Testimonials

Story Submitted By lupe dominguez from ssf

as a first generation mexican-american it saddens me to see how much blame we as a nation are putting on our 12to 13 million fellow humans who do not have the proper documents to secure a place in our society. everyday- our news media has given us stories as well as visual sights as to how many are risking their lives to come to this great country to try to find a better life for them and their families. i am proud of the the fact that my familia have been in these united states of america since before 1878- when new mexico was still a territory. our abuelitos could travel back and forth and not worry about having any papers.both my parents were born in old mexico but came to live in the united states when they were children. they were migrant workers who worked hard to give their 9 children a better life and in 1944 they relocated to san francisco-calif. us children grew up learning and speaking english at school and at home we spoke their native language-spanish. i could say we never had a problem living both cultures. we are proud of the values and traditions of our parents-as well as we are proud to celebrate the 4th of july. our children are all taught the value of a education and they have all gone to college. we are so proud and sure of who we are and if our fellow hermanos are also allowed to be part of this great country-i am sure they will do the same. its up to each person-and it doesnt make a difference where you happen to be born -to want to be part of what happens in our daily lives and to do something about it. i am proud of this movement because it brought people out of the dark and into the light where they were not afraid to show their faces. this great country has always been made of of great people who took the chance to leave what was safe and secure for them and come to a strange land. yes- people say-they are breaking the law-they should have waited their turn- when your children are hungry- you dont think of waiting in line-your do what you have to. i agree that our borders -not just the southern border-but the canadian one as well-have to be secured . i get upset when they say that the new immigrants are not trying to be part of this culture- when i have seen every year less and less american born people attending the parades for veterns day- for the 4th of july or for that matter voting. let america be a better country and find a just and fair way to these many faces who's only crime was to want a better life for their loved ones................

Story Submitted By Karen from Glendale

I am heartbroken to see the tension and division brought about by the current debate on the immigration issues. Everyone has an opinion, but no reasonable solution seems to be forthcoming. In the interim, 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation Hispanic Americans like myself find ourselves embroiled in the debate by coworkers, friends and strangers. Why do people expect Hispanic Americans to take sides, like we are expected to defend our "Americanism" by decrying the flow of immigration, legal or illegal. I don't see Italian Americans, Irish Americans, or other "Americans" having to defend their beliefs or demonstrate their patriotism. I don't pretend to know the answers to this highly sensitive debate, but here is what I do know. When I see the Mexican gardener, or laborer, I am reminded of the face of my grandfather, who came to this country, legally or illegally I do not know, but became a resident alien, served our country in the war effort during WWII, and raised his daughters to believe in the American dream. One of his daughters married my father, also a descendant of Mexican origin, who worked in the fields alongside his family while completing his education, and later rose through the ranks of the Phoenix Police Department to become the first Hispanic Police Chief of Phoenix. It is this same work ethic instilled by my grandparents and parents that enabled me to rise to one of the most esteemed positions in my company. It is that same American dream that enabled one of my sons to graduate from M.I.T., one of the most prestigous universities in the country and the other to pursue his dreams of filmmaking in the Cinema School at the University of Southern California. We owe all of this success to the dreams of our grandparents or great grandparents who came to this country in search of opportunity. This is what I see in the faces of those who are coming to this country to earn an honest living. Rather than taking sides why aren't we utilizing that good old American ingenuity and developing reasonable solutions to the immigration problem? It won't be solved by telling people to go back to where they came from. They aren't here on a vacation. Necessity has forced their presence and our style of living in this country welcomes them with open arms. Many of these recent immigrants are doing the work we won't do. And like our ancestors before us, they are the parents of future Americans who will be valuable contributors to American society. Many will become doctors, medical researchers, business owners and entreprenuers. After all, my story is not unusual. It is the story of thousands of my generation and Mexican origin. But it is not the compelling story that people who want to use the immigration debate as a mask for their racism want to hear. They are more comfortable with the stories of drug dealers and coyotes. It is time we put the face of the real America on the front page and it is all of us, be it brown, white or black, and work together to find a reasonable solution to a compelling issue.

Story Submitted By Saul from Amity

I was born (Texas) American and consider myself a proud American. I did 20 years in the U.S. Army am a war veteran and continue working for the federal Government as a civilian. I moved to Arkansas in 1992 after my Army career and find myself aggrevated on a weekly basis. Some people here a racial and ignorant, Mostly because they are uneducated. Several times I have tried going to various churches just to find people in the church as just as racial, I have been told that they feel uncomfortable when I am there. Crazy uh? I have had them ask me why and how did you get a Government job? I have been trying for along time and you people come to this country and take our jobs. It don't understand some people to judge me by my skin color and think I am not American. All the color some people around here is white, I get upset at times but I always seem to understand that they are the ignorant ones.

Story Submitted By Ana from Garland

Most people don't belive I am a Mexican-American (born from mexicans in the USA) my own boyfriend thought i was russian and many confuse me with Anglo. Nothing wrong with being different but they don't understand how hard it is to be trapped in 2 worlds. When home with my family I speak spanish and eat tamales and all the good mexican foods that are always better if they are cooked by Mom or Grandma; when at the office I eat healthy and speak english, mind my manners and no one guesses who I am. Mom always says to learn from both worlds and I think I have. Born In California, now Line in Texas was in the National Guard in the Army branch, I finished college last year and I Can say that I am Living better than some of my friend but that is not the matter. I am an american and I am proud of it but I am also Proud of being mexican, the best of both worlds.

Story Submitted By Terry from Miami

I am a 5th eneration American of Mexican decent. It strikes me as funny (sometimes) that many other ethnic races seem to see me as a "recent arrival" when they themselves (usually 60+ years in age) tell me that their parents immigrated from somewhere - ONE of several incidences - I was at a store and I didn't realize the bag boy (60+ - Italian decent) was speaking to me - when I didn't respond quickly enough he started speaking to me in a thick, loud Italian accent - Don't you speakee English? I replied that I did indeed - after all my family had been speaking English for over 100 years - long before he himself became an American Citizen - I said "surprise!!! Please remember that not all Hispanics have just gotten off a "banana boat". I told him he still had a strong Italian accent and asked him if HE was a recent immigrant - compared to my ancestral background - he was just a "first generation" - who is the immigrant now, Paisano???

Story Submitted By Giovanni from Atlanta

I am angered by so many misunderstanding and misrepresentations of the hispanic community. I was born in the United States my mother arrived from Colombia with a tourist visa that expired before she met my father US citizen by birth from Puerto Rico. Both raised 3 boys to work, study, and pride. Proud parents of one son who served his country and later graduated with honors working in the medical field another with an MBA and the last of the sons fighting a mental illness.. We were saddened and angered on 9/11 our home our birthplace was attacked! The very city were so many come through! Our home! We would gladly give our lives to protect the US. She has given us so much and asked so little of us! So many of the latino communities sons, daughters, fathers, and wives are doing this right now in Afghanistan and Iraq. The pride of being Latino but most of all of Being Americans. Thank you

Story Submitted By Connie from Aurora

My name is Connie Edwards-Escalera. I am married to a Mexican National. I met my husband five years ago when he was in the US illeagally. We fell in love, got married and had a child, ALfred who is now three. Being American and wanting my husband ot have the same opportunity that my son and I had, we applied for his green card. After waiting for 3 years we finally had our appointment in Juarez. My husband was forced to return to Mexico for this appointment. I was not wooried as we thought it would be approved and we could come home and continue our life together as a family. I could not have been more wrong. My husband is still in Mexico. He will not be eligible for 3 - 10 years to return to the United States. The bar is for being here illeagally. We had hired an attorney who was to file a waiver for us. It has been almost a year since our initial appointment in Juarez and the attorney had still not fileds the waiver. My husband desperate to come and see his son and help support our family tried to cross the border again. He was robbed, walked in the desert for two days only to be arrested and sent back to Mexico. I told my attorney about this and she withdrew from our case. Now we are starting over again, more money, more time, and no guarantee he will be able to join us. Many people that I speak with have no idea about the families that are torn apart. Most people think that if you are married to am American you are allowed to be in the US. Not so. There has not been any mention of that in the media. Generaly, like your web-site states, it is all about workers, or Mexican's that come here and get in trouble. I am hoping that your web sight will shed light on the families that are suffering. One last thing the US Consulate in Juarez suggested that if I want to keep my family together I move to Mexico. I think that this is crazy. I want to live in United States, raise my children (I have two other from a previous marriage, I doubt there father would approve of them moving to Mexico) in the United States, so that they will have the same opportunities that I had growing up. I am very glad to see a web-sight that is devoted to immigration reform. It is desperately needed.

Story Submitted By Adreana from Long Beach

When I started working in Long Beach, CA at the Queen Mary in 2001 I met a young woman named Gilma Martinez. She lives with her parents, her older brother and her younger sister. Only her younger sister is native born to the United States. Gilma and her remaining family members were born in El Salvador. They just became citizens last year. Gilma is hardworking, driven and just a sweet and funny person. I am proud to call her my fellow American. Her father, until his health became an issue last year, owned a big rig repair shop in Wilmington, CA. Her brother followed in her father's footsteps and became a licensed mechanic. He works at a department store car service place. Just from 2001, when I met her, I have watched her family spend THOUSANDS of dollars on immigration lawyers and related costs. The process began over seventeen years ago when Gilma got here. Her father came to the U.S. on refugee status and then brought Gilma, her sister, her brother and her mother. Seventeen years Gilma's family has been waiting to become citizens and paying this and that lawyer to speed the process. I'm so glad for all of them that it has finally happened. As glad as I am for them, I am really upset at the idea of people coming here illegally. Seriously, with all the money Gilma's family spent on immigration lawyers Gilma and her brother could have gone to Ivy league colleges or the family could be living in a home they owned rather than a rental by now. So it does not seem fair to me that other people who don't go through the legal processes that the Martinez's went through and don't pay all the money the Martinez's had to pay should be offered the chance to become legal residents. That to me, seems patently unfair. That's my story.

Story Submitted By Delia from Briarwood

I really hope that Congress passes a new immigration bill that will help people who are here illegaly get their papers. I am 24 years old and as a first generation Italian-American I find it very hard to understand why people have some much hatred towards immigrants. They say that they do not want to learn English & that is such an untrue statement. It takes time to learn a new language and English is such a difficult language to learn. After 50 years of living in NY my grandmother still has to throw in some Italian words here and there. My boyfriend of 3 years is here illegally from Mexico. He has been here for 7yrs, speaks beautiful English, works his behind off as a construction worker, and has not been in trouble with the law. Why shouldn't he & other men and women like him not have a chance to live in this country outside of the shadows? I hope and pray that a law is passed to help thses people& that members of congress do not forget that their family once came here too as immigrants, speaking another language & starting their lives here from scratch. Let's not forget why this country exists.

