As legal immigrants to this country, my husband and I spent tens of thousands of dollars on immigration lawyers and had to wait 15 years to finally become US citizens. This is the average time it takes for legal immigrants who are not married to US citizens.
Did you know that Permanent residents pay into the social security fund but are not eligible to receive any of it on retirement until they become citizens?
Now you can ask a legal immigrant how it feels to see illegals coming into the country across the border and receiving free everything.
It feels like a slap on our faces and a mockery of the institutions this great country of ours was built upon.
In California, illegal immigrants are entitled to medi-cal benefits. To buy health insurance in California through the Obamacare marketplace for the basic silver plan is about $1000 per month. By law, the Obamacare marketplace is the only option to purchase health insurance thank you Obama. This is over 10K per year given to illegal newcomers. In days past, immigrants came to America to realize their inner potential and that is what made America great and free. Today immigrants first act in America is to break our law and then extend a hand. They do not respect our law or our traditions. But then the party in power today does not respect our laws or traditions so why would the newcomer?
I'm pretty sure you can also purchase health insurance plans directly from private insurance companies outside of the marketplace. I'm just starting to look into this for myself right now. Direct from Anthem it's anywhere from 800-2400/mo. I haven't compared in Obama vs. out for prices yet.
I should have said by law the only option is to purchase Affordable Care Act (ACA Obamacare) compliant insurance plans. I believe you are right, they may be purchased directly from insurance companies. I still thank Obama for making insurance unaffordable for everyone who does not get it for free. Like all socialist schemes it empowers government and weakens the citizen. Obama is underestimated as Marxist enemy of the American republic. I feel about Obama like the Democrats hate Trump only more.
Excellent article. Most know-nothings gripe about how the US shouldn't close its doors to immigrants. They have no idea how many thousands of immigrants are admitted legally every year, people who have jumped through all the hoops legally required to become American citizens. Now, illegal immigrants get more than my husband and I and our children have ever received for free (given that we pay taxes). NOTHING is free, though one of our congressmen recently said that "NOBODY" pays when student loan debt is forgiven. So much ignorance today. And that ignorance is tearing our nation apart, and sinking us in debt that can never be paid off in our children's lifetimes.
Actually, the "Know Nothings" were a political movement in the United States in the 1850s, officially known as the Native American Party, that was composed of native-born protestant White Americans who opposed allowing immigrants to vote and hold office and sought a ban on Catholic immigration into the United States, especially from Germany and Ireland.
I too am an immigrant from Britain. My wife and I went through the process of Naturalization to become American Citizens in 1978, in Connecticut. Throughout the process, the officials we dealt with were pleasant and efficient. Even the policeman who took our fingerprints was welcoming along with the health department officials who tested us for Syphylis and TB were sensitive in dealing with the matter at hand.
The official day of naturalization took place in a courthouse in Hartford. The judge who presided over the ceremony was an immigrant from the Caribbean. He gave a very inspiring speech about his gratitude to America for accepting him and the opportunities he found here. There were 200 people in the room from 50 different countries.
On that day we were proud and very grateful to become Americans.
The thing I don't understand is the danger we face with all the terrorists in basements right now planning to destroy our beautiful country. FJoe Biden and the rest of his chumps are gonna find out soon enough just what a disaster they are causing!
Good morning Calla, it’s a delight to know you are now writing on Substack under SB Current. I enjoy reading you in The Spectator. I just read your column on How to make a a Clafoutis which brought back memories of when I too lived in France. I’m not much of a baker but since you’ve inspired me I’ll give it a whirl in the blender that is!
What a convoluted process! Imagine, what it would be like it you didn't have thousands of dollars to spend on lawyers, or a safe place to wait out this prolonged ordeal? I hope you can now appreciate why so many people who do not have the money, or a safe place to stay, are opting to skip the process and cross the border "without papers" as refugees. Back when U.S. Immigration authorities abbreviated "without papers" as "W.O.P." so many undocumented Italians had this stamped on their paperwork that it became a pejorative for Italians. Asking these refugees to wait in their home countries or in Mexico during the process would be like asking you to remain inside a burning building until AFTER the fire department arrives. Some of us still remember when the U.S. refused to allow 620 German Jews fleeing Nazi Germany aboard the M.S. St. Louis to disembark and they were returned to Germany where many perished in the concentration camps. I believe the flood of refugees will only stop when living conditions in their home countries improve.
