going to let lots of illiterate, low-skilled lawbreakers in, while the law abiding well-read never get through the quotas.

A recipe for the US winding up like Mexico and the rest of Latina America: Third World, run by bandits, and only capable of manual labor if I ever saw one.

Greg in Oceanside wrote on Feb 15, 2008 11:28 PM:Here we go again, Ed Sifuentes and his pro-illegal alien articles. Look Ed, things are going to get tougher for illegal aliens and you need to understand this. Americans have had enough of the free-loading hordes of illegal aliens living off the US taxpayers. I'll calling for a public debate on illegal immigration, and want to invite Ed Sifuentes, Bill Flores from El Grupo, Ruben Navarrette Jr., Ed Morones, and leaders of the local chapters of MEChA and NCLR. I would also like to invite Duncan Hunter, Brian Bilbray, and other media representative as well. In fact I challenge the NCT to put this together for the next Latino Roundtable, so that me and many other concerned Americans can confront this issue. How about it Ed, are you game?

This is a joke right? wrote on Feb 16, 2008 12:06 AM:They say it will only be a 'few bad apples?' This is a joke, right? Of course the aliens are complaining about a six month wait (while they collect welfare albeit), cause they don't want their criminal record to pop up before they get their GET IN FREE CARD! Instead, give them a get outta dodge card, don't pass go, don't collect another $200 in this further downgrading of "America". Here we go again; but where do law-abiding families go now? Oh, yes, we'll donate to 'help the new citizens learn English' charity fund raiser. Then of course we'll have to pay BIG tazes for more jail cells. God help us all.

b wrote on Feb 16, 2008 12:41 AM:I like what "Backwards" has to say. Usually what happens when you relax the rules is that you end up relaxing more rules, and pretty soon you reach a level of lawlessness you never intended.

People Lover wrote on Feb 16, 2008 5:49 AM:Why is it we are bending over backward for the illegal alien when we need help for American citizens. Homeland Security is making life hard for at least one person and that is my son, he has worked for a major airline for 12 years and recently had surgery on his shoulder because of the hard work performed during a major bankruptcy and rebirth of the airline, while many people lost their jobs or quit my son decided to stick it out for himself and the company. Well, surgery and rehab is over and he is cleared for work, but wait, now this airline who promised to be there for him because of his work related injury, says "Oh, things changed while you were gone. New finger prints and it might take two months or longer for Homeland Security to clear you for work." And by the way, disability isn't paying you because you are cleared for work and we're not paying because you are not working." It's like, So what if you are an American Citizen, served your country and have worked here 12 years.

Period wrote on Feb 16, 2008 6:25 AM:These types of decisions deeply sadden me. I am a born optimist, but I have lost almost all faith in these “leaders” to make smart and practical decision that benefit the majority of American Citizens. Now, I have to choose between John McCain and the other guy/gal. Where do I look? Where do I turn to? Minutement?

On a side not, in 50 years the ATM will not be asking which language we want, the only choice will be Mandarin!

Carter: wrote on Feb 16, 2008 6:29 AM: I do not break the laws of my country, the United States of America, nor do I break the laws of any other country. I do not trespass on another's property. I do not receive the advantages provided by taxes paid by people in other countries. I am not a sneak thief. I have no compassion for civil servants that are putting our safety and security at risk in the name of expediency, and knowingly put us, the citizens of the United States, in harms way. I am sure their is a law in our country that covers the latter.

Doug wrote on Feb 16, 2008 7:00 AM:Great,just great...all I can add to what has already been discussed is what Theodore Roosevelt said about immigration in 1907. True then,true now.

Doug wrote on Feb 16, 2008 7:37 AM:Please don't make generalizations about Aliens and their families. My family roots in the United States go back to early Colonial times.


My Russian wife and I have been married for over 10 years. We spent the first 8 of them living in Russia. She is fluent in English, and a dentist with a PHD in Dental Research Two years ago we moved to the United States and she applied for her Green Card - she is still waiting for the FBI namecheck to be complete. She is in a state of limbo which they tell us could last for years.