Story Submitted By Kim from Boulder

With the May Day 2006 Great American Boycott, we stand together to demand citizenship and full workers rights for our undocumented brothers and sisters. Our present governmental leaders are eager to place blame for many of the domestic ills that have befallen our country. They find it convenient to blame our failing health care, deficient educational systems, and the increase in crime, on what they like to call illegal aliens. Our problems for the most part are due not to those who have overcome great hardships to come here seeking a better life, but to failed policies. It is privatization, the export of capital, and the outsourcing of well-paying American jobs that has caused a shrinking of our tax base and with it an ever-growing federal deficit that places limits on federal and local governments already minimal domestic spending. Our national policy has been to permit or actually encourage, the importation of cheap labor especially from South of the Border while at the same paying lip service to prohibiting the entry of so-called illegal aliens. Our nations economic base is significantly dependent upon the hard labor of millions of underpaid men, women and all too frequently, children. It is NAFTA and other failed trade agreements that have helped create the economic conditions which force otherwise law-abiding people who simply cannot earn enough to support their families to pour across our borders in search of a better life. It is blatantly hypocritical that at the same time demagogic politicians try to gain votes by denouncing the presence of "illegals, they advocate importing increasing numbers of guest workers to do the most thankless jobs in our economy. We want them to pick our crops, mow our lawns, care for our children and elderly and clean up our filth, but we refuse to grant them so much as a drivers license or any other form of legal standing. Whats wrong with us? It is shameful that it has taken the threat of a national boycott to awaken us to the fact that the millions of undocumented workers play such an vital role in American society. We are urged to not only deny them the health, education and other social services which American citizens enjoy, but to support legislation which would brand them and all those who assist them as felons. The Republican Partys fear-mongers, unable to move their domestic agenda forward, and fearful of losing control of Congress have seized upon what they call the broken borders issue to try and mobilize their base in this election year. By calling for the criminalization of the undocumented, the House of Representatives has opened a veritable Pandoras Box that can only add to the divisions tearing at the fabric of American society. Their call to imprison and deport the estimated eleven million illegals presently in the USA would not deter future undocumented immigration because such actions would in no way alleviate the deficiencies which torment all too many throughout the world. Hunger and need will make criminals of most of us under the right circumstances. The rhetoric of the anti-immigrant crowd has, in fact, forced millions of those in our shadow population, to risk being fired, arrested and deported by rising up in nationwide demonstrations reminiscent of the Civil Rights and Peace Movements of the 1960s. The demagogues, in a desperate effort to prevent working people from uniting on behalf of their mutual interests, are trying to turn African-Americans against our Latino brothers and sisters. They stridently shout that illegals are attempting to benefit from, and are co-opting, the hard-won rights of Afro-Americans as an unearned entitlement. As an African-American I support the position of our civil rights leaders who know that discrimination against anyone is discrimination against everyone. We must remember that our national pledge of allegiance declares, With Liberty and Justice for all. We strengthen our nation by embracing our diversity. We must confront and breakdown all barriers to progress, be they racism, sexism, ethnocentrism, or any other of the other isms that deny fair treatment and justice to everyone. In these United States all of us must have the opportunity to benefit equally from the resources that our labor helps create and maintain.

Story Submitted By Janet from Summit

I am a proud American. I'm classified as a WASP (white Anglo-Saxon Protestant) with roots that go back to the immigrants that came from Sweden, Switzerland, Ireland and England. Some of my ancestors were here as far back as the Revolutionary War. I sang Mother's Day and Christmas songs in church in Swedish and enjoyed the wonderful flavors of a Christmas morning smorgasbord following our Julotta celebration with our church family. I always wished the language my grandmother knew from her Swedish heritage had been passed down to me. Immigrants in those days wished to leave the past behind and became proud Americans, sometimes forgetting what a treasure their heritage held. I am a proud American. My heart is Hispanic. I learned Spanish with the Cuban refugees in my teens who arrived in Chicago fleeing Castro's embracing of the Communist ideology and the deterioration of their beloved homeland. I learned from them of family and hospitality and community and embraced their culture as my own. My first son's father was Cuban and I chose to teach my son Spanish as his first language and a rich part of his heritage. He is now in the minority as an American who can speak more than one language. I am a proud American. I married a Mexican man who became a citizen during our 20 years together. He was a hard-working man, dedicated to home and family. I again learned a new and vibrant culture and history and it became a part of our lives. My second son and my daughter also learned Spanish as their first language, again as a rich part of their heritage and they too are numbered among the minority of Americans who speak more than one language. I am a proud American. My daughter-in-law is part Native American. Her mother's tribe was marched out of their land here in the United States up into Canada where she now lives on a reservation. My grandchildren will always carry this proud heritage as a part of their roots. I am a proud American. I married a Palestinian Jordanian man who works at a government laboratory here outside Chicago. With him I learned of a rich culture and history, of struggle and strength and love of one's family and homeland. I embraced that struggle and I carry it in my heart and in my prayers. This country is not a "melting pot." It is a "tossed salad" full of distinctive colors and flavors which each add to the quality of the whole. I am a proud American.

Story Submitted By Randy from Phoenix

I am a proud american as well. Many of my friends are of Hispanic dissent and several are married to spouses from Mexico. I commend what you are doing with regard to stereotypes. However, I respectfully disagree with your message whereby you co-mingle the issues with regard to legal immigration vs. illegal immigration. Yes, we are all immigrants, but we are not all illegal immigrants! Runaway illegal immigration has been shown to have a negative impact on our US society. As Lou Dobbs puts it, America is importing Mexico's (among other countries') poverty and all the problems that brings with it. Per the news, most of the illegal immigrants are uneducated and unskilled. The majority do not speak English as evidenced in the rallies on TV. The chants are mostly in Spanish. How will these people help defend this country if called to arms if they cannot take orders in English? How will the majority be able to take advantage of the opportunities in the US if they do not speak English? Most Americans are pro-immigration, but anti illegal immigration. Just because somebody thinks they deserve to be here for a better life, doesn't mean they should be here ahead of somebody else who is following the rule of law! I have traveled the world extensively and people from all over would are waiting their turn and following the rules to migrate to this great country. By the way, according to the news, what started the investigation regarding the illegal immigrants arrested at IFCO was that several individuals were observed ripping up their W-2 forms - meaning they had no intention of filing income taxes. Again, I applaud your efforts to address stereotypes in America and I support legal immigration.

Story Submitted By Angie from Gilbert

I love this country. It is great to be in a country of such economic wealth and cultural diversity. I've traveled extensively and no other country allows such freedom of choice and embraces all aspects of humanity. No other country has such wealth. No other country has so many people who would perfer welfare than to get an education or a low paying physicially demanding job. I need to remind myself to have faith in our laws and hope that immigration reform will be fair and humane. Today across the country business owners were the target. I imagine this will cease to make news as this drama plays out more and more. In phoenix, a pallet company with 24 employees was surprised today by agents asking for documentation. 24 employees... most who have been working there for years...Most of these people.. not having the proper documentation to work hard and long hours in this country will be deported. They will be forced to leave their familes and their american children without a father to support them. It makes me angry to see law abiding, hard working people who want to improve their lives and the lives of their familes. These people pay for car insurance, pay for medical expenses,and pay taxes everytime they make a purchase.. be a house or car. Most don't mind paying any kind of tax because they consider it a privlege to give back to a country which has given them so much. I on the other hand grumble about taxes. Their children learn the meaning of work and to respect and love the country that has given them this opportunity. Unbelievable some people are feeling economically threatened because there in a huge influx of people who are willing to work hard long hours with low wages doing jobs most americans wouldn't even consider. So with the immigration issue in the limelight 'THEY' are going after small business owners. Do 'they' think splitting up families one by one is going to solve the issue. Why don't we allow a temporary work visa??? Why not try to fix the problem instead of medicating the symptoms. Simple economics... where there is demand there will be a supply. If the concern of america is truly security..then allow temporary visas and document people. The decrease in 'illegal' immigration will decrease... after all people just want to come here to work and have a better life for their family. What is wrong with that? Who does that threaten?

Story Submitted By Joel from New York

I am a first-generation Mexican-American, the proud son of immigrants to this country. Because of my parents' struggles to give us a better life, I consider myself a success story and have achieved much. I am finishing my MSW degree at Smith College, and I also hold a B.A. from the University of Illinois at Chicago and an M.F.A. from Columbia University. I will be starting a job as a clinical social worker in New York City in the fall. It is important for me to empower individuals who are trying to build a better life for themselves and their children.

Story Submitted By Javier from Hyattsville

I can say that I am truly proud to be an American. We are seen with envy by many others because of our liberties and that is something I am glad that we have. I have seen this country veer of course from what out forefathers had intended it to be. The declaration of independence reads: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. I don't know why people are all seen different. We are all created equal. Many come to this country to pursue happiness or liberty. Then the question asked is why don't they come here legally and go through the process? The process takes a very long time some cases more than 10 years of waiting. If we had a better system we would have legal people here. We are all ONE. This is the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Story Submitted By Javier from Hyattsville

I support earned citizenship and guest worker programs. In FY2005, illegal immigrants used less than 1% of the entire $115 Billion Medicaid budget (Source: whitehouse.gov and newsobserver.com) One of the most comprehensive studies done, the Harvard study of 2005, concluded that immigrants are "not a drain" on the US healthcare system. The American Journal of Public Health found that immigrants use 8% of healthcare in this country. Undocumented immigrants make up about 1/3 of the total, which comes out to 3% spent on undocumented immigrants. A third of all immigrants used no healthcare at all in 2005 (Source: American Journal of Public Health) The cost of healthcare for immigrants (legal and otherwise) was less than half the cost of healthcare for US citizens. ($1,110 per year vs $2,500 per year) The biggest expense in the Medicaid budget is healthcare for pregnant women. (newsobserver.com) I'd like to know who here will argue against healthcare for pregnant women. After all, it is the most expensive part of the budget. As for Social Security: The majority, 75%, of illegal immigrants pay income tax, including social security. (Source: Stephen Gauss, Chief Actuary of Social Security) Illegal immigrants contribute $7 Billion (that's billion with a B) each year into the Social Security fund. This is money that they will never get back because it is contributed via fake SS numbers. (April 5 2005 NYT) Illegal immigrants have contributed over $200 Billion (with a B) into SS and will not receive any benefits from it. Many complain without reason about the incredibly high drain on society that illegal immigrants cause. They are not the source of skyrocketing healthcare costs or the instability in social security. It simply isn't true, no matter how much some of you like to tell yourself it is. Basically, here's why we don't need a new law against immigration. We've already got several, but they're not enforced. People claim that businesses should be fined for hiring undocumented immigrants. Newsflash: They already are! The 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act provides penalties for any business that hires illegal immigrants. Throughout the 90's, this law was enforced, maxing in 1999 with about $4 million in fines. However, since 2000, this law has been enforced less and less each year. In 2004, $188,000 was collected, and in 2005 $0 ZERO fines were levied against businesses for hiring illegals. But don't we need more border agents? This is already a law. The National Intelligence Reform Act, signed into law by Bush, requires 2,000 new agents every year for 5 years. How many did Bush actually authorize in his budget this year? 210. That's right, barely 10% of what the law requires. We don't need a new law that will add bloat and confusion to the current system, we all know there's enough of that. Enforce the laws that are already on the books. Somebody should have a talk with whoever's in charge of the enforcement branch of the government.

