Standing FIRM

31 responses so far ↓

• Jacqueline Stevens // May 28, 2007 at 1:40 pm

  Hi there,
  I’ve been writing scholarly books and articles about immigration and nationalism for about 15 years and am an Associate Professor of Law and Society at the University of California at Santa Barbara. Out of disgust with supposed defenders of civil rights giving their imprimatur to a reactionary piece of legislation I began a blog, http://stateswithoutnations.blogger.com, that is largely focused on analyzing the fine print of the legislation and amendments being voted on now. In the event you might find some of its information and perspective useful in the largely timid world of immigrant right commentary, I wanted to pass along the url.
  Sincerely, Jackie Stevens

• Brandie // June 6, 2007 at 10:17 pm

  What is Fair Immigration Reform? Is their going to be a vote? What is comprehnsive immigration reform? I hear all this talk of new Immigration law’s but i do not understand what they are please help. So I can vote. Thanks Brandie Berrett of Ogden UT

• third generation legal immigrant // June 14, 2007 at 12:17 pm

  What is your stance on illegal immigrants? My ancestors immigrated legally three and five generations ago, and became American citizens when they arrived. They paid local, State, and Federal taxes. They earned college degrees. Your website does not address illegal immigrants at all. It only mentions immigrants without the adjectival qualifier. Is this a smoke screen?

• laurafern // June 14, 2007 at 11:34 pm

  Third Gen — (I’m not speaking on behalf of this blog). When your ancestors arrived generations ago, it was POSSIBLE to show up and become U.S. citizens. That is no longer even remotely close to possible.

  My husband is a formerly “illegal” immigrant — he paid local, state, federal and social security taxes while working here. We even filed joint returns the last three years, before his legalization (which has taken more than two years and counting by the way, and I am a U.S. citizen). He also has a technical college diploma and speaks excellent English.

• Omar Portilla // September 8, 2007 at 3:50 pm

  http://www.univision.com/content/content.jhtml?chid=3&schid=0&secid=278&cid=1280357

• Erin Calvo // September 25, 2007 at 9:03 pm

  I think it is a wonderful thing you are doing to help immigrants find a voice to fight for the rights of others who want to come to the US to get a better life for themselves and their families. My husband is a illegal immigrant who has been fighting for his residence for 5 years now, and we have two young children who always have to worry about Daddy being sent back. I never heard of this organization until I was doing a class project and I’m surprised you haven’t recieved more recognition in the media and in our community in New Orleans. I’ll have to pass the word on. Thank you for all that you do.

• Dave in OK // November 26, 2007 at 12:39 pm

  During this past Thanksgiving weekend I posted a comment that was contrary to the general trend of the pro illegal alien comments that appear on this web site. The post was not obscene or libelous.

  My comment posted and stayed viewable throughout the weekend. Apparently, when you got back to the office on Monday morning, you didn’t like what I said and just erased it.

  There are precedents for this; the governmets of both, the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, censored (i.e., removed) comments they didn’t like. Obviously, open discourse is not something you support.

• nicolawells // November 26, 2007 at 6:04 pm

  Dave,

  Thank you for your comment, which I have left above.

  I will reproduce your earlier comment that was deleted here for the sake of our discussion:
  “Where do you live? We’ll tell the illegals to go live with you and you can pay their welfare and jail costs. Be sure you have good unisured motorist coverage.”

  This was not an argument, nor was it a comment on anything that had been written in the original post. Rather, it was a disrespectful riposte at the author- one that also implies that undocumented immigrants ( not “illegals”) are on welfare or are criminals.

  Standing FIRM, as clearly outlined in our mission, is an online community for those wishing to discuss and debate ideas in support of immigrants, document or undocumented.

  We fully welcome debate and discussion on this site in favor and against various measures, as long as it is thoughtful and respectful of all immigrants. Your previous comment clearly lies outside that mission. If you would like to post further comments that respectfully outline your thoughts on immigration, we welcome your input.

• Dave in OK // November 26, 2007 at 9:56 pm

  To Nicolawells :

  You are correct … my statement was a jab at the comment by the poster, Hennessy, when the very first sentence of his post is, “This should make Oklahoma the laughing stock of the nation.”

  One offence does not cure another but, it will certainly let the instigator know that his comment is not well received.