The key here is that THESE PEOPLE ARE ALREADY IN THE COUNTRY LEGALLY AND THE NAME CHECK STILL CONTINUES. Think about that for a couple of minutes.

Read and try to understand wrote on Feb 16, 2008 7:42 AM:Can you people not read geez!!!! The article clearly states "The change, which affects only legal immigrants already in the country waiting to adjust their status to legal resident" Oh I forgot if you are brown you are here illegally and that is that. Once again your prejudices are blaring! Once again for those of you who have trouble reading "The change, which affects only legal immigrants already in the country waiting to adjust their status to legal resident" Calm down because once again "The change, which affects only legal immigrants already in the country waiting to adjust their status to legal resident". The change only affects those who as you say waited in line and came here legally. Maybe you would all feel better if this article said "The change, which affects only legal immigrants who came here as mail order brides and are already in the country waiting to adjust their status to legal resident,

Drew wrote on Feb 16, 2008 8:05 AM:With the down turn in the economy and all the layoffs, what will these folks do? If they don't have jobs will they return to Mexico or stay here and go on the welfare roles? How much more will this burden our school systems? I don't mean to be xenophobic, but I just don't see how we can take care of all these people now that the economic boom has slowed down. We just don't need as many unskilled workers right now. It's sad but true. Also why does Mexico not take advantage of all of the outsourcing jobs? India is making a ton of money for its workforce with call centers. What is stopping Mexico from doing the same thing? I believe that as a world community and a democracy that we have a responsibility to help those in need. I just think that we need to define a clear line on how far we can go before it hurts us a nation.

Legal Immigrant wrote on Feb 16, 2008 8:09 AM:My family waited about 5 years before entering this country legally. I'm against illegal immigration and I would support your comments if they were not so stereotypical. When you put us in the same categories as criminals that's when you lose my support and the support of a lot of Legal Immigrant who oppose illegal immigration. You need to differentiate between Legal and illegal. Remember your family migrated to this country just like everybody else (unless you are a Native American). I believe that if you stop the entire stereotype you would get more people backing the "Stop illegal immigration movement."

Someone had better wrote on Feb 16, 2008 8:10 AM:check with other foreign governments besides mexico, seems people waiting in foreign countries first are getting tired of having people cut in line ahead of them. Someone had better start listening to other foreign governments because they are getting very upset with America, which are not going to be very freindly to American tourist.

I believe the Wild Wild wrote on Feb 16, 2008 8:12 AM:West might be better for America now, let the US government twiddle their fingers and look up in the air, while Americans take guns to the streets and clean America up!

My Comments wrote on Feb 16, 2008 8:30 AM:"Third World, run by bandits" Do you mean like U.S. Rep. Duke Cunningham, U.S. Rep. William Jefferson and the list goes on and on. TO: THIS IS A JOKE RIGHT? How can you misspelled "tazes" in the same sentence that you write about learning English? I agree with you guys the US should not relax the rules. However, people should stop concentrating soling in Latinos illegal immigrants. In case you guys forgot, Ahmed Ressam was caught in the Canadian border with bomb making materials. In addition, the US doesn't even know how many illegal Chinese are in the country. I know some of you guys don't like the brown folks but we have to concentrate in every illegal immigrant out there.

Fallbrook wrote on Feb 16, 2008 8:38 AM:The background checks are a must. They want to save a few bucks and maybe do a background check later on? The costs will be endless down the road when we are paying for all these criminals to sit in our prisons. Us as tax payers will be paying for them to stay here. What is this county coming to? We need to keep this countries interests...in this county, otherwise we will be so overrun we will never recover. And don't get me started on "Made in China"....

Ron wrote on Feb 16, 2008 8:45 AM:Just a thought here, but...
If the FBI finds an immigrant using a fake, stolen, or fraudulent ID; does that disqualify them for legal status?

