How hard is it to obtain citizenship?

[agnostic]

With so much talk of immigration, illegal or not, I think it's important that to understand what I think to be an important point of the entire issue. Exactly how hard is it to obtain citizenship or green card status or whatever? I'd think with NAFTA's loosening of the border and the ease of immigration (and the HUGE financial advantage to immigrate to the states from mexico) we'd see less and less illegal immigration. I am starting this topic because I don't understand the process and was hoping someone could help clear this up. Is it so hard that it's turning many of these illegals away from the process..since there are many companies that will hire them anyways? Or is it an easier process that they are just simply bypassing?

[Army_of_One]

The process is long and arduous....and costs a bit of money. If you have never been to an INS office it SUCKS. The few times I have been to one the people were rude and inconsiderate and treated the customers like crap. I think you have to have a fairly clean record also. I am sure they limit the AMOUNT of people that become citizens each year also...maybe they do a lottery or something. Between the wait, the cost and having to not have a record...well...a lot of hispanics just sneak across. There are a lot that do it the right way also and they are to be applauded because the system sucks for those who want to do it the right way.....
*NOTE...the citizensship test....well...there are people here in the U.S. that couldn't answer some of those questions that were born and raised here.
I'm sure someone on here will outline the process step by step but it is by no means easy...nor should it be...because being a U.S. Citizen is something special!!!

[TexKan]

I'm not sure how hard it is - I do know it takes awhile if you actually want to be a citizen and not just rape the economic system. I know that for the immunizations required it costs about $30 if you have no insurance - up to $100 if you have insurance that will reimburse you. As far as what is needed to get the "green card" to work - I think it's paperwork and time that is being avoided. I have never had an immigrant tell me it cost too much to do the process.

[Highwayman]

I think it’s more the waiting in line for your turn than the costs. There are quotas and it is limited. It could take years. There is some kind of health screening and because of illegals we are starting to see diseases that we haven’t seen in this country for years.

[Bubba]

Originally Posted by Highwayman

I think it’s more the waiting in line for your turn than the costs. There are quotas and it is limited. It could take years. There is some kind of health screening and because of illegals we are starting to see diseases that we haven’t seen in this country for years.

TB is making a pretty big comeback in the area. In fact if I take the "scratch the skin" test I get a positive reading even though I don't have TB. My doctor told me that I was probably exposed to TB when I worked in the packing plants and that is why I have a postive skin reaction to the test.

[TexKan]

Your doctor didn't refer you to the county Health TB clinic? You need an Xray to be sure.....don't get me goin.......LOL LOL........Actually Mexico has it's citizens vacinated with TB vaccine. Our country chose not to do that - even after the 40's when they had multiple TB hospitals.....community health what a nightmare - but I can tell ya the mexican culture as a whole vacinates their children and are better than caucasion parents at being compliant and up to date.

[Detector]

Source: http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/global...o_profile.html

Tuberculosis remains a public health problem in Mexico. According to the World Health Organization’s Global Tuberculosis Control: WHO Report 2004, Mexico had nearly 34,000 TB cases in 2002, with an estimated incidence rate of 33 cases per 100,000 population.

Source: http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/tb.htm

What caused TB to return?

Increased numbers of foreign-born nationals from countries where many cases of TB occur, such as Africa, Asia, and Latin America. TB cases among those persons now living in the US account for nearly half of the national total.

Minorities are affected disproportionately by TB: 54 percent of active TB cases in 1999 were among African-American and Hispanic people, with an additional 20 percent found in Asians.

[TexKan]

C'mon down and work in the jail, and in public health and your attitude will change based on what you see. Most TB cases were a thing of the past. Along came immuno supresing diseases...like Aids, Cancer, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and of course the easy way to spread it - protitution - altho it's not spread sexually - it's the close contact thing that's gettin em. Havin TB is much different than bein exposed. It's the "havers" that don't take med due to lifestyle that is beatin us to death.

[Bubba]

Originally Posted by TexKan

Your doctor didn't refer you to the county Health TB clinic? You need an Xray to be sure.....don't get me goin.......LOL LOL........Actually Mexico has it's citizens vacinated with TB vaccine. Our country chose not to do that - even after the 40's when they had multiple TB hospitals.....community health what a nightmare - but I can tell ya the mexican culture as a whole vacinates their children and are better than caucasion parents at being compliant and up to date.

Sorry, but I don't go to the county health clinic for any of my medical concerns. I'm not trying to hurt anybody's feelings, or start anything. I have excellent health coverage at work, and go to the doctor of my choice to get my health needs met. I had X-Ray's several different times and discussed it in length with my doctor. The feeling was that since I didn't show any signs of TB and my X-Ray's were always clear and that I was in my 40's that I wouldn't have to go through taking all the meds and vitamins unless I wanted to. I chose not to go through all the cost and pain in the @ss of taking all the meds.