• Larry // June 18, 2008 at 3:29 pm

  Very interesting use of the English language. Using the word “Undocumented” instead of “Illegal”.
  Crossing the border as some do, (ie. in the dead of night, etc), and sneaking in is WRONG!
  Try the reverse going south,(and see what a Mexican prison is like). and see what happens. I have no problem with other nationalities immegrating to the US, and I agree with the Guest Worker status idea, But I cannot abide the sneaking in part. Not to mention the ammount of Drugs, etc that cone in to the US via the same route.
  I am sure you will think I’m some sort of racist, but so be it. I have very good friends and former co-workers who came from south of the border, and did it by the book. They for the most part, are also not happy about the Illegal Immagrants.

• JSF // June 28, 2008 at 4:59 pm

  I lived in another country and paid very careful attention to not breaking any laws. I would have liked to stay but I would have been ILLEGAL if I had, so I left. Life sucks sometimes.

  There is no way you can claim that someone is “only undocumented” but not illegal if it is illegal to live here without documents. You can repeat your mantra forever and it will never be the truth.

  You also kid yourselves if you think that everyone that is against illegals is a racist. That’s your own mind-bending “out” but it makes no sense whatsoever.

  People who came here centuries or decade ago obeyed the laws of the time, and current people who wish to live here need to obey the laws that exist now. I don’t mind a good discussion about those laws but until they are changed the illegals need to go home.

  My apologies to my American Indian friends (and ex-wife) for starting history anywhere after 1492, but this is the only world I have to live in.

• 1more alien // August 7, 2008 at 1:31 am

  Isn’t it lovely to live in the land of assumptions? Don’t assume it’s easy to be legal or be a citizen. After 25 years of lawyers,paperwork, fees and an entire family of naturalized and born citizens, the farthest I’ve gotten is a greencard, and I’ve lost interest in going further.This process began when I was FIVE. Loopholes dragged it out.We didn’t come here because we wanted your jobs but we didn’t go on welfare. We worked-like many foreigners do- very hard I might add- legally or not. We came here because of the war that this very country brought to our land and made it no longer arable. The debts that this very country pounded us with via organizations like the IMF that starved our people. The oppression that this very country imposed and continues to impose around the entire world. If you have a complaint about uneducated immigrants, perhaps you should check your statistics, because immigrants are the ones keeping your numbers up, getting the high grades and scholarships.Perhaps you need to stop buying fruits are vegetables because I don’t see U.S. citizens fighting the undocumented farmers for the 105 degree heated labor, but you apparently dislike their excellent skills in botany! Perhaps you should stop wearing clothes because its because of the foreign sewing skills that many name brands you wear are put together so well. Surprise surprise, “made in the USA” does not mean “made by American hands”.You all love to quote laws and abiding by laws, well I suggest you start from the top, because we “aliens” may be in jail for immigration laws and paperwork, but many of your top leaders commit crimes against women, children, elderly, drug traffic, embezzlement, and basic human rights. Before you assume, you should take the time to educate yourself. If your armies would leave our lands, your sanctions would be lifted and your IMF would lift its impossibly high interest debts and control over our economy, I’m sure we would love to go home and see our lands flourish once again. Just think of what a loss the reduced slave labor would be for you!
  Have a nice day!

• charlesclarknovels // August 15, 2008 at 9:58 am

  I read every issue of Standing Firm and I commend you for your stance on this deplorable, shameful disaster that exists in this country. In promoting my newest novel, THE IMMIGRANT, I have been scheduled for talks during the last two months on the immigration crisit. I have found that the following passage from Leviticus gets attention from the audience: “When strangers sojourn with you in your land, you shall not do them wrong. The strangers who sojourn with you shall be to you as the natives among you, and you shall love them as yorself; for you were stangers in the land of Egypt.” [19:33-34] It is Jewish tradition but it applies to all faiths.

  charlesclarknovels

  http://www.charlesclarknovels.com

• Rich // September 2, 2008 at 9:23 pm

  So here is an idea. Right now, border security is primarily viewed as a plan to build a wall and to implement a range of high-tech measures to separate Mexico and the United States.

  Not only does this lead to a costly military build-up along our border, but it has the undesired affect of strengthening the hand of drug cartels and human traffickers very prepared to take advantage of the business opportunity created by American border policy. What could a smarter alternative look like?

  One approach would be to let the wall and our current policy direction continue, but insist on accountability to existing environmental and civil rights laws.

  A second approach would be to acknowledge that the current strategy takes us down an unsustainable path, and instead invest resources in collaborative measures with the Mexican government with regard to policing the border, economic development, and the creation of a working civil society.