Skip wrote on Feb 16, 2008 9:04 AM:Background checks are almost meaningless. There are millions upon millions of immigrants seeking to live here. Remember during the last amnesty attempt, where the rule was that the government had exactly 24 hours to do a complete background check. Well that is because it is impossible for our bureaucratic government to do through background checks from people from who knows where. In order for background checks to be effective the host country must have a system in place that is just like ours, and we all know what a Joke that is. So forget the background checks. Just let them all in. AFTERALL ANOTHER AMNESTY ATTEMPT IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER

GFN wrote on Feb 16, 2008 9:15 AM:Hey, let's get Issa in on this too. Does he have an opinion on illegal immigration other than rubber-stamping the pro-illegal Presidente Jorge Bush???

Roberto1 wrote on Feb 16, 2008 9:22 AM:The change, which affects only legal immigrants already in the country waiting to adjust their status to legal resident, was outlined in a memo dated Feb. 4 written by Michael Aytes, associate director for domestic operations with the Citizenship and Immigration Services.

REPLY: What a bunch of paranoid XENOPHOBES!

Skip wrote on Feb 16, 2008 9:28 AM:My solution for the immigration mess is to declare everyone already here a winner and just give them citizenship, but only upon the condition that our government secures the borders, stops the flow of immigrants both legal and illegal. Completely stop all new immigration until such a time when a secure and orderly process is in place where immigration can be controlled and used as a benefit for this country. You know what I mean. Sort of like what we did 100 years ago. I believe that we have enough Illegal immigrants already here to provide for our unskilled labor needs for quite some time into the future.

its obvious wrote on Feb 16, 2008 9:40 AM:That the US Govt. doesn't care about what the American people want. Does this lax system have anything to to with Felipe Caldron's recent visit to the US? It seems to mean that Mexico is dictating US policy. Wait till election day, all the political traitors will be applying for unemployment!!!

white feather wrote on Feb 16, 2008 9:54 AM:We should deport all immigrants and their children, regardless of beign born in the USA. Then it would be just us Native Americans. Oh yes, and let's return the land we "bought" from Mexico, that way they will have more space to spread out to. Are you all ignorant? this country was built on immigration, highly skilled and manual labor. Take yourself and your families back to were you are originally from!

GG wrote on Feb 16, 2008 10:12 AM:Please read more carefully. This would apply only to legal immigrants who are waiting to change their status. Who are these "legal immigrants"? Are they holders of work visas? Whatever, it does not apply to illegals at all.

Can You Hear US yet? wrote on Feb 16, 2008 10:27 AM:Does anyone in Washington even care about the safety of American citizens? Do they hear the middle class shouting at the top of their voices that we want more security? Does it matter that without the completion of FBI background checks, one, just one of the thousands they let in could harm, kill or mame American citizens? When will WE matter?

Fred wrote on Feb 16, 2008 11:27 AM:At a time that national Security is a big issue. It is not the time to issue citizenship before a background check. Get with it America.

AResident wrote on Feb 16, 2008 11:27 AM:One thing for sure is that our Government is the slowest in the world.

Instead of fixing their problem they choose to relax the LAWS.

This is nothing but HOG WASH. I do hope that all the people in America wake up and start smelling the coffee before it becomes to late.

Here is an example of relaxing the laws and letting the problem get out of hand.

ALL OF THE GANGS IN THE US.

Crazy wrote on Feb 16, 2008 11:43 AM:Who is running this country? The inmates are running the asylum! Gang profileration such as MS13 here and in Afghanistan an 80 percent increase in heroin production since our litttle invasion. Insane to spend billions on a so called "war" while our own country goes down the tubes, and John McCain has not a clue! While Border Patrol Officers are jailed for stopping drug runners and crime is getting worst-I see a country that will no longer be a country if things do not change.

Now just amused wrote on Feb 16, 2008 12:00 PM:So much for the "War on Terrorism," right Mr. Bush? I'm just glad you'll be gone soon, Georgie. But the damage is done.