Story Submitted By Andrea from Myrtle Beach

My great grand parents came to this country in the early twenties. I am an American. I am friends with a man that is Mexican and works illegally in this country. He deserves a chance to work in the United States and be accounted for. He marches in all of the marches on the state capital in the state that he lives. He is a dedicated worker and a good citizen. I will do anything to help spread the good word. If you need somebody in this state to help your cause. Call me or write me. I am tired of the ignorance in this state. You fear what you do not know. It is time to educate the folks in this state. We have over a three hundred percent increase in Latinos population in this county alone. We need help here. This is an opportunity for so many latinos to work legally and get the chance to go home and visit family. My friend has not seen his family in over five years. Many people, mainly Americans who have been here for generations, do not even get the idea. They have forgotten their heritage and own immigration and have no empathy. Load me up with some facts to educate the people...I can make some changes...Andrea Ripley Larsonrip@aol.com

Story Submitted By Renee from ronceverte

hi my husband was an illegal immigrant who came to this country to work for his family back home and make a better life for his self .while he was here he met me and we are now married happily.he didn't come here to do anything more than work and have a better life that his job back home could never provide.his dream was to come here and make a living for his family.not to cause any harm.he pays taxes everyday and makes car payments insurance payments you name it just like all of us.he would love to be an american citizen on the papers because in his heart he already his.he loves this country.i just hope the government can see what a contribution these people make to our everyday lives because i know somehow everyone one of them make some type of contribution to us everyday.they are not hurting us in any way.if anything they are all helping us.

Story Submitted By Flor from Denver City

I was born a US citizen to an illegal widow. The community we live in still today, has lots of agricultural jobs aswell as oilfield related positions. Hazardous positions, I might add. People like my mother who left their native country to earn more for their hard labor have contributed so much to the US economy. Had it not been for an amnesty back in the late 70's early 80's, mother would not have been able to raise me in the US. To say the least she would have to have moved back to Mexico and try her luck there as a widow. I am a proud American and unlike many, I thank God for the privealeges I enjoy each day. I hate to become to verbal in the controversial issue of illegal immigration but how do you just sit and watch what is going on? If the people against the reform would just stop and think that what drives illegal immmigrants to this great nations is the field of opportunity, then they would realize that illegal immigrants are NOT bad people. I thank my lucky stars for allowing ME to remain a US citizen. I have more then I need as far as freedoms go but I intend to cherish these as I pray for peace and continue to live the Christian way.

Story Submitted By damn from ardmore

the problem is 'ILLEAGEL' NOT IF YOU ARE GOOD PEOPLE. why spend money to sneak across the border. use that money for education, to start a bussiness. to run the crooked politions out of Mexico City. to try to get rid of drugs.

Story Submitted By Charles from skokie

My mother was born on the Canadian side of the border in 1912. My Grandmother was traveling in a covered wagon at the time and although both of them,her and grandfather, were citizens of the United States, years later when my father was taking us to his duty station in France it turned out that my mother had to take a test for citizenship. Some of my most wonderful memories of that time involve helping my mother, a woman who had driven a log truck during the second world war and later raised me as a single parent, study for the right to be a citizen of the country she had spent her whole life working in so proudly. This is a citizenship she never let me take for granted. I still have a picture of her at her swearing in ceremony.

Story Submitted By Kong from atlanta

I am proud to be in America even i'm an illegal now. My stroy is different.. not jumping across the border.. not even over stay. I believe that i am illegal now because of the immigration system is broken. i won the lottery green card, i did everything they required (passed interview, got working permit, finger printed). I paid a lot of money to the lawyer to help me go through this because i want to make sure everything in the right place and on time. After that, i got the denied case letter to show me that the time is over i have to leave this country. what do you think? After i have a job in american company and even open my own business. My business can help some US citizen relax and earn money. I am proud that my business can help other people too. I am still paying the tax (i am saying this sentence because of someone might think illegal alien does not pay tax). I am still having hope someday GOD will help me and other people go through this situation. I hope someday i am going to be a legal alien :) that i can do everything in the right way and to be fully proud to be an american. I feel that i am in the line to get the permanent but someone kick me out from that line. (i am saying this sentence because of someone said we have to be in the line to get permanent). I am still say GOD BLESS USA because this country give me a lot of thing.

Story Submitted By Eric from Peoria

Saludos a toda mi gente, Horale!! This comes to you on behalf of yet another fine product of the beautiful/natural, yet heavily debated process that is IMMIGRATION. I am an active, educated citizen with parents from Mexico. Both of which emigrated from Jalisco and San Luis Potosi in their adoloscence; sacrificing both their youth and education to invest in opportunities for one of my own (minus the child labor). Furthermore, let me do a lil' braggin' and add some light to this "son-of-an-immigrant" that is about to graduate from ASU's accredited W.P. Carey School of Business this Saturday!! Did it all free of expenses (although many opportunity costs), but had much help from the examples set by my elders. I choose to describe this as a beautiful process because it has created, integrated, and fused an abundance of cultures and costumbres de gente from around the globe. Es una cosa de preciosidad to see this amalgamation of colors, styles, languages, traditions, food, and love. Although we have our setbacks, we must bask in our progression and think carefully to our growing influences. As an American (Xicano at that), I have been most privileged to witness the dawning of our people's long-awaited recognition and the time where snobby, arrogant politicians will have to succumb to that dreaded line of questioning about "the problem." What problem?? YES, there are illegal immigrants here now.. BUT plain and simple "DEAL." I mean it's not like we have been secretly invading American lives since the 50's(look up the Bracero Program) or have a network of underground caves which allow us to get into the U.S., work in the U.S. illegaly, and then escape the light of day to return back to our homelands. I remember graduating high school in the 90's, I actually wrote my senior paper on immigration which earned me praises from my English instructors. But never did I imagine this "sleeping giant" to be woken by the hateful chants, stereotypical regards, and unappreciative likes of "flip-flopping" politicians or pinche Minute-Men... who would want a "minute" man anyways? Ladies? What I'm trying to say is that it's all a beautiful mess, a beautiful struggle... However, it is completely necessary for our generations to face these woes so that our beautiful U.S. will not have an international profile that is constantly tainted by how it adjusts to changing demography. We may not all be American, but our children will be and they will remember how this generation has treated their parents. Acceptance and actual analysis of the core issues not just "symptoms," as someone else put it so poignantly, are the solutions. For me, the symptoms include physical borders, a criminalized status, redundant legislation, and an increasingly impenetrable thicket of miscontrued views. More importantly, we cannot celebrate ourselves as liberators of nations when we constantly (historically) suppress the downtrodden and under-/mis-represented. "Just cuz it's a lil' brown doesn't make it any less American," que no? Gracias y me da demasiado hope to find sites like this to pass the message along. Keep it alive!

Story Submitted By David from Tucson

I was born in Bogota, Colombia, in 1975, and came to the United States with my American-born mom when I was five years old. In my young life, I have already begun to live the American Dream. I graduated from college, I have a job I enjoy that allows me to give back to my community, I am getting married next summer, and my fiancee and I just bought our first home, here in Tucson Arizona. I often wonder what kind of life I'd be leading if I were still in Colombia, a country like many others in Latin America that faces severe economic difficulties - a country in which working hard and playing by the rules does not necessarily mean you'll be able to make a decent living or even get by. I'd like to see Congress address immigration in a comprehensive way that takes into account the effects our economic policies have on the economies of our hemispheric neighbors. Until we reach a point where our bottom line does not come from the willing exploitation of third world labor, we will always have an "immigration problem."

Story Submitted By Devorah from Bronx

I am a young black hispanic, I remenber my first day class everybody at school every body thougth I was what they call "black american" my last name is american I do not look spanish,"thats what people tells me all the time I was confused at first to the point I was embarrased to speak spanish, now days i am older i am very proud to be spanish I say and show it every chance I get.

Story Submitted By carolyn from bradenton

I was born in New York City. Both my parents are of Colombian descent, however the met and married in the U.S.. Dad was a Sargeant during the Korean War. Mom a seamstress and cleaning woman till the day she retired. Both worked hard to be good citizens, responsible parents, with strong values and principles, which they have passed onto their children and grandchildren. I love America because of the mixture of cultures that makes us unique. The United States of America has always meant more to people of mixed cultures, because we put a lot more emphasis on "United".

Story Submitted By gerardo from fayetteville

I came to this great country 20yrs ago, with only the clothes I was wearing and about $20.00. I crossed the border by the Tijuana side and into San Isidro, CA. I was detained by the immigration once, in thank to the motorcycle vigilantes in the area. Some how they were able to intercepted my group and then circled us with their motorcycles. I short moment latter the Border Patrol show up and took me to a detention center. I was released in the other side of the border (Tijuana) in the early hours of the morning, walking around with no one by myself. I came to a group of people that looked just like myself, trying to cross the border also. One of them approached me and said that, with his help he'll be able to take me to my destination anywhere in California, for $320.00. The deal was made shortly after calling my cousin that promised the guy the money for my safe deliverance in Glendale, CA. After crossing the I-5 in the opposite direction of the traffic, jumping a 10" or 12" metal fence and finally hiding from the Border Patrol agents in a rail road yard, I was told to look in the direction of the McDonalds restaurant and looked for a black LTD Ford. The instructions were to go to the car open the back door and just lay in the floor of the car. About half and hour latter, someone drove the car into a safe house somewhere in San Isidro, CA. Where I was safely delivered into my cousins wife arms, after the exchange for the $320.00. I was unable to obtain a decent job due to the fact that I was only 15yrs old. However I moved to Fresno, CA to work in the various type of farm labor. I moved from one state to another, WA, OR, ID, FL, and back to Washington State again. Up there nobody question you about your age, they only care about how hard you work and I guaranteed you that a no American will want to work for a mere o less than the minimal wage. Fortunately I was able to obtain my work permit and latter on my green card in the same year (1986), in thanks to the ammnesty law that President Reagan signed, giving ammnesty to illegal immigrants that will meet the different criteria and regulations. Soon after that I decided to move back to Los Angeles, CA. I decided not to stay there due to the lack of decent paying job, overcrowding conditions, and high cost of living. So I found myself in Salt Lake City, UT. There I hooked-up with a friend from my hometown in Michoac￡n, Mexico. I instantly fall in love with the nice and clean city that it is. In the year of 1993, I went to Job Corps in Clearfield, UT to obtain my GED, to better off the opportunities for a better job. And it was there that I meet my wife Theresa, this lovely 18 yrs old girl from a small town in Northern CA. Its kind of impressive that we were able to like each other due to our very different background and cultures. For her probably was the first time that she had a direct contact with a Mexican and people from other races but White Americans. Ever since I was a little kid, I used to watch military movies, and I will tell myself that someday I was going to be a soldier of the United States Army. Back in 1993 I tried to join the regular Army, but due to my limited English language skills I was turned down and referred to the Natl Guard. After doing all the paper work and ready to sign my contract and the oath of the enlistment an unexpected problem came to the surface and once again I was unable to fulfill my longtime dream of joining the Army. During one of my Office Max deliveries to the UT Natl Guard armory, once again I felt the urged to try to enlist in the guard. So taking advantage of the opportunity, I started talking to one of the soldiers there and explain him of my longtime dream of becoming part of the Army. After carefully listening to my options he decided to refer me to the recruiter. After going trough agonizing and lengthy process of endless paperwork, I was able to meet the requirements to join the Natl Guard. Four months after that I went to basic training and believed me I really didn't like the idea of having someone a lot older yelling at my face and telling me what to eat, what to wear and where to be at all times, that I wanted to quit and just go home. I decided that I was going to have to adjust to the decision I made, and after all it was fulfilling my longtime dream of being able to be part of the US Army. After nine weeks of basic training I was finally living my dream of being and calling myself a "Soldier" a "United States Soldier". After another three months of training in Fort Gordon, I went back home, and during my fly back home, I was thinking about my wife and my two kids of looking at his daddy, wearing his sharp "Class A's" uniform. So I finally arrived at the airport and saw my wife and my kids running and yelling towards me, hugging and kissing me they were so happy of seeing their dad back as a Soldier, looking sharp and handsome in my uniform. Let me tell you that it was probably the happiest day of my life right there and don't regretted a little bit of joining the Army. A month after being home, and after carefully discussing it with my wife, I decided to join the regular Army, to be a full time Soldier. So I went to the local recruiter station and talked to the recruiter about my decision. The recruiter informed me that the only assignment for me was to go to Korea for a year, without the company of my wife and kids. After talking to my wife, I decided to take the assignment to Korea, and after my return we talked about going to Fort Lewis, WA. During my year in Korea I decided to go one step further of not being just a regular Soldier. I wanted to be a "Paratrooper" and "Airborne Soldier", so we found ourselves living in Fort Bragg, NC. I went to Airborne training and back to Fort Bragg, wearing my Airborne wing, calling myself a paratrooper, man just couldn't believed it on how far I had come myself of living my dream of being an Army Paratrooper. I was participating in a field exercise when the events of SEP, 11 happened, I watched with horror and immense sadness in my hart those tragic events. Right there and there I and my fellow Soldier knew that our jobs where going to be a lot harder and probably never would be the same. I was mad, I was a really angry American, just like Tobey Keith song, and couldn't wait for US to get deployed and do our job of hunting those people and bringing them to justice Up to this day I have deployed twice to Iraq. From March 2003-Mar 2004 and Feb 2005-Nov 2005. I do not regretted joining the Army a bit, even if it means leaving my family alone for long period of a time, knowing the sacrifices that it takes to be deploy, to go to unfamiliar lands and not knowing if I'm coming back or not. My job is to, "defend this country against all enemies, foreign and domestic, to obey the orders of the President and the Officers appointed over me. I'm an American Soldier willing to die in the defense of my country and willing to die saving the lives of my fellow Soldiers". I came to this country illegally, I'm proud of getting my green card, I'm proud of obtaining my citizenship, and most of all I'm proud of being an "American Soldier".