  I’m interested in this second approach, which could also include upholding America’s environmental and civil rights laws. But would any politician support it?

• whatic // November 6, 2008 at 11:33 pm

  I don’t think anyone who is a legitimate citizen of the USA has a problem with people wanting to come here to get jobs & work hard, thus having a better life.
  If that was all that was happening, no one would have a problem.
  But that is not all that is happening.

  I don’t think anyone would disagree with me, if after doing research they came to the same conclusion I have, and that is USA is showing a marked increase in crime, gangs, murders etc.

  I am aware that there is a criminal element to every nationality of people on the earth, however when researching the types of crimes committed, one being the most horrific that I can imagine, murder, one finds that the majority of them stem from conflicts with some from other nationalities & also drugs.

  The thing is different nationalities have learned how to handle conflicts with others in their own individual way, and when two different nationalities come together under the same roof & have a conflict with each other, the result is disastrous due to the way they’ve learned to handle or solve those conflicts.

  Violence is not the way to solve or handle conflict.
  Stop the killing!

  If we as people irregardless to where we come from could learn to stop fighting with each other, stop killing each other, stop trying to bring drugs into the country illegally, & just learn to go to work, earn money, enjoy the finer more peaceful things in life, so that everyone in America is safe then things would be great.

  Research why the murders in USA have escalated then you will see what I see & you will see why others are so against immigrants from certain countries are not wanted here.

• whatic // November 6, 2008 at 11:39 pm

  Correction:

  Statement meant to say: Research why the murders in USA have escalated then you will see what I see, and you will see why others are so against immigrants from other countries coming here to the USA.

  Added: Especially when they try to “sneak” into the USA, and commit
  crimes.

  Now, I’m not saying that all immigrants that have come here to the USA are committing crimes, but sadly the research shows that the majority of them are.

• whatic // November 6, 2008 at 11:42 pm

  And also may I say, if you are from another country, seeking a better life in another country, it is not fair to go to that country & raise all kinds of hell.
  If you want to go to someone else’s country, at least show some courtesy by obeying their laws.
  They would be more inclined to accept you that way rather than if you are always in and out of the detention centers.

• rfabro // November 18, 2008 at 10:06 pm

  “Immigrant” is a LEGAL status given to aliens. Illegal border crossers are, indeed, illegal aliens and criminals, as they are violating federal law.

  Under federal law, aiders and abettors of illegals are criminals, as well. If you house illegals, you are a criminal. If you provide them transportation, you are a criminal. If you help them in any way, you are a criminal.

• rfabro // November 18, 2008 at 10:08 pm

  I challenge the administrator to disprove my statements.

• aprales // March 10, 2009 at 9:25 pm

  With all this hoopla against a fair immigration reform people that were born here as American citizens seem to make assumptions based on what their ancestors immigrants in some way came to U.S., and then with the time they had been living in this country they change their assumptions from being an immigrant to the one of Anglo-Saxon citizen. At that time they come here , they didn’t have any problems with the way they come here legally or illegally, but now they think they earn the right to trash other immigrants from different countries they need to remember that they are who they are, ant that the time that they have existed here is not a automatic right to talk down all these new immigrants. Physical looks would not make you better.

• Lei // March 10, 2009 at 10:19 pm

  I don’t look like a typical Caucasian – I am not a typical Caucasian. My roots are in different parts of the world. My ancestors did document their entry into this country officially.
  The recent immigrants like the MECHA students really don’t care one bit about making this a better country FOR ALL. They make statements on their website about assimilation and how they refuse to. So, don’t cry a river about how the Hispanic immigrants are so sad and so sweet and so…..gag. They have the Aztlan dream – where have you people been?
  And any Caucasian will fight this invasion like hell – just like Native Americans fought the Japanese. Even American Japanese fought the Japanese!
  I don’t have to speak Spanish and I refuse to assimilate into the Hispanic culture. Ha ha ha ha….!

