So what if I want to move to Canada? Do I sneak in?

[El Fuego]

And demand my rights?

No. If I decide to immigrate to Canada, I’ll have to fill out a Canadian immigration application, produce all relevant documents establishing my identify, undergo a thorough background check, pay some fees, maybe hire a Canadian immigration attorney, and then wait patiently until the Canadian government approves my request for immigration.

In short, I would respect and follow the laws of Canada. In my opinion, if you don’t respect the laws of this country, you can’t demand your rights in this country.

Illegal immigrants apparently have more rights than I do as an American citizen, since they don’t have to recognize sovereign nations. They’ve got super-rights. For them the world has no borders and they can freely go anywhere they choose. BUT, if I want to enter THEIR native countries, I have to produce a passport and get a visa.

If you’re against illegal immigration, as I am, you can get stereotyped as an “anti-foreigner” freeper type. I am all for immigration. I appreciate (and like) cultural diversity. I just think it should done legally. Hundreds of thousands of people immigate to the U.S. legally every year.

I would have to go by the letter of the law in these matters, why shouldn’t they?

People like to confuse the issue by saying “We’re a nation of immigrants!” But we’re not a nation of illegal immigrants. My great grandparents came to this country from Finland. And they entered this country, legally, at Ellis Island.

[BlueEyedSon]

1. i think you need to have a job offer there, too

[snooper2]

7. And a place to live for a year, maybe two

and $5000 in a Canadian bank....

I guess I'll just sneak over and get my teeth worked on....

[Strelnikov_]

11. And A Health Examination For Pre-Existing Conditions

But, of course, we are the root of all evil for simply wanting some semblance of control on immigration.

[rockymountaindem]

2. Put on your asbestos suit, but

I think you have a point. My ancestors also came here, seeking refuge from pogroms in Eastern Europe (my great-great grandparents were killed by Cossacks and their children fled), but they also came here legally. And, although my great-grandmother (who died in the 1960s) never became fully literate, she still learned to speak English while still speaking Yiddish at home. I don't see why some immigrants today have such a reluctance to learn English.

[shamrock]

5. rockymountaindem, some

'legal' immigrants try really hard to learn English because they really do want to fit in and be a part of our society. Others don't because they don't really like Americans or our culture and have no desire to fit in. Instead they keep to their own little groups and one or two learn English and do any communicating that is necessary. In other words, some come here because they like it here, others are here ONLY for economic reasons.

[rockymountaindem]

8. Well, ok then

The ones who "don't really like Americans or our culture and have no desire to fit in" shouldn't be surprised if they become the target of animosity from native-born Americans and legal immigrants who *do* like America and our society, however they define it. That's all I'm saying. Respect is a two-way street.

[endarkenment]

3. Many of us crossed the northern border

with no legal immigrant status, back in the 60's, where we were generally received with open arms and encouraged to stay and make ourselves legal. I'm wishing I'd taken the Canadians up on their hospitality.

[Canuckistanian]

4. Ah, but there aren't jobs for you in Canada as an "illegal"

We actually have laws against that sort of thing. And we don't have hundreds of businesses clustered around the border to take advantage of illegal immigrants.

Nor are there any American officials to bribe to look the other way while you cross.

Look, if there weren't the welcoming arms of the companies that are willing to employ immigrants, they wouldn't be trying to get in.

They may be poor, but they're not stupid.

[lastliberalintexas]

10. Um, we have laws against that sort of thing too

They're just not enforced, since most of the violators would be Bush family cronies and supporters. Though I agree with your point that it's the employers who are the real wrongdoers.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

6. I agree with you.

And the more demonstrations I see the more I agree with you. We either have a country or we don't. Why bother with laws and borders if we don't honor them?

Now, I'd love to see us say, hey, this Iraq thing is way too expensive. We're gonna take the money and put together a program for immigration that will include some sort of interim medical care, etc.

But right now we are broke.

I just hate it when I agree with Michelle Malkin.

[Bridget Burke]

14. So supporting Your President's Iraq Policy....

Is more important than people.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

16. Huh?

Did I say that?

My opinion about Iraq doesn't mean beans to the reality of the fact that we are there. I can't do anything about it. I wish we had all that money we are blowing. But we don't.

I have no solutions.

[RethugAssKicker]

9. What they are protesting is the

absolute criminilization talk going on by the Regressives.

The rethugs also want to make it a felon if you even help, IN ANY WAY an illegal immigrant.
And, on top of it... there is no talk about penalizing the corps who use these immigrants as slave labor!

[sojourner]

12. why blame the immigrants instead of the system that assures

their presence? that even entices and traps them here? namely the businesses that WANT them here, that take advantage of their presence; the politicos that WOO the businesses and thus have for years turned a blind eye to the whole illegal mess?

if i was in the same desperate boat and Canada had the same setup, i'm not going to say i might not do the very same thing as many "illegals" have done in order to better their lot in life, and give their kids a chance at a better life.

and before you beat up on me for supporting the cause of people who hold vigorously, even violently, to their culture - their language - even their flag, check out the Southern US and THEIR proud displays of a foreign flag, that of the defeated Confederacy!

[El Fuego]

13. Very apropos that you should bring up the Civil War

Because diverse, separate groups "who hold vigorously, even violently, to their culture - their language" are the cause of every civil war in history. Not to mention genocide.

IMO, not a good thing.

[Bridget Burke]

15. "Amnesty Programs: Good Immigration Policy" (from Canada)

...despite the apparent criticism over the US program, Canadian policy makers have been considering the merits of implementing a similar amnesty program for which some estimates currently place at more than 200,000 illegal immigrants in Canada predominantly living and working in Toronto. Many illegal immigrants are economic migrants who are currently employed but who cannot get legal status within current selection models.

Canadian immigration policies for the most part differ from the United States, which is one of the only countries in the Western world where natural population growth occurs without the need to rely on immigration to ensure labour market growth. Unlike the United States which requires family or employer sponsorship as a condition for long term admission, Canada admits some 150,000 economic class immigrants each year with minimal emphasis on employer arranged employment. Canada also admits some 100,000 temporary workers under a number of employer sponsored industry specific agreements (favouring the building trades, information technology, caregivers, students and spouses) with other sectors being considered as well. Together, these two programs are the centrepieces of Canadian immigration policy.

www.immigration.ca/permres-gii-amnesty.asp

By the way, I had ancestors come in through Ellis Island, too. Getting there may have been tough. Once there, all they had to do as pass the physical. They were white, so the racial quotas did not apply. And no immigration lawyer required big bucks to get them permission to stay.