f*ck weed, legalize my mom

Lawlly? There was no law about stealing land back then. As of entering illegally many of us did it to provide a better future for our family free of persecution

We took the country, yes, but it is ours now and we have a right and even responsibility to control who gets in and under what circumstances. Your better future argument is well and good, but we have legal channels. Why do you think Ellis Island was there? Many millions of immigrants came here looking for a better future and did so LEGALLY.
The real question no one wants to ask is what makes the Latinos so damn special we have to have wide open doors for them while everyone else (except Middle Easterners lately) has to wait in line?!

We don't have the resources and or time to go Ellis Island. Lations aren't special I'm saying for everyone but Latinos ironic since I'm one but I want the other immigrants to have a better life us Latinos are so screwed up that we (especially my parents) are willing to betray there kin to get ahead.

Don't have the time to obey laws? "Oh I'm sorry judge. I didn't have the time to pay for my gasoline so I had to leave."
I'm all for people making a better life for themselves and their families but that doesn't mean someone can just do whatever they want with no repercussions. Unfortunately there are liberal Americans who seem to think the same way. If you want to come here, go through the channels. If you are escaping "persecution" we have channels for refugees too. There is no legitimate excuse for breaking our laws, and even less excuse to be rewarded for it.

I'lll admit defeat

Wow that was easy. You sure you're not French?
Just kidding. "Beating you" was not my intention. I fully understand the whole escaping to a better life perspective, but I also understand that criminals and terrorists also want in. I further understand that living here illegally does not afford someone the same standard of living that legal residence does. Of course so-called sanctuary cities are a different matter, as is illegal immigrants living on welfare and other freebies. Not only do we need to weed out the bad actors, we need to weed out those who are only interested in handouts and "benefits". It is not an issue of hatred, but rather compassion.

No I don't want to argue anymore...I guess I'm kinda french. It takes time to enter through Ellis Island but if it's to keep this kinda good country safe.

Yeah, our immigration system needs some serious tweaks. Getting here legally takes AGES, which is kind of sucky when they're like, chopping off heads back in the town you ran from. But the US also has a tendency to get involved pretty much everywhere else in the world too, for good or for ill, so terrorists coming at us is kind of a consequence of our actions. We already have pretty strict guidelines though, tightening them more won't help. Our refugee channel for legal relocation is already two or more years long and thousands of dollars, and politicians are now trying to gain the right to refuse to let refugees settle in their states. Legal immigration for someone who's married an American is just as hard, there's tons of stuff to do and months while the spouse can't work. And yet, it still didn't catch the San Bernardino shooters. So at what point do you admit the controls have gone past the point of efficiency and are now just useless hurdles?

Actually if we'd just enforce our current laws we could cut a lot of these issues out over night. I agree that the red tape going through legal channels is preposterous and really needs to be rethought. I know an immigrant from Indonesia that married a US serviceman and still waited 5 freaking years for a visa. After almost ten she still isn't allowed to work and contribute to society. She was able to get permission to go to college but can't work and pay taxes!

Also the San Bernardino terrorists were on the FBI's radar (at least their associates were) but the agents were ordered to stand down because targeting Muslim terrorists is racist. So yes, the "useless hurdles" do work if they are used.

I think we need to have specialists--not politicians--sit down and look at our processes thoroughly to see which ones actually contribute to safety and make recomendations on a single, in-depth methodology to be applied to everyone. If everybody has to be stopped for something instead of it only kicking in on a red flag, then nobody can complain of racism. But there's some stuff in there that can probably be cut out for everyone. It's preposterous that it's been so long and that woman still isn't allowed to work!

Exactamundo! The part that is really bad is she wants to work and pay taxes but she is not allowed because her visa has restrictions. BUT she was told that she qualifies for welfare and food stamps!!! She was pissed because she doesn't want handouts.

What if an illegal immigrant from say, Mexico, is just trying to find work to send money for their family or something? There's a lot less opportunity in some places and many would probably love just having a reasonable paying honest hard working job, and maybe they can't or it would be very difficult to go through all the red tape of crossing the border legally because of the enfair system and they need a job now

https://www.usa.gov/become-us-citizen this web site should give you a basic idea

Thanks for the link so I can have a bit more informed of an opinion. Basically what I was trying to say is yeah, we can't just have tons of illegal immigrants coming over freely but at the same time there are some cases were I can't help but think that they are justified to come illegally.