Is that the price we should be asked to pay? Make life in America so wretched no one will want to come here any longer. May we get together and come up with better solutions than that. But I get your point; just not its real time downstream impacts. We shall do better. Like simply enforce the current laws, and plug all the current loopholes.
The only loop holes I see are the orders that border patrol has been given to allow people to cross at unapproved points of entry. I used to come and go to Mexico when I lived there. I was required to cross at a guarded crossing like San Ysidro or Tecate, not crawl through a fence. There is absolutely NO reason anyone should be opening a fence and allowing thousands of unvetted people through just because it sucks where they live. Lots of places suck. I'm now of the opinion that we should all stay where we were born. Being a 'world citizen' takes zero responsibility for any one place, hence, no place matters any more.
On a side note: there are so many young remote worker flocking to ‘cheap’ places to live, like Mexico City, that authorities there are starting to deport them. The locals are complaining of gentrification, in some cases putting small businesses out of business due to gentrification of the buildings they are in. I won’t return to Mexico for this reason; I don’t want to be a part of that, and as a gringo, it’s bound to happen. The Mexican landlords in areas close to us, ie Tijuana to Ensenada, are even kicking out long term gringo renters to double their rents. Many are going the Air BNB route, hence taking rentals off the local market.
"Freedom of Speech" is threatened by SBC's restriction that you must be a "paid subscriber" to comment. Some of my comments have been blocked because I am not a "paid subscriber." Too bad you missed out on them! I will pay for SBC's Trumpist swill when you become "paid subscribers" to the leftist, pro-labor Mother Jones.
My American friend applied for citizenship in Tahiti (French). She had to read an article handed to her in fluent French, then describing it again (in French and English) in her own words. She had to write a small piece, in French. Gee, what a concept.
Just wait ‘till Trump gets in. Things are gonna change quick! I just hope he implements the demands to the masses that have flooded our country as he deports them all. I have a feeling it’s gonna be a lot more ‘strident’ than he’s letting on. I sure hope so! "Agents" stopping people on the street demanding proof of citizenship? No problem. I can’t wait to hear the screams of the Commie-Dems for the logical, legal requirements to become a citizen of the _U.S.A._ !
As legal immigrants to this country, my husband and I spent tens of thousands of dollars on immigration lawyers and had to wait 15 years to finally become US citizens. This is the average time it takes for legal immigrants who are not married to US citizens.
Did you know that Permanent residents pay into the social security fund but are not eligible to receive any of it on retirement until they become citizens?
Now you can ask a legal immigrant how it feels to see illegals coming into the country across the border and receiving free everything.
It feels like a slap on our faces and a mockery of the institutions this great country of ours was built upon.
Well said.
In California, illegal immigrants are entitled to medi-cal benefits. To buy health insurance in California through the Obamacare marketplace for the basic silver plan is about $1000 per month. By law, the Obamacare marketplace is the only option to purchase health insurance thank you Obama. This is over 10K per year given to illegal newcomers. In days past, immigrants came to America to realize their inner potential and that is what made America great and free. Today immigrants first act in America is to break our law and then extend a hand. They do not respect our law or our traditions. But then the party in power today does not respect our laws or traditions so why would the newcomer?
I'm pretty sure you can also purchase health insurance plans directly from private insurance companies outside of the marketplace. I'm just starting to look into this for myself right now. Direct from Anthem it's anywhere from 800-2400/mo. I haven't compared in Obama vs. out for prices yet.
I should have said by law the only option is to purchase Affordable Care Act (ACA Obamacare) compliant insurance plans. I believe you are right, they may be purchased directly from insurance companies. I still thank Obama for making insurance unaffordable for everyone who does not get it for free. Like all socialist schemes it empowers government and weakens the citizen. Obama is underestimated as Marxist enemy of the American republic. I feel about Obama like the Democrats hate Trump only more.
Excellent article. Most know-nothings gripe about how the US shouldn't close its doors to immigrants. They have no idea how many thousands of immigrants are admitted legally every year, people who have jumped through all the hoops legally required to become American citizens. Now, illegal immigrants get more than my husband and I and our children have ever received for free (given that we pay taxes). NOTHING is free, though one of our congressmen recently said that "NOBODY" pays when student loan debt is forgiven. So much ignorance today. And that ignorance is tearing our nation apart, and sinking us in debt that can never be paid off in our children's lifetimes.
