Carlos Santanta embarrasses himself at yesterdays Braves game. (Atlanta: tax, living in)

[northwinds]

Originally Posted by waronxmas

Has anyone on this thread advocated that ridiculous "solution"?

Must be nice living in a black and white world where there are no exceptions to the rule or only two ways of doing things.

Could you please tell us your solution. There are eight billion folks on the planet and most would move here if they could.....what limits/restrictions do we implement?

[waronxmas]

Originally Posted by northwinds

@Waronxmas: I won't quote your post and use up all that band width......just reading it makes my head spin....glad you and your wife prevailed in the end. Just curious, did you use an attorney during this process?

Yes and no. Fortunately, my parents are good friends with a lawyer who does pro bono work for us whenever we need it. He helped us get together all of the necessary forms and with the filing, but we were there helping through the whole route. I also worked in the same lawyer's office a few summers during school helping the paralegal file court documents (something that made NOT want to be a lawyer) so I became pretty well versed in reading governmentese and legalese. For most part we managed the process on our own, and only consulted with the lawyer when we had exceptionally scary moments when it looked like we might not be approved.

For everyone else considering the process, I would highly suggest using a lawyer just due to sheer amount work and accuracy that is needed to have a successful immigration petition. Unfortunately, immigration lawyers are usually even more skeevy than an ambulance chaser and will charge for services you wouldn't believe because they can. They know exactly how hard it is to go through the process and how intimidating it is dealing with the Federal government with matters that literally shape the outcome of the rest of your life.

If though want to take a stab at doing it on your own, all of the forms and procedures are available on the USCIS website for anyone to see and there are several Immigration forums around the web where people help you through the process as well as provide tips on what to do (or what not to do).

With that said, I try not to think about what we had to go through because it often gives me a very bad headache. I can only imagine how tough it is for people trying to become legal after having broken the law already.

[northwinds]

Originally Posted by waronxmas

Yes and no. Fortunately, my parents are good friends with a lawyer who does pro bono work for us whenever we need it. He helped us get together all of the necessary forms and with the filing, but we were there helping through the whole route. I also worked in the same lawyer's office a few summers during school helping the paralegal file court documents (something that made NOT want to be a lawyer) so I became pretty well versed in reading governmentese and legalese. For most part we managed the process on our own, and only consulted with the lawyer when we had exceptionally scary moments when it looked like we might not be approved.

For everyone else considering the process, I would highly suggest using a lawyer just due to sheer amount work and accuracy that is needed to have a successful immigration petition. Unfortunately, immigration lawyers are usually even more skeevy than an ambulance chaser and will charge for services you wouldn't believe because they can. They know exactly how hard it is to go through the process and how intimidating it is dealing with the Federal government with matters that literally shape the outcome of the rest of your life.

If though want to take a stab at doing it on your own, all of the forms and procedures are available on the USCIS website for anyone to see and there are several Immigration forums around the web where people help you through the process as well as provide tips on what to do (or what not to do).

With that said, I try not to think about what we had to go through because it often gives me a very bad headache. I can only imagine how tough it is for people trying to become legal after having broken the law already.

Well, I think we found the source of your problem. Immigration law is not about "filling out forms" that are available on the internet. Its about understanding the very complex immigration laws (often compared with the IRS code) and making decisions about which strategy to take and what forms you are going to fill out. It appears that the lawyer you consulted with on a hit and miss basis was not a full-time immigration lawyer. You would have been better served by a reputable full-time immigration lawyer who charged a reasonable fee for his/her services. In the long run you would have saved money based on all of the travel, etc. involved. Anyway, it worked out in the end which is not always the case in immigration law.

[bernsee]

Kudos to Santana for calling out the GA immigration law. The Republican leadership in this state never ceases to amaze me. This state is crumbling in so many different ways with the most obvious being the continued high unemployment, but it appears the politicians in the State Capitol don't really represent the citizens of this state. Why don't they focus on issues that will get this state moving again? Why don't they fix transportation problems? Why don't they fund MARTA? Why don't they create jobs? Why don't they make this a more livable place that people can actually be proud of? Instead they focus on disgusting fringe issues to appeal to their narrow Republican base. In many ways, the immigration law will worsen the economy by driving even more jobs and economic development away. It's sad that idiots like Nathan Deal, who is really a crook, keep getting elected. It's mind boggling really. Since I've been here, I can't think of 1 thing they've done for the citizens of this state. Everything seems geared to help their wealthy constituents who live in Johns Creek and Alpharetta.