Story Submitted By Thomas from Jacksonville

I am proud to be an American. I served in the US Navy for 29 years to protect the freedoms this country offers its citizens. I do not intend to stand by and watch illegal immigrants invade our country and try to make it resemble a foreign country. I support legal immigration, but I am not for amnesty of those who have entered our country illegally no matter where they came from. I urge our Government to pass legislation requiring registration of all illegals in this country and after a short registration period is over to make it a felony for anyone to be in this country illegally. I support deportation of all illegal immigrants with a criminal past. I support temporary permits for those who register and have a permenant job here, and a requirement that when thier permit expires, they return to their country for permit renewal if their work is still needed. Lets clean up the immigration issue and allow legal immigration and legal work permits to control who enters the country.

Story Submitted By Phil from Baltimore

Are you talking about the Americans that came here legally or those that have criminally crossed the border and cost more on "social costs" than they provide in benefits to our society. I have nothing but respect for legal immigrants as I am the son of one of them, and nothing but contempt for those that have jumped the line. Sorry, no sympathy here.

Story Submitted By Edward from lodi

my name is Eduardo Alcantara i am a second generation Mexican American my parents immigrated from Mexico to here the great USA both my parents struggled to provide us with the necessary means so that we could have a future i seen first hand how they struggled trying to learn english and trying to get by but they did and raised 6 children who have become success stories in there own right. my dad came to this country with a penny in his pocket but with a trade he learned in the streets of Mexico D.F he is an electrician for homes and also autos. He started his own company in Los Angeles California, became somewhat successfull and bought my mother a house in Lodi California in 1977 we then all moved from los angeles to lodi. He was an illegal who given the chance became an american citizen and a success story. I myself graduated from San Diego state with a bachelors degree in Business Administration. We are all immigrants illegal or not but given the chance we can make a difference if we take the opportunity and run with it i am a firm believer that we must learn english and if illegal become illegal so that we can make a difference politically and socially educating ourselfs. My name is Eduardo Alcantara and i am an American.

Story Submitted By Billy from Helena

I am a white male, over the age of 12, heterosexual, married with children. I run my own business, my wife is a stay at home mother, and I never graduated high school. I served in the United States Navy under Jimmy Carter. I am a proud American. I am proud of what I have done with my life regardless of what happened to me as a child, or how much I screwed off as a teenager. But I can not stand to hear terms like, European-American, African-American, Latino-American, Asian-American, Native-American. We are all Americans no matter what we look like, where we come from, our sex, the color of our skin, or the size of our bank accounts. I treat any person with the same respect they treat me. I have a tattoo on my right arm that incorporates a confederate flag in it. I have never once been approached by any person of any color offended by it. I have been approached by white men that think it means that I believe the same as they do concerning race or skin color, they soon found out different. But I have considered covering it up, not because of fear of offending, but because of being considered a racist by racists who use it as a beacon of hate. But as a white male heterosexual over the age of 12, married with children, I am automatically the bad guy to most so called minority groups because I am a proud American.

Story Submitted By Herb from Lake Villa

I am an American and very proud to be one. I am brought to tears when I hear the National Anthem, and also brought to tears when I hear people living in this country disrespecting who we are and what we stand for. Every LEGAL person of any ethinicity I have complete and total respect for. You serve to keep my friends and family safe and proud everyday. Those members of the Earth who are here illegally I cannot support. Go through the process, assimilate to the American way of life. Learn the language, the history, and the culture. If you truly want to be an AMERICAN, you have to become an AMERICAN. Not an illegal Mexican, Pole, Russian, Chinese, or whatever else you may be living in America. I hear the statements that these people are taking jobs no American would want and I laugh. Who did those jobs before all the "migrant" workers came around. I believe that if given the opportunity, there are many AMERICANS that would line up for these jobs. There is a friend of mine who is a manager of a restaurant. He was telling me a story about how he had a "migrant" worker who came in with an invalid SSN/ID. He told him no valid ID/SSN, you can't work. The man left, came back an hour later and had a completely new ID. These sort of people ARE criminals. I understand that we are all immigrants (with the exception of the American Indian population), but reform needs to happen. America is the melting pot, always will be, but what is happening now is very necessary. I say give the ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS who have been here 5 years or more the opportunity to apply for citizen ship without having to go back to their home country. Illegals who are here 2-5 years should be given the opportunity to apply for citizenship after a 6 month stay in their home country, 2 yrs or less should go home and have to go through the same process any other person has to go through to become a legal AMERICAN. The next time you drive past an American flag flying high and proud, take a moment to think of every man & woman, their friends and family from 1776 to now that has given their life for their love of country, take a moment to reflect. Think of all the people who have walked under that flag, who have died under that flag. RESPECT, that is what this whole issue is about. Respect for yourself, the Country that is giving you the opportunities, and for the true Americans, who everyday are out there doing things to make a difference. Without the ILLEGALS would there be adjustments, sure. But we are Americans, resilient, proud and strong. Don't doubt that we will find a way. So become a citizen, learn the American way that you are wanting so bad, or GO HOME!

Story Submitted By Sheryl from Kalamazoo

I am a caucasin mom of six. My family has been in the United States for over 150 yrs. I find it appalling that "The Nation of Immigrants" is so dead set on trying to close our borders to people who want to come here for a better life. This country was built on diversity and freedom. There should be no such thing as an "illegal". We should be opening out borders and embracing people who have a lot to offer both economicaly and culturaly. That is what made America great and hopefully will keep it great in the future.

Story Submitted By Martin from Buckeye

I will tell you my story, but first let me tell you a bit about myself; I was raised in california & attended the School of Engineering & Technology at Cal. state University Los Angeles, graduated as a civil Engineer. I am one more of the many proud americans that have been stereotyped because of our hispanic ethnicity. An incident I experienced, ocurred one saturday night when I decided to take my wife for fine dining at the Queen Mary in Long Beach California. I drove to the Valet Parking in my brand new SUV(Worth $50K) and the parking lot attendant's(a White, middle age male) first statement was "Why are you driving your boss's vehicle? employees are not suppose to drive their bosses' vehicles" My response was a plain and simple "I own this vehicle!". This is the kind of comments & experiences we face in life here in the US every now and then; thus, I have decided to join you and show america that We are also Proud Americans, and we are not just car wash attendants, construction laborers,Grocery store cart attendants, and that we are also Engineers, Doctors, Lawyers, Teachers, Division Directors, Managers, Americans with professions, regardless of color and/or race. This is to prove that we desire the best for our family, for our society and for this nation which has provided us with the tools to succeed in life.

Story Submitted By William from Ojai

It is sad for me, but right now, I am not proud of being a citizen of the United States; the "minute men" group, and the uproar over "illegal immigration" from the Americas south of our border is, to me, a shameful chapter in our history. I want to thank all immigrants, especially those from Mexico, for their friendship, hard work, and the way they have enriched our culture and our life here in the USA. I want to cry with anger and frustration when I hear and see some of my fellow USA citizens display their ugly ignorance and racism in condeming immigration from the Americas south of our border. I wonder how many of these people, on their high horse about "illegal" immigration, are illegal speeders on our roads and illegal tax cheats.

