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Yes, I know a thing or two about green cards, including the fact that you can apply citizenship after five years. If a person wants to stay in US, they should become citizens. I think a green card should be valid only for 10 years and if the holder has not applied for citizenship in that time, then it is time to leave.
Why? They are legally a permanent resident in the US? If the do everything the way a US citizen does - obey the laws, pay taxes, etc., why should they have to leave? There are US citizens that hold duel passports. Should they be made to chose one?
It would seem to me that if you value your green card status at all, you would be very careful not to lose that status. It would also seem that if you have been in this country for a long period of time, why not make the step to become a citizen? Having children in this country should not be grounds for staying here. If you are an immigrant and you don't want your children to be a victim of your criminal acts, then quite simple. Don't commit a criminal act. I do believe however there should have to be a conviction and there should be a statute of limitations on a petty crime.
What do you think of the deportation of green card holders who committed aggravated felonies? These people have been in the US for years or since childhood. They have American kids and own homes. They even pay taxes.
In 1996, Clinton signed a bill that would make people who were arrested subject to deportation. The law is retro active, which means they can be subject for deportation even if they committed an offense prior to the 1996 act.
They don't even have to be convicted. Merely an arrest can warrant deportation. These deportations take place once an individual returns from a visit their native country or abroad. They are denied re-entry into the US and are subject to deportation. Many times, they are subject to deportation for small crimes or arrests that too place years ago. Prior to the 1996 act, a green card holder had to serve at least 5 years in order to be deported.
These deportees have children who are American and were left behind.
Please make this a mature discussion. Try to leave politics out of this.
If someone is here legally, it doesn't seem a fair way to treat them. I can understand deporting an illegal for committing a felony no matter how many ties they have here.
What percentage of green card holder have committed aggravated felonies?
That's a very good question. When this law was enacted I was working as a contract interpreter for INS in the Norther Region. Everyone at INS said this was pretty cosmetic and would have to be carried out on a case by case basis. I worked in that job until 2001. I never heard of a case where it was applied. I am sure that it has but in very very few incidents. You have to be really sure when you carry out an action like that because if it's a wrong judgement several things can happen, one: it will be on appeal forever, two
: the person's country of birth could take reciprocal action. I know, many people who live in Podunk Idaho say "So what? Who cares?" For one the State Department cares which will mean they will not like looking bad in to the international community and will take revenge on the Justice Department; mostly by not co-operating even more than normal. Special interests large and small are hidden all over the place. It's like a mine-field in government and foreign relations.
The "So what?"people should think about, for example, not wanting to pay tax on gasoline because they don't drive. Does this hurt the non-driver? Yes because he'll see prices at the super -market rise. Everything is interconnected because of corporate globalization. The days of isolationism are pretty well over.
Why? They are legally a permanent resident in the US? If the do everything the way a US citizen does - obey the laws, pay taxes, etc., why should they have to leave? There are US citizens that hold duel passports. Should they be made to chose one?
If you live in US permanently and reject citizenship, you are basically taking what the country has to offer while rejecting the duties of a citizen, such as the draft and jury duty.
Felony = Bye Bye. No Discussion. A green card means you are an accepted visitor in our country, when you commit a felony, (unless it can shown that it was beyond your control because of a medical condition such as schizophrenia), you are no longer welcome.
What do you think of the deportation of green card holders who committed aggravated felonies? These people have been in the US for years or since childhood. They have American kids and own homes. They even pay taxes.
In 1996, Clinton signed a bill that would make people who were arrested subject to deportation. The law is retro active, which means they can be subject for deportation even if they committed an offense prior to the 1996 act.
They don't even have to be convicted. Merely an arrest can warrant deportation. These deportations take place once an individual returns from a visit their native country or abroad. They are denied re-entry into the US and are subject to deportation. Many times, they are subject to deportation for small crimes or arrests that too place years ago. Prior to the 1996 act, a green card holder had to serve at least 5 years in order to be deported.
These deportees have children who are American and were left behind.
Please make this a mature discussion. Try to leave politics out of this.
Sounds like they didn't take their privilege seriously.
That's a very good question. When this law was enacted I was working as a contract interpreter for INS in the Norther Region. Everyone at INS said this was pretty cosmetic and would have to be carried out on a case by case basis. I worked in that job until 2001. I never heard of a case where it was applied. I am sure that it has but in very very few incidents. You have to be really sure when you carry out an action like that because if it's a wrong judgement several things can happen, one: it will be on appeal forever, two
: the person's country of birth could take reciprocal action. I know, many people who live in Podunk Idaho say "So what? Who cares?" For one the State Department cares which will mean they will not like looking bad in to the international community and will take revenge on the Justice Department; mostly by not co-operating even more than normal. Special interests large and small are hidden all over the place. It's like a mine-field in government and foreign relations.
The "So what?"people should think about, for example, not wanting to pay tax on gasoline because they don't drive. Does this hurt the non-driver? Yes because he'll see prices at the super -market rise. Everything is interconnected because of corporate globalization. The days of isolationism are pretty well over.
Look at what the United States did to John Lennon over a BS marijuana charge?
Look at what the United States did to John Lennon over a BS marijuana charge?
That was selective and hidden. It was case by case the wrong way. The same thing can happen with visas. Look at the Cat Stevens case. Most of that stuff comes with the OK of higher up people and not necessarily INS or ICE personnel but government big wigs. INS or ICE may OK a visa but some elected official may not like that person. He can quash that visa with one call. INS employees like everyone else in the government spend a good part of the work day CTA$$es.
If you live in US permanently and reject citizenship, you are basically taking what the country has to offer while rejecting the duties of a citizen, such as the draft and jury duty.
Americans are doing that all over the world. Around 9 million Americans are living and working overseas, that was a 2000 figure that I saw in the INS offices in Chicago. After this last recession that number could have gone up. These are reciprocal treaties between nations. I Know people who have been living 30 years in Spain on their Alien Resident Cards. They work and make money on the Spanish economy pay taxes but just like the US they cannot vote nor serve on a jury. As long as a person meets all the requirements keeps his ARC and no government can force any legal alien to accept that nation's citizenship.
Donald Richie the noted film critic and expert on Japanese film has lived in Tokyo Japan Since the 1950's on an Alien Registration Card (Green Card in the US). He has never taken out Japanese citizen ship. Living abroad is a two way street and as the playing field levels still more you will find more Americans and Canadians living and working overseas not just for American or Canadian firms but directly for the host countries local firms. This is the 21st century. The game and its rules have changed and are still changing.
For more detailed info just go to the ICE government site.
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