[afonega1]

Originally Posted by suprascooby22

OVERWHELMINGLY Georgians support this law. I happen to be one of those Georgians and if I was at that ballgame I would have booed him like so many others did. He is free to have his opinion and I am free to call him a fool for using a good and decent event to push his UNPOPULAR political views on a crowd that didnt want to hear it.

Its not that im so much against the law as I am about WHY this one and NOW?Why would any state accept such a controversial move at a time when:
1)its going through all the courts in AZ.----more MONEY
2)Bad economy with people threating boycott___more MONEY
3)Popular "Support"does not mean its the best thing.i.e. slavery,Hitler,Smoking etc....

It was Civil Rights day at the game where a child of immigrants came to speak.I would have thought badly of him if he did not considering his background.

[Zel Ya]

Originally Posted by northwinds

Could you please tell us your solution. There are eight billion folks on the planet and most would move here if they could.....what limits/restrictions do we implement?

Eight billion? Wrong again! Check the figures. Figures don't lie but liars can figure.

[Bullbear]

Originally Posted by northwinds

Could you please tell us your solution. There are eight billion folks on the planet and most would move here if they could.....what limits/restrictions do we implement?

Originally Posted by Zel Ya

Eight billion? Wrong again! Check the figures. Figures don't lie but liars can figure.

Exactly Northwinds.

Six billion, eight billion, whats the difference, really?

Now, please tell us what SPECIFIC restrictions you would place on immigration. Dying to hear this.

[northwinds]

Originally Posted by Bullbear

Exactly Northwinds.

Six billion, eight billion, whats the difference, really?

Now, please tell us what SPECIFIC restrictions you would place on immigration. Dying to hear this.

Exactly...notice how they nit-pick to try and avoid answering the question....don't hold your breath for their solution....LOL

[RandyWatson13]

Originally Posted by Bullbear

To all you Santana supporters: Why should there be ANY restrictions on any immigrants at all? Why shouldnt it be, if you can get here, you can come in, no problem. Sure, you could eliminate convicted felons, but can we really trust the criminal justice systems of other countries? No! So everybody is welcome. No restrictions, wide open. That will surely create more jobs and have all kinds of wonderful benefits for everyone in the US....

In fact, why not just send our aircraft carriers over and offer to transport, free of charge, and all expenses paid, millions and millions of the poor and displaced from around the world? We are rich, we can afford it! Come on people, share the wealth! After all, if you restrict even one person, it just shows how racist and unfair a country we are. Everybody is welcome to free education, health care and housing for all. Tax the rich so we can afford it. Cut the military to nothing. Such steps would truly make this country GREAT! Wouldnt they libs??

You have shown a complete lack of knowledge on the subject so you should stop posting. Now you are just ranting about other subjects to try to make your pitiful previous posts look better. Its a terrible attempt.

Originally Posted by northwinds

Well, I think we found the source of your problem. Immigration law is not about "filling out forms" that are available on the internet. Its about understanding the very complex immigration laws (often compared with the IRS code) and making decisions about which strategy to take and what forms you are going to fill out. It appears that the lawyer you consulted with on a hit and miss basis was not a full-time immigration lawyer. You would have been better served by a reputable full-time immigration lawyer who charged a reasonable fee for his/her services. In the long run you would have saved money based on all of the travel, etc. involved. Anyway, it worked out in the end which is not always the case in immigration law.

A lot of those lawyers suck, sorry, and rape people for thousands and they have minimal contacts and their expertise is not sound. In the article they mentioned Charles Kuck who is by far the immigration leader and genius and has a tremendous firm. A lot of other lawyers stink it up so having a lawyer does not automatically equate to success.

Yes there are good immigration lawyers but there are A LOT eating good off these peoples hopes.

[Zel Ya]

Originally Posted by waronxmas

Thanks for your sentiments. It's funny you mentioned it, but after me and my wife were married for a few years and we reflected on just how much it took to be together I summed it up with "You know what, if ever we get divorced you do not have to worry about who my next wife will be. After having gone through that I would have had my fill of marriage and make a straight B-line to the nearest monastery."

Also, as crazy as it sounds, that was the cliff notes version of what happened in regard to the process.

Monastery. LOL. I do wish you a happy marriage.

I wish you could write Ms. Spears as to what you went through to get married. When Ms. Spears gets bored and tired of counting her millions, she gets married. A marriage license means nothing to her.