Story Submitted By Caring from Freedom

I am a proud CARING HUMAN FIRST :) This is what many that oppose other Huamns as being less than they are just for being born elesewhere should learn :) "THE WORLD HAS CHANGED IN THE PAST DECADE!! About Jobs taken by the SO called " Illegal Immigrants take from "Americans , this is not true, I had many Americans not wanting to work in my warehouse, for minimum wage, that is all that I could be give, due to competition from aboard, mainly the far east. It is not the poor Illegal that comes to feed their family across the border for 4 bucks and hour, ( also if you pay 35 bucks and hour to for picking lettuce, think how much it would cost you to eat ?) then you would blame the government. Stop blaming either the government or the immigrant. Each person is to blame for their own success or failure. I am a Immigrant that came here Legally, I owned a corporation before I even landed in JFK, and my corporation employed 70 Americans. My question is simple, Show me an American willing to work for minimum wage? The Corporations have outsourced the jobs overseas because of one thing, COMPETATION " HERE IS A SMALL BREAK DOWN, The countries in Asia basin are trading within themselves, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand etc.. Europe, has UNIFIED and are trading within themselves, they have even made their monetary system unified the EURO Dollar. The Arab nation started dealing within their own countries, what's left is Africa who is a poor nation economically, They have many natural resources, yet they have to learn to come together and start using their natural resources. Then there is our Good Old USA:) Which I LOVE AND WILL GIVE MY LIFE FOR . We cant compete because the Corporations are forced to show profits and meet the estimates on their stocks every 12 weeks, which dose not give them a long term investment strategy, the labor costs are high, heating, insurance, social security, the unions, leasing, Research & Devlopment, production costs are high, advertising, state, city and local taxes, Payroll, by the time the corporation finishes paying all these , there is nothing left to show as Profits, SO WHY SHOULD THE CORPORATION KEEP FACTORIES IN USA?? SHOW ME ONE GOOD REASON ? heck, Even FORD is closing factories and moving them overseas, that is what's HURTING AMERICA, "NOT" THE POOR MINIMUM WAGE IMMIGRANT, There must be a change in our own perception, First We the People must be willing to roll up our sleeves and do what's needed to bring back our Nation on track, which might include, , learning the skills for today's job requirements, Learning skills that employers look for when they bring in one million Professionals every year. What Can WE DO to KEEP Those 1 Million jobs here? moving to another state, Relearning new Skills,etc.. How can America start its new journey into the New 21 St century and be competitive? This is what we should concentrate on as a Nation. We have lost our world market shares and now need to Regain it FAST, Which will not be easy. Fighting over Immigration is not the answer to Americas woes, Building the proper Economic infrastructure for competing with the upcoming world economies, China, India, Europe. I know this that anyone that wants a minimum wage job will always find it. Those that want job security are looking at pink clouds, Those days are gone. THERE IS A FEARCE WORLD COMPETATION From upcoming nations that have over a billion low wage workers. We must FACE the realities of TODAYS ECONOMICS and stop blaming others and other nations for hurting our economy, THE WORLD HAS CHANGED IN THE PAST DECADE!! Lets Stop The HATRED,We are a NAtion Of Compassion, Lets not forget that, and start looking for solutions. " Thank You , Caring Human. Things that you should know & can easily check : Bureau of Labor Statistics According to forecasts based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the domestic labor-force must expand over the next few years in order for the United States to maintain at least 3 percent annual growth in its GDP. Since not enough people are being born to sustain this expansion, there's then a demographic challenge. The natural candidates to fill the gap are immigrants. Additionally, guest-workers and immigrants are good for the economy. With a low 4.7 percent unemployment rate, current workers, including illegal migrants, have been clearly absorbed by the labor market. And guest-workers who work for lower wages keep costs down, passing the benefit to consumers. Immigration isn't all blissful: Unlike commodities, newcomers bring cultures and hence potential complications, which is partly why assimilation and accommodation are essential. On the whole, however, immigrants bring many benefits. Although restrictions are necessary and punishment is needed for those who have broken the law, the case for welcoming new guest-workers and regularizing the status of illegal immigrants is compelling. It has to do with growth and competitiveness. The debate on immigration reform shouldn't be about ethnic identity, voting blocs or entitlements. We'd be far better off by turning to hard work, opportunity and prosperity. That's what immigration has brought to America and that's what it can still contribute by setting the sight on the future. Economics of immigration reform By LAWRENCE K. FISH The Providence Journal 05-MAY-06 The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee's recent efforts to develop a broad revision for our nation's immigration laws was welcome _ and long overdue. This makes the Senate's failure to put forth a bill for passage particularly disheartening. What must not be lost in our country's politicized debate on illegal immigration is the enormous, positive role that undocumented immigrants play in our workforce, and the impact that they have on our economic growth. The bipartisan bill forged by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and John McCain, R-Ariz., provides hope to the 11.5 million undocumented immigrants in America, and the long-term future of our economy may depend on its passing. Almost all sectors of the American economy _ banking, health care, education, service sector, construction and high technology _ have prospered in part because of immigrants. Certain segments of the workforce are dramatically dependent on currently undocumented workers. According to the Pew Hispanic Center's study on the "unauthorized population," 29 percent of all roofers, 27 percent of all butchers, 26 percent of all maintenance workers, 24 percent of all farmers and 17 percent or all food-preparation workers are undocumented. Has this job growth come at the expense of American workers? No. Over the past two decades, the increase in the immigration to America has been accompanied by a drop in unemployment, from 7.1 percent to 4.8 percent. Immigrants are also the drivers of inner-city economic growth. A study by Prof. Michael Porter, of the Harvard Business School, found that half of the largest inner cities in America had job growth between 1995 and 2003. The cities that lost jobs had many similarities to those that gained jobs; the one significant difference was percentage of immigrants in the community. On average, inner cities that gained jobs had populations that were 31 percent immigrant, while those that lost jobs had populations that were just 12 percent immigrant. Porter noted, "Immigrants clearly and more readily identify the unique business conditions and opportunities that inner cities can offer, and are able to capitalize upon them." The Latino population's effect on small-business growth is another example: In 2005, the U.S. Small Business Administration estimated that small businesses employ half of all private-sector employees and have generated 60 to 80 percent of net new jobs annually over the last decade. Data from the 2000 Census shows that Latino-owned businesses grew at three times the national rate from 1997 to 2002. All told, according to the Census data, there were almost 1.6 million Latino-owned businesses generating $222 billion in revenue in 2002. The Pew Study estimates that the percentage of undocumented workers who are Latino is 78 percent of the total of all undocumented workers. Just think of the profound entrepreneurial possibilities if those workers had full citizenship with enhanced access to capital and more substantial social networks. As a banker, I can't help but see the opportunities in and for the immigrant community. Overwhelmingly, today's immigrants are savers, though often in untraditional and economically inefficient ways. As of 2005, only 45 percent of Latino immigrants had bank accounts, and because of it they often lack critical access to credit and capital. This is a huge lost opportunity both for the financial-service industry and to the would-be immigrant entrepreneur. Immigrants also take great pride in their ownership of homes. According to a 2001 study on home ownership by Georgetown University's Institute for the Study of International Migration, immigrants are three times as likely to value home ownership as their native-born counterparts, and yet only 49 percent of America's foreign-born population actually own a home, as opposed to 74 percent of native non-minority Americans. Again, an enormous unrealized opportunity. At Citizens Financial Group, more than 13 percent of our 26,000 employees are bilingual, most of them speaking English as a second language. Employees at our Citizens Bank and Charter One branches in 13 states speak at least 75 different languages among them. In Quincy, Mass., predominantly Irish 30 years ago, we speak five dialects of Chinese. If we didn't speak Spanish in the Pilsen community in Chicago, if we didn't speak Portuguese in Framingham, Mass., if we didn't speak Vietnamese in the Eastwick neighborhood of Philadelphia, we would be missing enormous business opportunities. It is profoundly important that our branches look, sound and feel like the communities they serve. It's simply good business. By providing citizenship and lawful employment in a safe way to millions of undocumented workers and offering work visas to hundreds of thousands of new guest workers on the road to citizenship, proposed immigration-reform legislation can provide powerful economic stimulus. It will have a profound positive economic effect to move undocumented workers fully into the official economy and entirely onto the tax roles. A 2005 Congressional Budget Office paper on the role of immigrants in the labor market underscored the growing importance of immigrant labor as the Baby Boom generation approaches retirement. As our native-born labor pool shrinks through retirement, thoughtful immigration reform is necessary to meet this demographic challenge to our nation's workforce. We need undocumented immigrants to be legally welcomed, and to succeed. If these newcomers succeed, we all succeed. The prospects for long-term prosperity and growth for America depend on it. Congress should act and act decisively to enact immigration reform of which we can all be proud and from which we can all benefit. (Lawrence K. Fish is chairman and chief executive of Citizens Financial Group Inc., based in Providence, R.I., and the 8th largest U.S. commercial-bank holding company.)

Story Submitted By David from Eldersburg

I am proud to be an American. It is a privilege that many native born people do not fully appreciate. My own family immigrated here in colonial times so I have no personal stories of what drove them to come to America or what life was like in their native countries. I have however known many immigrants or children of immigrants and their stories are all the same. They came to this country to seek a better life for themselves and their children. Some were fleeing repressive governments, others were seeking economic or religious freedom but they all wanted to come here. There is no doubt that our immigration policies need to be reformed. We need to ignore the bomb throwers on either side of the issue and develop a comprehensive policy that recognizes the desire of people to come here and the sovereign right of the Unites States to secure our borders and regulate who is allowed in. For to long our policies have tacitly encouraged illegal immigration. I dislike the idea of giving illegal immigrants amnesty but there is no humane or feasable way around it. Going forward we need to streamline the process for legal immigration. There is no need to have people waiting years for a decision on whether they or their families can come here. I am not an economist and don't know how many immigrants our economy can absorb every year but it seems we have no problem with nearly 1 million legal and 300,000 illegal immigrants that enter the United States every year. Hopefully this issue can be resolved in a manner that is good for America and good for the huddled masses of the world that want to come to to America.

Story Submitted By Robert from Olympia

We are all immigrants or the children of immigrants--even our Amerindian friends walked over once upon a time. The problem is, of course, not immigrants but rather ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS! Why do some people seem to have such a hard time with the concept--what part of ILLEGAL do you not understand? Can you not recognize that amnesty for ILLEGAL immigrants is a slap in the face to all who worked and strained to come to this country LEGALLY? Why must you continue to ignore the real problem? If we want more legal immigration then current law should be changed but first our borders must be secured and those who are currently here ILLRGALLY must go home and get in line with those who wish to come to our country legally! Yours, R.Jones (Grandson & Greatgrandson of LEGAL IMMIGRANTS)

Story Submitted By Paul from flagstaff

I am proud to be an American and hope our elected leaders finally work towards real immigration reform.

Story Submitted By Brian from Phoenix

This is a great idea! I am proud to be an American and am proud of the men and women who are fighting to protect our freedoms. Thank you and God Bless.

Story Submitted By Randall from Chapin

I would hate to ruin some stereotypes, but... There are some Americans of European descent who... Are not rich Must work hard Have friends of Mexican descent Played futbol and "football" with Hispanics (wow! can't be!) Who served in the armed forces with Hispanics Love the Spanish language Watch Univision and Galavision Have brothers and sisters who are married to Mexican-Americans Listen to Diana Reyes and Los Tigres del Norte Know the difference between a Uruguayan and a Honduran Live in the same neighborhoods (no, impossible!) and have backyard cookouts with Hispanic neighbors Don't drive $100,000 BMWs Don't have bimbo blonde wives Don't treat Mexican-Americans like serfs... Worry at tax time And so on and so on. Get the point? The pure hatred of "xxxx Whitey Day" in the country of Mexico only inflamed the uninformed on this side of the border, and knocked any fence-sitters on these crucial issues over to the radical right. We have to build bridges, not throw Molotov cocktails on an us-against-them mentality. Throwing a different country's flag in someone's face and demanding this and that "or else" will only lead to more things like the sad Phoenix pallet company story, which was related in an earlier post. Hatred and racism won't help improve the lives of people who are trying to do well for their families and kin. Whether they white, brown, black or anything else.

Story Submitted By Steven from Horsham

Arrived in the U.S. 2-5-57 without a dime and knowing not a word of english at age 17. Left Camp Kilmer with five dollars in my pocket and an Enlish dictionary. Also had a temporary resident card for two years, got a job and learned the local language in about six months. Never got into any legal trouble, in two more years got my much coveted PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS, bacame a U.S. citizen when the time came. Today I am retired and helping other legal aliens become AMERICANS, while I still speak my native language and maintain my ethnic customs. Steve

Story Submitted By robert from san simeon

I am a 74 year old man with my wife of 37 years who is originally from Guatemala. My mother was Mexican, father was Irish. Your website caught my eye because although I have never been a victim of bigotry, I see it all around me, and I never fail to speak out when I hear it or see it. I think you have a good idea here, and wish you well in your efforts. Bob & Marina McLaughlin

Story Submitted By Santiago from Miami Beach

Dear Glenn : My name is Santiago Perez (38) ,I'm from Argentina,I came here 6 years ago to see my dream come true.I love your country,I hope in the future I can say MY country too. I just want to say SORRY for the stupidiest and arrogant demonstration of some immigrants today.I'm a legal immigrant,but even if I was ilegal I 'm against the protest.I think this is an Mexican - lefty union against USA. They don't want to live the american way, they want to convert this country in a Central America branch.They don't want to speak english,keep the American traditions or learn how to be a good American citizen. And please ,don't generalize saying hispanics or latinos.Not all of latinamericans are the same just for speak the same language .I don't think that the Americans and the Canadians are the same for example. Latin America is big and we can think different for each others. I don't wear sombreros , listen rancheras or sleep siesta under a palm tree.I grow up in a country like the USA with differents races,religions and weathers .See a palm tree for me is than exotic like if you see it.So see a man dancing salsa.My family is spanish,german and native american mix. Please we have to be strong to fight against the ilegal acts, today they ask for the green card,tomorrow they going to ask for the freedom of the narcos,and in the future ,they going to ask for the American land. Sorry for my english,I'm still studying, I studied air conditioning technician in this country,I work as a marine a/c tech. too and I have my own house and pay taxes.I think that's the only way to be an immigrant,working,studying, and try to adapt to the country where you live.I think you can keep doing your native traditions in low profile,but not with arrogance or unrespect to the native people of your new country. I think that show a foreign flag (even my country's flag) in a demonstration is a lack of respect to the USA. I think there is only one flag,one language and one Constitution.God bless America Sincerely , Santiago Perez,Miami Beach Fl

Story Submitted By Ericka from Phoenix

I'm a quarter Mexican, at best, from my mothers side. My Mexican family are legal residents and have lived in this country for over 100 years. I am a well educated, attractive, well dressed, articulate young woman yet I am treated differently than my "clearly" white friends all the time. People tell a Mexican joke in my presence and then apologize to me. I go out and I'm asked frequently if I speak English or what language I prefer. I barely speak any Spanish. I've never even been to Mexico. Stop treating me like an illegal!