Borders4ever wrote on Feb 16, 2008 12:17 PM:What we need is a society where people are required to carry their identification papers with them all the time. We can set up a group of agents who go around and check out papers whenever they want to. They can wear long leather jackets and have names like Major Strausser. We can empower the group to arrest and hold people without trial or a lawyer for long periods of time. It'll be great!

John wrote on Feb 16, 2008 1:34 PM:Keep in mind these people are already in the U.S. and have been here for some time. Isn't it logical to assume that if one of these applicants is a threat to national security, he/she would be arrested and charged? Is that the responsibility of USCIS? Further, if the U.S. Government has evidence that one of these applicants had and/or planned to commit a terrorist act, wouldn't it arrest and charge them? In the absence of such evidence, doesn't the U.S Constitution require us to presume innocence? Isn't that what makes this Country great?

don wrote on Feb 16, 2008 1:42 PM:Keep in mind these people are already in the U.S. and have been here for some time. Isn't it logical to assume that if one of these applicants is a threat to national security, he/she would be arrested and charged? Is that the responsibility of USCIS? Further, if the U.S. Government has evidence that one of these applicants had and/or planned to commit a terrorist act, wouldn't it arrest and charge them? In the absence of such evidence, doesn't the U.S Constitution require us to presume innocence? Isn't that what makes this Country great?

Reggie wrote on Feb 16, 2008 1:42 PM:The UCIS needs to take a little responsibility with the backlog issue. After all these are mostly people going through legitimate processing who may not have submitted paperwork if there were issues with them having back ground checks. Prior to announcing in June that they were going to get additional staff and raised the fees substantially to "pay" staff do you not think that these professionals should have anticipated the increase now causing the "backlog". These same fees that were paid are now being used as send backs to the taxpayers and the house buyers to subsidize the broken economy. Immigrants are always helping and contributing and has always been a good thing for America. Pay attention to more critical issues. This is one that is very easily resolved.

Reggie wrote on Feb 16, 2008 1:59 PM:Being a lamb, led to the slaughter by a politician ids not an intelligent thing. Usually, it is a diversion tactic to keep the masses looking the other way while he is fattening his pockets elsewhere. Making demons of someone thing to better him or herself is not heroic and furthermore the topic is elementary. Become a doctor, a teacher or a nurse. Help someone instead of focusing this negative energy on something that you are unable to do something about. Big business wants immigrants. Poor people want less of them because they assume they are taking their jobs. Preventative health care needs to be implemented so that people can stay well longer. With or without immigrants here with is not happening.

About Attorneys wrote on Feb 16, 2008 2:05 PM:For a majority of thse people the ones to step up and make money are the attorneys who promise to process their status. Watch for the signs. I am not sure what the price is now but you can be sure it will be higher now.

Karl wrote on Feb 16, 2008 2:06 PM:To "GFN" Come on GFN, Issa's stance on Illegal Immigration is well known and he is very vocal about it. What's your point?

Shamnesty Bill wrote on Feb 16, 2008 2:37 PM:They can't finish background checks for months or years and the SHAMNESTY BILL called for a 24 hour check? I believe the check had to be done in 24hrs and if it wasn't, the person was allowed in. What a joke!

The process should be sped up for the ones who take the right road. I welcome all them: however, I deplore the ones who skirt our laws and steal in to our country!!

more exiting than entering wrote on Feb 16, 2008 3:34 PM:On the horizon, thousands upon thousands of 'white Americans' are planning on exitng this scandal-ridden country. Trouble is other countries now HATE Americans! Tourists dare not wear American logos on their shirts. Once upon a time, Americans were welcome everywhere, respected, admired and even envied for all our 'freedoms' and wealth. The dollar once was highly sought; now rarely accepted. EUROS only read the signs as Americans approach the outdoor cafes in Europe. Only in America are 'citizens' punished while the tunnel diggers rampantly ravage in mockery. It's not too late; check immigration laws in other countries - you MIGHT get in if you plan carefully.

