The Cost of Immigration

This article portrays the immigration issue in a different light; immigrants who are earnestly trying to become citizens and slowed by the high cost of naturalization. Many immigrants "complain" about the high cost of naturalization. Although 650-some-odd dollars for 1 person the become naturalized seems like a high price, in the big picture it isn't really that much. Considering how expensive most things in this country are, I am not surprised that the fee is that high. However, because most immigrants don't have "high paying jobs" they blame that part of the system for their inability to become naturalized. It is a high price, but I don't believe that in the big picture that it is A) not worth the money spent and B) not bad overall. I understand that it is difficult to come up with a few thousand dollars to bring your entire family here, but it is a matter of 'economic' choices, and what is most important for you and your family.

the jobs we don't want to do

I loved this cartoon; it is funny but so true. We all interact with illegal citizens and in a way use them to our advantages. A lot of illegal immigrants do the jobs nobody else wants to do, work in the fields, as a server, hairstylist... I do not believe it is necessarily bad that they do this jobs because they do a lot better than in their countries (they have access to public schools, are not being killed by their neighbors...) Immigrants that want to be here should get some kind of amnesty so they can work in any field they want not only to be stuck working the jobs citizens do not want to do, most immigrants are just looking for a better life and will do any job to get money and support their families.

http://www.cagle.com/news/Immigration06/2.asp

political cartoon

I actually laughed a bit how they portray congress in this cartoon. It also shows how even though their mouths are covered...they still going to fight for the immigration reforms.

Raising the price on immigration?

This story is about how immigration officials are facing a huge budget shortfall is considering raising the fees associated with the immigration costs significantly.

What struck me about the article was where it mentioned that the immigration group has to be self supporting. It almosts sounds like a government function is being passed off to a private sector type of organization but without a profit motive. Beyond the obvious problems of raising already high fees (which would lead many people to not immigrating at all and some to just go ahead and enter illegally) I worry about the commodification of the movement of people. I think it says a lot of negative things about our immigration process where one of the biggest hurdles is if you can pay enough in fees in what basically amounts to paperwork. Not to mention the apparent short sightedness of a plan that many people already believe to have caused a severe drop in applications in the first place.

From reading this I would hope that in the next round of the immigration debate in Washington that begin a top to bottom transformation of all the government immigration angencies so that the agency is able to make people (rather than the bottom line) the bottom line.

"Mexico Man Sentenced For Role In Fake ID Ring"

OK, so let's start with the title of this article. I will admit that I am probably one of the least "PC" people I know, but as a journalism minor I have a problem with the title of this article. "Mexico Man" seems to have an odd connotation that comes along with it. But I digress...
In this article, a man (from Mexico) is busted for selling fake IDs and papers to illegals. He has been doing this in most of the major cities in America. "Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents seized more than 3 million counterfeit documents worth more than $20 million during the investigation."
For 5 years, this man was successful in bringing many illegals into the country and providing them the fake papers. However wrong it is, it never ceases to amaze me how 'where there's a will there's a way.' He is now serving a 5 year sentence. To the many whom he serviced, he is probably a hero. He most likely reunited quite a few families in the 5 years he was in business.
It is stories like these, where people have to go to extremes, That I like to take a step back and wonder, whats taking US so long to come up with a reasonable solution.

"Welcome to America"

Eng 479
I was particuraly attracted to this cartoon becuase it dealt with some of the conversations we had in class. The U.S will allow one family member,permenant residence, if they had already lived here when they passed that act; other family members then would get smuggled through the boarder or somehow gettemperary wrker permits. Like many, they have to figure out how they can get their green cards which, like this picture, is like a maze; many dead ends and false hopes.

Mex vs. BC (Born CItizen)

Here's a funny parody of those Mac commercials. There's actually a lot going on in this video that we can comment on, such as their differing personal identities compared to how the white shopper identifies them. Then there's the declaration "But those jobs are for Mexicans!"