Story Submitted By colette from phoenix

I work hard and love where I live. I follow the rules and speak out when I do not agree. It is important to have voices heard..but you MUST follow the policies of that country! It is only fair! I am going to Italy..I had to pay $90 for a passport..and yes my $ is tight! Italy would not appreciate me changing its national anthem?! Tradition and heritage is so important. If I went to Mexico..they have their laws which I MUST follow. I respect wanting a better life. But Mexico needs to take care of its country and those who live there need to work hard for change..not just run to another location. Life is too short and we all want to live it and love it. Regards, Colette

Story Submitted By John from Columbus

I was beginning to think I was one of just a small number of writers writing on behalf of immigrants on the 'Net. I was pretty sure I couldn't be alone in that, and I've been doing it at bouncersplace.com I am the author of 'House Of The Turtles: Healing From Child Abuse' at www.houseoftheturtles.com, and write on issues of Abuse against Human Beings and the Human Condition. We are all One, whether anyone likes it or not? Thank you for your site I'll recommend to any and all. Sincerely, John Kellermeyer Member of the Cherokee Nation and Celtic descendant of the Ebionites

Story Submitted By milca from Pompano Beach

I am Brazilian and came to this country 23 years ago with my husband. In 1984 we entered with our first INS Labor process, In 1987 we received our work permit and SS - before that we began paying our taxes, which we still doing. I never used any government program or benefit - I have 2 sons born here - they are now 20 and 21 yrs.old - To make a long story short - after 23 yrs and 3 imigration case we still waiting for our Green Card - we are ok to work and pay taxes but not to leave the country. Our first Labor certification was denied because of expiration - the second one they took our work permit without explanation. Now I am thru the 3rd attemptive since 2001. We filed for Permanent Status change they keep saying it is pending and we need to wait - no reason is given. We tried to get Status thru our son who is 21 they asked us to prove that he is able to support us from 3 years back in order to qualify. I have seen many people who came after us, used ilicit ways to get their papers and everything went well with them. It is my understand that the Imigration system in this country is a failure. There are no criteria, you never know what expect from them. We have a clean records, no criminal, DMV or whatsoever. Along those years I lost my mother and one brother, I could not leave to Brazil and still. And when you know about the terrorists acting on 9/11- no status, some with citizenship, they attended schools in this country, and one of them with an expired visa entered with inspection and did what he did... You begin to ask a lot of questions. I love this country and that is the reason that I don't give up, despite all unfairness.

Story Submitted By David from San Francisco

I am someone who has always considered myself to be Progressive in my beliefs, and have voted Democrat (or Green) for the last 24 years. However, I cannot, and will not, support amnesty. I have no doubt that you are serious in your love for America. But I also have no doubt that there are many in the illegal amnesty movement who have much less love for America, such as the Aztlan Movement, Mexica Movement, and the Reconquistas. How do you expect non-Hispanic Americans to respond to such rabid racism and open declarations of hatred? The number one problem I have with amnesty is overpopulation. A vast majority of California's population growth is due to immigrants and illegal immigrants. Immigrant mothers in general have much higher birthrates than non-immigrant groups, and, indeed, have higher birthrates than they would if they had stayed in their own country. Sorry, but these are NOT stereotypes... these are easily verifyable FACTS. Do you really honestly believe that California can support 25 million more people - let alone 25 million more poor, uneducated and unskilled people??? California is already straining under the weight of its' population as it is! The damage done to the environment, to social services, and to quality of life would be catastrophic and probably irreversible. Quality of life in a world with exploding populations begins with population control... and population control in the United States of America MEANS immigration control. America, and all of the Western World, should be doing more - much, much more - to make sure that the world's people's have better education, better medicine, and better access to gainful employment in their own countries. While this is a great failure of American foreign policy, it is also a failure of the world's governments. At least the "Day Without Gringos" protests in Mexico placed the blame, at least partially, where it really lies... with the venally corrupt Mexican Government. And a few more closing thoughts to get you thinking... Every big business job given to an illegal alien is just a job that they couldn't outsource... The arguments used by big business that they can't survive without cheap labor sound suspiciously like the arguments used by Southern plantation owners to justify slavery during the Civil War... and, finally, American Citizens must realize that an illegal immigrants' "better life" comes, at least partially, at the expense of their own.

Story Submitted By Marcela from Bolingbrook

We live in a beautiful subdivision which like most Americans, we owe a mortgage on; which we have the privilege to live in as long as we have health and employment. We work hard like most Americans and enjoy many of the wonderful things the country has to offer. My children don't speak Spanish. They might understand a word here and there - and sometimes they can make out a sentence said to them. This is something I would have never imagined of my own children - but teaching them Spanish was easier said then done. I like Rock'n'Roll, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Pearl Jam , Lynnard Skynrd, Santana and many many other bands. I grew up watching the Brady Bunch, Good Times, All in the Family, Miami Vice and many other shows. Our children picked up on stuff I enjoyed and not your typical Sabado Gigante or Los Tigeres del Norte. None the less, I don't think they are any less Mexicans then others who know Spanish TV., music, novelas or can speak the language. I do hope they will pick it up in high school. My husband has a good job. At age of 13 he came from Mexico, brought by his parents. He entered high school and graduated from college. He was a straight "A" student and has always enjoyed education. He continues learning. He reads a lot and watches interesting programs on TV. His accent is like that of "Ricky Ricardo", but he is never shy or ashamed of speaking English. He has a great respect for the military, the country, the history behind the country (the civil war, his all time American figure is Abraham Lincoln, the world war, pearl harbor, etc.) He also enjoys world history and let me not forget Mexico's history. He reads a lot of Pancho Villa and Aztec history books as well as other. Thanks to his college education and the opportunities he has had, he is able to have a job requiring very minimal physical labor. His favorite sport is soccer. He no longer has time or the knees for playing it but he watches a lot soccer games on TV. from around the world. He is an "Aguilas de America" fan. He also enjoys Baseball. He has always been a die-hard Chicago Cubs fan (no matter how awful they are)(I am a White Sox fan). His love for learning academically and sports-wise has carried on to his children/our children. All of our three children strive to get good grades in school. One might have to work harder than another but they all get good grades. They enjoy playing on soccer, baseball and softball teams. They also enjoy watching sports on TV. We may not have the money to take lucrative vacations or any vacations at all, but we enjoy providing for our children as best we can. School and sports take up most of the expenses. We have lived in our subdivision/neighborhood for about three years. We live right on the corner. On the weekend my husband enjoys mowing our lawn. Sometimes people have approached him requesting quotes on servicing their lawns. When our phone and cable for TV. and internet were installed on two separate occasions, the servicemen requested to my husband that the owner of the house come downstairs to sign he paperwork. My husband is of brown color skin. Many times, too often, people think he is just another illegal Mexican. That is not the case. Thank to both our parents we live here. They brought us when we were young. We are now U.S Citizens and we are very American. My husband tells me that I am lucky because I have light complexion, I am tall and don't have an ethnic accent. I say that by looking at both of us, I'd say he fits in the "American" description much more than I or few people I know. SORRY FOR THE TYPOS, I AM TIRED NOW. 10:35 p.m. 05/08/06.

Story Submitted By R from mesa

My story is that I am a 4th gemeration hispanic here in AZ, in America...Like so many others my grandparents or anncestors came from Mexico to start a better life and inprove their familys standard of living. Through their struggles we are able to maintain a better standard of living and it is imperative that we remember where we came from and what was fought ahead of us. These struggles were fought side by side with other hispanics, with the labor movement and with the Democratic Party. It is a shame when I see minoritys that promote or belong to organizations, such as the Republican Party, that never helped their cause or purpose but in these modern days want to appear as doing such. It is a slap in the face to our anncestors to belong to the Republican party. Hispanics should remember and research the battles fought for us and with us by labor organizations and the Democratic Party. I only know that my grandparents can all rest in peace as I know where i came from and I am loyal to my heritage.

Story Submitted By Milagros from unionville

I'm a US Citizen, My parents came to this country legally. But i have many friends and relatives whom are illegal, but immigrants we are all. I strongly believe that this country has become what it is by the help of immigrants. From the first time of the discovery of this land, as the history says the first here were the indians and then it was discovered by Christopher Col..(by the way not American) then what raised the country to today wore all immigrants.So when they say "all immigrants need to go back home", then you know what "we all need to go back", and if we do. this country will be empty. Because i assure you that if everyone was to check into their family tree, they would find that they all have a mixture of races and backgrounds from other cultures, and that they also have families who at one point came to this country as immigrants.So please open your minds,and don't get blinded by ignorance.

Story Submitted By Claudia from phoenix

My name is Claudia. I was born in Mexico City but currently live in Phoenix, Arizona. My family, like millions of others, came to the U.S. illegally from Mexico in 1979. We came here with the intention to work and to obtain an education. It wasn't easy leaving everything and everyone behind but it was a gamble my parents felt was necessary in order for me and my sibblings to have a chance. Nearly a decade after we arrived, we were able to obtain our legal status thanks to the 1986 Amnesty. That helped pave the way for me to reach my American Dream. Unlike the typical sterotype, I did not come here to receive welfare. I have have worked my tail off to get to where I am. I went to college and have achieved my goal of becoming a journalist for an English-language television station. Nothing was ever, ever handed to me on a silver platter. I have worked blood, sweat and tears to get to where I am. I am proud to be a part of this country and am curently waiting to receive my citizenship. My ultimate goal is to someday in the very near future, be able to vote. At the same time, I will never forget where I came from. I love my Mexican culture and am proud to be Mexican. I am also proud to be a part of this beautiful melting pot known as the U.S.A.

Story Submitted By Jose from Chicago

I pray all American's will take the words of President Theodore Roosevelt to heart so this nation may someday be fully united, regardless of race: "In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American... There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for one flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language ... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people." Theodore Roosevelt 1907

Story Submitted By Joel from Chandler

Although I am a Black American, my family is basically a combination of many races.(My grand father is from Barbados, my cousins mother was Italian, some of my cousins are from the Virgin Islands, my other grand father was Native American, etc..) I am a Vietnam Vet, cancer survior and government employee. We, my wife and I came to Arizona in 1993. We have made many friends, most of which are of Mexican decent. Most do not speak Spanish. We are a close knit group and have many good times together. They are like family to us. I work with many Hispanic/Mexican people. They are no different than anyone else. A friend of mine is Japanese/American. His mother is Japanese and she says when she came to this country, she spoke no English. The proper thing to do was, if you wanted to be an American, LEARN the language and become a citizen in the prescribed manner. I have to agree with her. Learn the language and the laws and become an American citizen in the prescribed manner. BUT NEVER FORGET your heritage! I think everyone has the right to make a living and to take care of their family, but I think there is a right way to go about it.