HEY DOUG!!! wrote on Feb 16, 2008 7:31 PM:IT'S BECAUSE THAT RUSSIA IS CONSIDERED A HOSTILE COUNTRY AND NOT AN ALLY OF THE U.S. YOU HAVE AND YOUR WIFEY HAVE BEEN FLAGGED SINCE YOU LIVED IN ENEMY TERRITORY FOR 8 YEARS AND IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE SINCE YOUR WIFEY'S COMRADE VLADAMIR PUTIN IS RATTLING SABRES AND LEADING US BACK INTO THE COLD WAR. OH BY THE WAY YOU AND HER WILL NEVER GET A SECURITY CLEARANCE ...EVER!!!

To RON... wrote on Feb 16, 2008 7:33 PM:DUH!!! Yeah it is a DQ for them and they get thrown out and are not eligible to return to the USA ever!!!!

realityHURTS! wrote on Feb 16, 2008 8:05 PM:The day is coming. Next year, the government will give those radicals neo conservatives a big shut up! Making 20 millions hard work latinos legals in this country. You had eight years of power and did nothing to fix the problem, you only help putting this country prestige in the toilet, now is our time to once more clean up your stupidity. Enough of you, we are tired of ignorants. 1000 times a poor unskilled Mexican than a coward white trash radical. Go home and cry, because in November your turn will end and we all gonna forget about you, in November a new era beggins, a long era without neo crazy people in power, never again.

Mat wrote on Feb 16, 2008 8:40 PM:Calling all foreign criminals: sign up today! America will let anyone in. Apparently they didn't learn from their history lessons about Rome being overthrown by foreigners and all. By the end days of Rome it is said that you couldn't tell the difference between a Roman citizen and a foreign invading barbarian. Sounds like America. Maybe we should just build a big wall around America, yeah that will help. Let's send more of our boys over seas & just build a big wall. Hell maybe we could make a dome like Bio-dome. Yeah that will save us from all our problems. Yeah that will work, about the same time that giving $800 bonus tax refunds & cutting taxes for stuff us tax paying, law abiding citizens need like gee I don't know really terrible roads that are killing too many people unnecessarily, police which we could really use to help for numerous reasons never seems to be enough of them, schools, hospital which shouldn't give free medical for illegals...

to Realityhurts wrote on Feb 16, 2008 8:55 PM:Have you ever seen George Bush speak on immigration? He is a friend to immigrants and does not see this as a problem. In fact, his whole administration was too busy dealing with a war to worry about it. He would have open borders if it were up to him. You may want to go back and read what he said while he was governor of texas and what his position is on illegals. You might find that he is actually an ally of immigrants, not an enemy. I would not sweat this too much, Our politicians are to afraid of being labeled racist to really sink some teeth into this issue. Immigrants will get a free pass and middle class America will get stuck with the bill, as usual. Of course with the children of illegals from Mexico dropping out at above 50 percent, we will have a cycle of poverty that is entirely the Latinos problem but middle class white folks will be expected to fix it, as usual. Wanna get us off you back? Get the latino community to give some of the money they send to Mexico to the local schools.

Lane wrote on Feb 16, 2008 9:33 PM:How do I sign up to be an illegal alien? That way I can have the ACLU on my side, while I collect all kinds of benifits that are not offered to hard working American citizens, I can stand on the street corner and solicite for work, while not paying taxes, and not being harrassed. I can bad mouth the United States while totally taking advantage of it at the same time. I don't have to pay for my car insurance because I can drive without a license, but if I get into an accident I just run, if they catch me I get deported but just come right back in like nothing happened. Illegal, Americas new majority. What a heartbreaking shame!