Not assuming you mean more than what you said, but there are those that think the process is too difficult so people that want in can simply come on in and it should be OK. I don't just mean the illegal immigrants, but many Americans too. Of course the reasons why those Americans think that are varied. With the politicians it is mostly because they want a perpetual under-class to help cement their political power.
As far as those who want to come here legally and actually become citizens, I have no problem whatsoever, and I do think the process could use some attention.
However, in the end it is OUR country and therefore OUR rules. Just because someone wants in doesn't mean they should automatically get in. We have every right to control admittance to our "club".

Well as I said, there aren't any shortcuts to immigration. It all boils down to understanding the situation. You need to remember that there is a reason WHY immigrants move to the US (including my country, not Mexico) and that this process often separates families and have other consequences (either because of racism or any other systematic flaw) . Plus, I don't think it would make sense to cross a border to "feed off" "your" country (if your concern is the immigration of "rapists and sex offenders" or a etc). Also, patriotism and (country based self defense?) doesn't make any sense at all without any type of racist/defensive undertone (I'm really trying not to be biased) since as I said it would make ZERO sense to cross a border with the sole purpose of living off food stamps or any government related aid. And at the end of the day, if the purpose of crossing a border (legally or illegally) is to get a job and have a chance at a better life just like anyone else, why should it matter?

First, I gather you are not currently residing in America? Yes we get people from other countries that come here illegally and get on welfare as soon as they can. Hell, our fucking president ran TV commercials in Mexico explaining how to collect welfare once they get here!!!
Second, are you kidding me? Wanting to defend your country is racist?? Are you kidding me?!?
Third, it matters for many reasons. Not the least of which is if you are here illegally you are not likely to pay your taxes and contribute to society are you? That kinda tells lamigra where to come get you.
Fourth, when you boil it all down, THIS IS OUR COUNTRY and we have a right and responsibility to control who moves in. Plain and simple. Why in hell is it always us who are expected to open up and shut up. How many other countries in the world simply let whoever wants to move there do so as they wish?

I came here from Mexico. I contribute to society as much as I humanly can I also pay my taxes hoping for some sort of help for immigrants that need it more. We need to stop thinking they're are all killers, rapists etc this country was based upon immigrants and it still is.

I hate to intervene, but you make it sound like every Hispanic immigrant wants to get on welfare or is on welfare. You can look it up, or trust me when I tell you that, by race, nearly every single welfare program is dominated by white folks. SNAP, for instance, a food stamp program, 40% of those in the program are white, as compared to only 10.3% Hispanic. Overall, 38.8% of those that rely on welfare are white, as compared to 15.7% Hispanic. You also make it sound like it's super easy to get on welfare, its not. As a University student, I've heard dozens of my peers talk about their struggles as single mothers in school and working, and being rejected by the welfare program. You have to be in near extreme poverty to qualify.

It's based upon its citizens. You can become a citizen if you put in the effort. There's no excuse for coming here illegally

From a criminal justice standpoint I whole heartedly agree, but from my humanity standpoint, I can't help but think that there are at least a few situations where coming in illegally is a small price for what it was that they were running from. I can't help but see things from all perspectives, that's how Philosophy in Society class fucked me up haha

I can understand that. But that doesn't mean we should excuse it if they do come here illegally

There is a difference between excusing and understanding. I think that most people get in illegal immigration arguments like we see above because they are misunderstanding each other's motives. It has been my experience that those who "defend" illegal immigration are not in reality defending it or excusing it, they want the other party to see the horror or what have you from which they came and that it forced them to come here illegally and just simply understand. Not accept the action, but understand the reason.

Deadpool it doesn't appear that anyone here has said you are all rapists or killers or whatever. That's a straw man argument. Also no one, including myself, has said anything about immigrants not contributing to society. (I am referring to legal immigrants)
So that I can better understand your perspective, are you here legally?

There are quite a lot of immigrants that live off of welfare

no i am not

Ok then your point of view definitely makes sense, and thank you for your honesty. I'd like to reiterate that I, and most Americans on the same side of the immigration debate as I am, do not have an issue with immigrants, no matter from where they come. We have illegal immigrants in this country from many parts of the world; the only reason Latinos are front and center in the debate is that they are in the majority due to our proximity to Mexico, Cuba, and the rest of Central and South America, and because our southern border is the porous mess it is. This is not a racial issue for most Americans, it is a security issue; securing our borders is no more racist than locking your house. I hope that you and your family are better off than you were in your home country, I hope that you want some form of legal status in the future (not all immigrants really do), and I hope it can happen for you sooner than later.

I am trying but it's almost impossible with the new laws. Thanks and we are better off I'm trying to get my siblings on the dreamers act