Story Submitted By joe from santa maria

My name is Joe I am 38 born in Hanford Ca in 1969. My parents imagrated to this country in the late 60's with dreams of a better way of life. My father is a very proud man and new coming in that alot of free opportunities such as welfare could be recived, my father said "the day I have to recive welfare is the day I can't provide for my family". I never understood that as a child while I was mad for always having to eat beans and rice when things had been rough. I look back on those day's now and am just proud of my parents for not procrastinating and learning english so to not be the helpless victim with no voice. My father just retired 45 yrs of service and let me tell you he earned every penny, for the first 20 yrs it was back breaking labor. He would come home with purple feet and hands not from picking berries but from lifting heavy equipment 10 hours a day. In his 45 years he was never late and never took sick days meaning he worked while sick. I grew up in Tulare Ca. which was a dairy town everyone in this town was no stranger to work. I can honestly say I loved the 80's I would trade everything to go back I was able to grow up with out the type casting no one looked at me as a mexican they looked at me as joe the boy who played rock guitar the boy on the water polo team. I whent through identity crissis from mowhawk to penny loafers from checkered vans to O.P. shorts and even parachute pants. It was the only time in my life that I could look back on and say that was the american way of life time with friends back yard BAR-B-QUES 4th of july even school was a blast. In 1988 I moved to Santa Maria Ca. a city strong in Agriculture and let me tell you talk about a culture shock as soon as I moved here I started to notice that I was not in Kansas anymore I was in a city devided by culture. I was no longer looked as joe I was jose the strawberry picker. The ironic thing is that I was getting dirty looks from white people that would mummble things and I was getting shit on by the mexicans because I knew english better than I did spanish I was a PO-CHO to them [kind of like a sale out] So you can see I was very confused and alone it took me a long time to establish myself here and now I feel that it was all for nothing because it's all coming back again if your brown your illegal a border jumper. To make sense of all this I just want to say STOP with this RACIAL PROFILE I am AMERICAN and proud of it I would serve this country and defend your rights stand next to you and offer a helping hand. Yes I am of mexican desent I am brown skined but I would bleed RED/WHITE/BLUE for this country that gave my parents a way of life. Mexicos government cares less about the people and more about money and status I feel that enough is enough something needs to happen in Mexico a new revolotion perhaps but time to close the borders is due I belive that enough estblished mexican americans are here and are part of this system and still able to send back home to help those in need. My father has been going back to mexico as long as I can remember always sending aid and help and is now building a nice home for vacations. This may go against what this blog is about but I feel that if you come into this country and you plan to become a citizen then your saying I'm choosing to live the american way not forgetting who I am and where I came from because everyone in one form or another is an imagrant. Only because my skin is not white dose not mean I'm not american PLEASE GET THAT THROUGH YOUR HEADS. Thank you for your time.

Story Submitted By Manuel from Langhorne

I am a proud American. I was born with the good forune of being a citizen. My parents were Puerto Rican, and therefore enjoyed the benefits of American Citizenship. I was brought up in the slums of the Bronx, in New York City by parents who saw a future of their children having more than they could dream of. I sufferred at the hands of prejudice and hatred. I would not let it defeat me, instead I turned it into the building block of character and pride. I am a Proud American. I was taught the value of hard work and an education. I learned that we can achieve what we struggle for. I gladly join my countrymen in creating a better world by voting and expressing my opinion. I am not afraid to lend my voice to protest when my country is on the wrong path. I raised my children in a world of hope and acheivement that was better than my parents endured. My grandchildren see an even better future than I thought possible. I am a proud american. I cried when the towers fell. I joined my fellow citizens and flew the flag a little higher after that. I am a true believer in a safe and secure border, to protect what we have come to know and love. But I can not abide with rewarding hard work and an attempt to better oneself with the title of criminal. I will do what I can to help find the place between national security and offerring a safe haven for the oppressed, and freedom for those who come to seek it. A job for those willing to work. I do this because I am a Proud American who believes in the inscription at the feet of the worlds most recognized symbol of hope and freedom: "Give me your tired, your poor. Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. The wretched refuse of your teaming shore. Send these homeless, tempest-tost to me. I lift my lamp besides the golden door" I AM A PROUD AMERICAN.

Story Submitted By Angelique from East Point

Where do I start? I am a South African, my husband is a Pakistani. He came to America to start a better life. He started working for someone who offered him work sponsorship. I followed a year later and entered this country illegaly with two small children by my side. There was some penalty that we could pay and could apply for work authorization, adjustment of status etc. To be able to do this, my husband had to keep on working for this person who promised him work sponsorship. My husband worked 80 plus hours a week for 5 years. We did eventually receive work authorization and received social security numbers and was told that we are now legally in the USA. We were very happy and felt that all the efforts was worth it. Hah aha hah, what happenend next. The petition to employ an alien (I140) got denied due to the fact that this person who sponsored my husband to work for him did not pay enough company taxes. This person is an American Citizen. No what now, INS said we could appeal and we did. The case was denied again. In the mean while, we lost our work authorization, and now we are again "out of status" thus illegal immigrants. We filed a new case and this person who my husband worked for like a blinking dog, lied again about his taxes and the case has been denied again. Now what is our right? Okay, we came illegally, we worked our butts off to get some type of status and just because a citizen of this country lied and deceived us, we have to lose everything we have now? We have three children, one is an American born, the other two came with me to this country when they themselves were between ages of 1 & 3. They started their first Schools here! They are growing up like Americans. We have a house, they have friends and because I am a "white" person and because we speak English, nobody thinks that my children and I are illegal immigrants. What I'd like to bring to a point is. We were illegal, became legal, worked and lived like any other normal family, but now we are illegal again and there is nothing we can do about it. We can't go back to our own countries there is nothing for us there. And we stand to lose everything we have here? WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO?

Story Submitted By Paul from Dallas

Since when are all "immigrants" from south of the border? I sponsored my wife and stepdaughter's emigration from Romania. As legal immigrants and Europeans, they couldn't be any further removed from this issue. On the contrary, they are vexed at the preferential treatment that Mexican immigrants - both legal and illegal - seem to be getting. We've stood in long lines at the BCIS offices, filed the countless forms required, and paid thousands of dollars in fees that seem to accompany each step of the immigration process. Along the way, they never required any bilingual assistance in their language, and they never expected our society to learn their language so we could understand them. You'll never see my wife or stepdaughter waving a Romanian flag at some rally here in America, because they have nothing to prove by doing so. If they were ever aggravated enough by our government's policies that they felt they need to wave another country's banner, they'd just go back home and be done with it. Furthermore, you'll never hear them shout "I'm an American", because they know they are not Americans, they are true to their own nationality, and they live here by choice, not by necessity. Finally, you'll never see them complaining how our laws have "separated them from their families". My wife misses her family greatly, but she came here willingly. America has never forced anyone to immigrate here, so I don't under why it is whenever illegal Mexican immigrants are involved, we hear talk about "spliting up families". My comments could be applied to most other non-Latin immigrants as well. They have been legions of Asians coming to America in recent decades, but they don't seem to have anything to prove by shouting "I'm an American", even if they have acquired American citizenship.

Story Submitted By ruben from sedona

Hello First let me congratulate you on this effort you have undertaken. My hat is certainly off to you. I am a first generation Mexican/American My parents both immigrated to this country in the late 1920's. Under what provisions they entered i do not know only that they became US citizens in 1943. My parents were both singers and had a long careeer in show bussiness during the 20, 30,40, and part of the 50's. I grew up aware of the fact that my parents, never for all of the years they lived in the US ( Los Angeles) fully mastered the english language I became a translator for them at a very early age. My parents regardless of the odds did become financially successful conseqently i grew up in a totally Anglo nieghborhood. It was Spanish at home and English in the outside world. I did become very aware of my differentness around age 10 or so. But seeing my parents being applauded on stage did bring me a certain feeling of comfort of self. At the same time i was aware of the term dirty mexican which made me feel deep down inside that is what my parents and i were. So in my young mind i began to call my self Spanish. That really sounded so much better.My father became aware of my feelings and thought that an exposure to what the real Mexico was, i should see Mexico City and go to school there. That did give a very different perspectve and i to this day thank my father for that experience. The emmigrant work ethic has always exsisted within me and it gave impetus to do the little extra to get ahead in life I do not have a extensive education, 2years Jr. college but have gone ahead with the American dream that my parents began. I have 3 children 2 of which are academics. They have educationaly surpassed me. I am now retired and live in Sedona AZ. We do not want for any thing as we are financially well backed by pensions and proprties. All of this because of people that crossed a border. I might add that my wife of 45 years is from El Salvador. She came to this country in 1957 became a us citizen in the 60's and is a license Phycologist that has her own tale to tell. But that is her story. The recent anti immigrant issue has me angry with the fury that the " Real" Americans put forth. The words dirty mexicans echo in my mind. My best to you Thank for hearing me out Ruben R. Martinez PS I have sent an email to the Arizona Republic giving a 2 thumbs up to the article about your project.

Story Submitted By Kelly from West Monroe

I am very anti ILLEGAL immigration. I am not against immigration reform. I think it is evident this country needs a policy change. However, I am tired of people making this issue so "black/white". Just because I don't like people flooding our borders illegally doesn't make me a bad person, or a racist. It is a slap in the face to every person who works hard to come here the right way. My husband and I had a couple of friends that came here LEGALLY from South America when they were young children. Their parents didn't speak English but were eager to learn. They didn't allow their children to speak Spanish at home so that they would be able to learn English. What an example! These people were so eager to assimilate that they sacrificed even in their own home! Illegal immigration is very frustrating. It may be a long hard road to get here legally. But it can be done. And in the meantime, maybe these people that are so anxious to become part of the American dream can take the time to learn the language, and a little about American history and Civics. Then they wouldn't be forced to take those jobs that they say the rest of us won't do!

Story Submitted By Cynthia from Downey

I am a light olive skinned, brown haired, brown eyed woman of Mexican descent. Many times I go shopping at the malls, and a sales person approaches. They start to speak Spanish, and they assume that I don't speak English! I don't understand why they assume that just because I appear to be Latina, that I would want to speak Spanish. Actually, my Spanish is very poor, since I am 5th generation American. My great great grandfather came from Hermosillo, Sonora Mexico in the late 1800s. Everyone in my family speaks English. My parents speak "Spanglish" when they speak Spanish. And me, I don't speak it at all. The last time this happened to me I was shopping at JC Penney. This sales lady just approached me and I really had no idea what she said to me. So I asked her in a slightly irritated tone, "What makes you think that I speak any Spanish?" So then she apologized. Just because this woman assumed I was a non English speaker, I left the store to shop elsewhere.

Story Submitted By Antonio from Acworth

A friend of mine who owns a chain of Mexican restaurants in Atlanta, GA, was at a barber shop/shoe shine establishment having his boots shined. One of the American employees started complaining about "those illegal immigrants who come here to take away our jobs". He told the employee, "you are wrong; I didn't come here to take your job away; I didn't come here to shine shoes; I used to do that in Mexico City. I came here in search of a better future for me and my family". Well said.