I rather have wrote on Feb 16, 2008 10:04 PM:the illegal Mexicans here than the ... Republican administration that currently exist! I was once a minuteman and a republican, no longer either. I am for peace, humanity and tolerance. We need to join together as PEOPLE, not a political party. Love, Faith, God, Dignity and grace are now my standards of living and nothing else!

jsc wrote on Feb 17, 2008 2:35 PM:Obviously our government cannot provide clearance for aliens in a reasonable time. We either need to cut some programs (like welfare, medicaid, food stamps, subsidized housing, etc) so we can pay for more immigration workers, offices, computers, etc. Or we need to not let anyone enter until we have a handle on those aliens already here. BTW if we get rid of the public assistance programs we also get rid of about half of the illegal aliens living here. ... Or we can change the definition of a citizen, and deny citizenship to any alien not living here legally--same result. I have lived in Mexico, I was born in San Diego, I worked for welfare dept for years. ... Any person who is legally here( as a student, temporary work authorization, sponsored by a relative, etc. -- I don't have a problem with them. They are just waiting for the paperwork. Unless of course they are currently working without papers, driving without a license or insurance, or collecting public assistance of any kind under false pretenses. Those people are criminals. But many are law abiding.

Litl Bits wrote on Feb 18, 2008 8:27 AM:To Shamnesty Bill: Your message is confusing...you wrote: "I welcome all them: however, I deplore the ones who skirt our laws and steal in to our country!!" By SNEAKING into our country, they have "skirted" our laws....and the government somehow DOESN'T UNDERSTAND that! Why is it, do you think, that the majority of our supposedly intelligent folks running our government don't understand the meaning of ILLEGAL! ??

ALL immigration should be halted for FIVE YEARS (minimum!) -except for emergency asylum - and then NO permanent residents approved during this period. And hopefully the idiots can use this time to take stock of WHO is here, and get rid of those who don't belong here...are STEALING FROM TAXPAYERS by using FREE EDUCATION, FREE MEDICAL help...housing assistance, etc.
One of the readers above is right! If we don't stop this garbage, we will, in less than 10 years become, like Mexico, a third world nation...and LISTEN carefully to candidates...they want to take YOUR money and give it to those who don't want to bother working for a living...Obama, with his black separatist pastor, has affinity for the people of Africa - and , I'm sorry, but Americans have a right to enjoy their income if they have worked hard to get it...the government has NO RIGHT to take it away from them to give it to welfare bums who prefer to lay around watching tv and living off the largesse of the productive citizens.
And watch out! Bush is doing a huge secret agreement with Mexico (which is why Calderon was here last week!) giving them - ARE YOU READY FOR THIS? $1.4 BILLION to 'secure their southern border"....WHAT??? He refuses to close OUR SOUTHERN BORDER but is giving Mexico OUR money to close THEIR border????while Mexican gangs and even Mexican troops are attacking OUR border patrol on an almost daily basis!

Wake up - fight back...do NOT allow this country to continue stealing from us to give to nations which have the wherewithal to easily support themselves//Mexico has OIL, has GOLD, has potential to be one of richest nations on earth...but corruption, graft have destroyed it...WHY should WE, THE PEOPLE continue to support them??? PLEASE WAKE UP AND FIGHT BACK!!
...

elizabeth wrote on Feb 28, 2008 6:38 PM:WHY DOES THE SO-CALL GOVERNMENT JUST DOES NOT GET IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!WE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THOUGHT WE VOTED IN THE RIGHT PERSONAL TO PROTECT THE AMERICAN FREEDOM THERE MUST BE RULES TO FOLLOW THE MIDDLE CLASS CAN NOT BEAR THE BURDAN OFROM THE STUPIDITY OF OUR GOVERNMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!WHY DON"T WE DUE CENSUS MORE OFTEN !) YEARS IS TOO LONG WHY DO WE PAY SO MUCH TO THE HISPANICS THEY SHOULD LEARN ENGLISH AND FOLLOW THE RULES LIKE MY PARENTS WHO ARE IMMIGRANTS AND HAVE BEEN AMERICAN CITIZENS BECAUSE THEY BOTH BELIEVED IN FOLLOWING AND RESPECTING THE RULES OF OUR MIGHTY NATION!!!!!!IS IT GOING TO POT BECAUSE OF THE BLACK GOLD?????????????????????