Actually, the "Know Nothings" were a political movement in the United States in the 1850s, officially known as the Native American Party, that was composed of native-born protestant White Americans who opposed allowing immigrants to vote and hold office and sought a ban on Catholic immigration into the United States, especially from Germany and Ireland.
Hmm!
I too am an immigrant from Britain. My wife and I went through the process of Naturalization to become American Citizens in 1978, in Connecticut. Throughout the process, the officials we dealt with were pleasant and efficient. Even the policeman who took our fingerprints was welcoming along with the health department officials who tested us for Syphylis and TB were sensitive in dealing with the matter at hand.
The official day of naturalization took place in a courthouse in Hartford. The judge who presided over the ceremony was an immigrant from the Caribbean. He gave a very inspiring speech about his gratitude to America for accepting him and the opportunities he found here. There were 200 people in the room from 50 different countries.
On that day we were proud and very grateful to become Americans.
The thing I don't understand is the danger we face with all the terrorists in basements right now planning to destroy our beautiful country. FJoe Biden and the rest of his chumps are gonna find out soon enough just what a disaster they are causing!
Good morning Calla, it’s a delight to know you are now writing on Substack under SB Current. I enjoy reading you in The Spectator. I just read your column on How to make a a Clafoutis which brought back memories of when I too lived in France. I’m not much of a baker but since you’ve inspired me I’ll give it a whirl in the blender that is!
What a convoluted process! Imagine, what it would be like it you didn't have thousands of dollars to spend on lawyers, or a safe place to wait out this prolonged ordeal? I hope you can now appreciate why so many people who do not have the money, or a safe place to stay, are opting to skip the process and cross the border "without papers" as refugees. Back when U.S. Immigration authorities abbreviated "without papers" as "W.O.P." so many undocumented Italians had this stamped on their paperwork that it became a pejorative for Italians. Asking these refugees to wait in their home countries or in Mexico during the process would be like asking you to remain inside a burning building until AFTER the fire department arrives. Some of us still remember when the U.S. refused to allow 620 German Jews fleeing Nazi Germany aboard the M.S. St. Louis to disembark and they were returned to Germany where many perished in the concentration camps. I believe the flood of refugees will only stop when living conditions in their home countries improve.
It’s more likely to stop when the living conditions here are no better than where they came from, which is where we are headed if we keep this up.
Is that the price we should be asked to pay? Make life in America so wretched no one will want to come here any longer. May we get together and come up with better solutions than that. But I get your point; just not its real time downstream impacts. We shall do better. Like simply enforce the current laws, and plug all the current loopholes.
The only loop holes I see are the orders that border patrol has been given to allow people to cross at unapproved points of entry. I used to come and go to Mexico when I lived there. I was required to cross at a guarded crossing like San Ysidro or Tecate, not crawl through a fence. There is absolutely NO reason anyone should be opening a fence and allowing thousands of unvetted people through just because it sucks where they live. Lots of places suck. I'm now of the opinion that we should all stay where we were born. Being a 'world citizen' takes zero responsibility for any one place, hence, no place matters any more.
Very cool Anne. How the heck can anyone argue with this logic!
On a side note: there are so many young remote worker flocking to ‘cheap’ places to live, like Mexico City, that authorities there are starting to deport them. The locals are complaining of gentrification, in some cases putting small businesses out of business due to gentrification of the buildings they are in. I won’t return to Mexico for this reason; I don’t want to be a part of that, and as a gringo, it’s bound to happen. The Mexican landlords in areas close to us, ie Tijuana to Ensenada, are even kicking out long term gringo renters to double their rents. Many are going the Air BNB route, hence taking rentals off the local market.
Excellent, Anne
"Freedom of Speech" is threatened by SBC's restriction that you must be a "paid subscriber" to comment. Some of my comments have been blocked because I am not a "paid subscriber." Too bad you missed out on them! I will pay for SBC's Trumpist swill when you become "paid subscribers" to the leftist, pro-labor Mother Jones.
My American friend applied for citizenship in Tahiti (French). She had to read an article handed to her in fluent French, then describing it again (in French and English) in her own words. She had to write a small piece, in French. Gee, what a concept.
Just wait ‘till Trump gets in. Things are gonna change quick! I just hope he implements the demands to the masses that have flooded our country as he deports them all. I have a feeling it’s gonna be a lot more ‘strident’ than he’s letting on. I sure hope so! "Agents" stopping people on the street demanding proof of citizenship? No problem. I can’t wait to hear the screams of the Commie-Dems for the logical, legal requirements to become a citizen of the _U.S.A._ !