Story Submitted By nadine from mesa

I am a 12 year old girl and i am mexican, My mom makes jokes about how i want to be a "white girl" just because i am not totally suportive of the fact that people are coming here illegally.Maybe that is because i was born here and i am not aware of how it would feel to have to fight for work...

Story Submitted By Cameron from Murrieta

Greetings, I am not of Hispanic descent - at least not that I am aware of :-), but in any event, your concept and website intrigue me and have a basic appeal that I think may be constructive in terms of moving forward. I'll define my perspective on the controversy of 'Immigration Reform' as that of someone who is not opposed to immigration - but is uncomfortable with the idea that those who have entered the country illegally should be confused with those who have gone through the process according to all the proper procedures. Case in point, my father in law, who spent 5 years in a refugee camp waiting for a sponsor who would promise that Artur would not take a dime in government assistance. My father in law learned the language from scratch, assimilated, and considers himself an American first and foremost. Another American success story is my boss who runs a company that provides Homeland Security technology to government agencies. I have many friends who are of Hispanic ethnicity - same situation - same loyalty to this country above all. If I understand what you seek to accomplish correctly, it sounds like you intend to bring people together under the umbrella of identifying as Americans. I applaud that wholeheartedly. Racial Identity Politics has divided this country and caused so much damage that we all need to run away from it as fast as our little legs will carry us. Best Regards, Cameron De Smidt

Story Submitted By Abraham from phoenix

I am a nineteen year old male, born in Mexico. I came to the United States just under ten years ago. I lived here for have of my life and at first I was thorn between my love for my native country and my love for America. However, I have come to realize that just because I love my native country doesnt mean I am a traitor to America. It also does not mean that just because I love America does not mean that I am a traitor to Mexico. I am proud to be from Mexico but I am so proud to have been given the opportunity to come to America for a better life. My best friend is here illegally, he was brought here when he was just a little kid. I have gotten to meet a lot of immigrants that are here illegally. Ive met many of them in jobs that Ive had. Jobs such as: construction, hotels, warehouse, and yard work. Ive notice the injustices that immigrants go through, frankly Im tired of that. Thats why I have decided to make a difference. I took a huge a pay cut to come from the warehouse where I was working to come and work at a high school. Ive done this because I want to help educate the kids that in the future will be the leaders of our country. I work as an instructional aid and plan to go to college to become a teacher. I know that the way that we can make an impact in this country is by educating ourselves and adapting better into the society. My complexion is lighter than most Hispanics and therefore many people believe that I am not Hispanic. I remember when I was helping some of my cousins move into there new house. My cousins were getting the furniture down from the truck and a neighbor that lived a couple of houses down was driving by and stopped. He called me over and asked me hey I need some stuff moved in my house too, how much are you paying them? And what home depot did you pick them up from? I called my cousin over whose English was much better than mine and I told him Jose meet your neighbor the neighbor did not know how to react and he just said sorry and drove away.

Story Submitted By wendy from dalton

I am married to an "illegal" immigrant , and i would like to share just a little bit of my story , my husbend came here as a teenager along with his grown brothers to make money for his mom back in mexico .. When we met he was only 16 as was i , we dated for 3 yrs and itaught him english , speak read and write .I also taught him to drive . After 3 yrs we got married and now have two little boys . He only came to send money back home but now he has a family here . We went and filed for his residence and paid all the fines , now they wanna send him to mexico to wait 5-10yrs just to be a resident alien ???? He has never been in trouble works hard everyday , we own our on house , and cars ...And now what ??? leave all this to go back to the place he knows nothing about .. All his famliy is here now ,he was a child when he left and only knows the u.s.a now ..I think the "great north" as people call it should open their eyes and see the majority of these so called illegals only want to take care of their families ..we are the land of oppertunity well then give them one ...everyone says go home do it legally .. hey dont understand , to do it legally from mexico is hard to do .. they have to have money in the bank , land in their name , well if they had that why would they come here??? they say most are gang members and drug dealers ....... well so is half the population of the whole u.s so dont blame that on immigrants .. thank you

Story Submitted By Fatima from Cave Creek

i am a proud american! my father brought my mother,my siblings and i to this country in 1990. i was five years old at the time, i am now a twenty year old woman who thanks to my parents became an american citizen and with that gain unlimited opportunities. i am greatful for all that this country has to offer. unfortunetly, i can not say the same for my husband, he is in this country illegaly. we grew up together, we attended the same school district since preschool. he is a wonderful, respectful man who would give anything to have the same opportunities that i have. i have tried to give him that but although i am an american citizen we have been told by many lawyers and legal helpers that there is little that we can do. my husband, like many other immigrants deserves the chance to have a better life. he dreams of going to a university and becomming an accountant but because of his status he is unable to. this country was built by immigrants,immigrants who have long deserved to be treated equally and with RESPECT! all i do is hope that someday soon my husband and many others will be able to have everthing they ever dreamed for.

Story Submitted By rocy from atlanta

I AM A PROUD AMERICAN, BECAUSE I BORN IN MEXICO AND MEXICO IS ALSO AMERICA, IS THE AMERICAN CONTINENT , I BEEN LIVING HERE FOR 10 YEARS BUT EVEN AM NOT A AMERICAN CITIZEN YET , I FEEL INSIDE OF ME , I AM A PROUD AMERICAN, I LIVE IN GEORGIA AND THEY SAY IS A RACIST STATE I LOVE THIS STATE I KNOW ALL THE HISTORY AND I LOVE THIS COUNTRY FOR ALL THE OPORTUNITIES; MY KIDS ARE AMERICANS END EVERYDAY I TOLD THEM YOU ARE THE FACE OF AMERICA, THATS TRUE; THEY ARE BROWN, BLACK EYES AND BLACK HAIR BUT AMERICAN AND I HOPE ONE DAY PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT MEXICANS COME TO WORK ,HAVE A BETTER LIVE AND THEY DESERVED. I LOVE AMERICA BUT I ALSO LOVE MY PAST. IF MEXICAN CAN APPLY FOR PERMITION OR VISA OR SOMETHING THEY WILL DO IT. BUT AS LAWER SAID IF YOU ARE MEXICAN YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR A REFORM OR SOMETHING, CAN BE NOW OR ON 10 YEARS. WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS PEOPLE HAVE TO DO IT? WAITTTT........ GOD BLESS YOU DIOS TE BENDIGA

Story Submitted By Dwight from Columbia

I am a native born American. I am NOT against "immigration." I AM against disorderly, ILLEGAL immigration. We have laws in place already for those that wish to apply and WAIT THEIR TURN to come to this country. ILLEGAL immigrants do NOT have a "RIGHT" to be here or a "RIGHT" to ANY services other than humanitarian ones. I am paying HUNDREDS of dollars per MONTH for health insurance while ILLEGALS are accessing the healthcare system at the TAXPAYERS expense ie FREE! I also pay thousands of dollars per year in property taxes for schools and other infrastructure that ILLEGALS and their ANCHOR babies are using for FREE! They DO NOT have a "RIGHT" to these services. The thing that many pro-immigrant organizations like La Raza,the press and our politicians wish to ignore is the word ILLEGAL.They wish to spin it into a more politically correct,palatable term like "undocumented." ILLEGALS are asking American citizens to "respect them" while they disrespect our Constitution, laws and our cutoms. I even saw a communist hammer and sickle flag being waved in one of the recent street demonstrations. My question also is why not stay home and demonstrate to change your corrupt political system in Mexico where there are more BILLIONAIRES than in Switzerland? Once again, I am not against immigrants - just ILLEGAL immigrants!

Story Submitted By Margaret from rockford

Grandparents on both sides of my family were immigrants. They came from Germany and Ireland. They came legally, and worked long, hard hours to succeed - especially the Irish grandparents. I have no problem with immigration, but it should be LEGAL! Sneaking into our country is a FELONY! Allowing some people to break the law, use medical services, receive public aid,and, in general, drain American tax dollars, is wrong! I am tired of hearing about how illegal immigrants are doing jobs that Americans don't want! I know many college kids who are trying to help pay their tuition who can't get seasonal jobs, because illegals have them! How fair is that? A friend of mine who used to live in California, had to pay cash for the hospital when she delivered her children, but in the bed next to her was a woman who was an illegal immigrant, and who received her care FREE! How fair is that? Also, ranchers and people who live near the border have testified that they found pieces of paper with arabic writing on them left on their property by illegals. Our security is being jeopardized by our government's refusal to close the borders.

Story Submitted By Yaakov from Scottsdale

As a child, I learned about the Founding Fathers of our country, the philosophies that supported their convictions, the way they fought for freedom and justice, and the marvelous nation they forged based on obediance to the law that protected all citizens. I was fortunate enough to grow up in a part of the country in which the edifices, documents and symbols of those early struggles existed and exist in great abundance. I take enormous pride in my American citizenship. Therefore, it gives me tremendous pain to see people pouring into my country who care only for the money they can earn, display boorish and inappropriate behavior that begins at rudeness and descends to criminality, who game the system for their own benefit, and do so at our expense. These same people manifest blatant racism, mock the rule of law, and by sheer force of numbers, degrade and destroy many of the institutions that were set up to protect us. Those who do so frequently call themselves Americans in the Latin American sense of the word, rather than adopting the meaning of the word American as it pertains to citizens of the United States. Many of my first hand and second hand contacts with these people have been negative and disappointing, to say the least. I am reminded of the Emma Lazerus poem, The New Collossus, at the base of the Statue of Liberty, which proclaims in part: ...give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free... Note it does not say give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to cut my lawn at reduced prices, and willing to live as second class citizens to do so. We do want immigrants. I am the grandson of four immigrants. My wife is an immigrant; I was an immigrant for 15 years when I lived overseas. We aspired to integrate, to learn the language, to follow the rules, the laws and the spirit of the law, and to improve our lot in life so that we could prosper at the higher end of the socio-economic scale. I want to see our newest immigrants to do the same, and I will not accept less for them than I accepted for my wife and myself. If they are not willing to do these things, they are not worthy to rub shoulders with the rest of us. If they are not willing, they demean the meaning of all that is decent and correct. The mass demonstrations have been especially distressing. To see the hordes disporting themselves in foreign languages, carrying foreign flags, carrying our flag with an apparent disdain or indifference for it, making obscene and lewd gestures to us and calling us names - to do all these things and more does not endear us to their plight. They are guilty of child abuse, illegal entry, criminality all out of proportion to their numbers in our society, and they bring disease and ignorance. Were they sincere, their rallies would have been far different events. Had these people really wanted to express love for the United States, they would address us in English, they would play patriotic American music, they would evoke images of the real meaning of what it is to be an American, and they would ask, not demand, that we help them. And we, generous people that we are, would by and large be sympathetic, but we are not nearly as sympathetic as we would be given the incentive to be so. Yes, I am proud to be an American and to have solid values that I do not share with those pretenders whose unstated version of the Pledge of Allegiance is: "I pledge allegiance to my job, in the United States of America, and to the money for which it stands, one nation, divisible, with benefits and entitlement for all." Sorry, this is NOT what the US is all about. Our shared prosperity results from the spirit and principles on which we were founded, not by ripping off others and bleeding them dry. Think about it. Think deeply and carefully, and be very cautious about labeling others as racists because they believe in justice, the law, and obeying the rules. THAT is the American way. Do it, and be accepted. Flout these concepts, and be rejected.

Story Submitted By Nereida from Mesa

I'm 19 years old and a single mothe