• Sarah // March 13, 2009 at 7:11 pm

  I’m new to this site and I am researching information. My husband was detained while filing for his peremenant status because he was considered illegal. When working for a company I was being sexually assaulted so I filed a law suit. These people where aware of my husbands status and used it to retaliate. They called immigration and had him arrested. That put us back at square one.
  He is the love of my life and a very honest man. He speaks English better then any one I have ever met.
  It has been over four years now that we have been going to court to fight for his citizenship.
  Every six months immigration tells us they have no status on his case. This is deppressing.
  He cannot work a decent job with a year-year work permit.
  He has his MBA but is unable to use it because of this. Now he works as a waiter to support the family.
  We have a daughter who is 1 1/2 years old and has never met his parents. He has not seen his family in 8 years. He has already lost two family members and is unable to go abroad.
  I have contacted as many people as possible, including Congress, FBI, and immigration. No one can help.
  I have never felt so trapped in my own country. We are about ready to give up, and just go live in his country. Atleast there we both would have rights.
  It’s been almost two months that we filed a Writ of Amendamus.
  Does anyone have any advice??

• Leilani // March 13, 2009 at 7:45 pm

  So your husband didn’t come here because he was starving and needed to eat – as so many claim. He came here to use our educational system – illegally? I can never get past the illegal part, as I know I wouldn’t go somewhere illegally.
  Why ask for sympathy now? I don’t get it.
  If your husband makes up his own laws as he sees appropriate, how can he complain when others make up their own laws?
  It is almost embarrassing to think that our soldiers and military – and students – can go overseas – all over the world – but your well-educated husband can only live here. Please.
  Go live in an international community in your husband’s country.

• Diana Lopez Villa // March 28, 2009 at 1:02 pm

  Hey,
  I heard of you guys at the 7th Annual Nebraska Cultural Unity Conference at the University of Kearney. I realy apreciarte that you guys are supporting all immigrants and are taking action to pass something to make life better for us all.

• Lei // March 29, 2009 at 11:20 pm

  1 More Alien needs to observe our “welfare” known as foreign aid.
  We also send plenty of aid to children all over the world – out of sympathy through private organizations.
  I think Americans have now adopted around 60,000 Chinese children.
  Ah. When illegals pull the facts out of their hats – they forget some that are “inconvenient”.
  The inconvenient truth is that they can all go home and improve their own countries.
  But, no, that would be too difficult. They would have to control the ornery who are out of control in Mexico – pass strict laws and other inconvenient and difficult tasks.

• Randy Matthews // April 3, 2009 at 12:36 am

  I need someone to explain to me why you think it’s O.K. for Mexicans to come here illegally? Regardless of why it’s done, who you are, or how sad your story is, it’s illegal, and you are a criminal the second you arrogantly enter this country. The law states that those who are here illegally & should be deported, so what is there to argue about? Just because one disagrees with a law, does not mean you are free to break it. It’s obvious to me by your arrogance, that you think you should be untouchable/above the laws. You have no argument at all, except for the fact that you want to be treated like you’re somehow a special breed. Please reply, because I have the law & logic on my side, while you have feelings & corruption on yours.

• Keith Raymond // April 4, 2009 at 8:42 am

  To All,

  This to let you know that this web-site has begun to censor your comments if they don’t comport with their with ideologies. In fact I’ve noticed that they’ve done that to others as well.

  I posted the following comment several days ago and it was conveniently removed. As you’ll see, there’s nothing in it that’s inflammatory or derogative. It just runs counter to their mission of helping what they like to refer as “undocumented immigrants” or “victims” of ICE raids. Let’s call a spade a spade. They’re I-L-L-E-G-A-L A-L-I-E-N-S.

  I’ve notified Bill O’Reilly of the Fox News Network’s O’Reilly Factor to let him know. Perhaps FIRM will get some air time out of this.

  They’ll probably remove this one as well so you better read it quick!!!!

  **************
  The idea that our immigration laws were somehow designed to protect the United States against terrorists is a canard.

  Quite simply, our immigration laws were promulgated to prevent foreign nationals ( a nice way of saying “illegal aliens”) from immigrating to the United States without proper consent from the United States government.

  I repeat.

  OUR IMMIGRATION LAWS WERE PROMULGATED TO PREVENT FOREIGN NATIONALS FROM IMMIGRATING TO THE UNITED STATES WITHOUT PROPER CONSENT FROM THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

  If you don’t have permission from the United States government to be here- terrorist or otherwise, then you’re here illegally in violation of Federal Law.

  Indeed, the mere presence of illegal aliens in this country speaks volumes about the moral and ethical constitution of these individuals, not to mention their willingness (or unwillingness) to abide by the other laws and regulations of this Great Country.

  Simply put, they don’t care. If they did, we wouldn’t be on this web-site bantering this hotly-debated issue around. Believe me, I would much rather be in my wood shop making fine furniture. But I for one cannot let go of this and won’t until it’s resolved. And by that I don’t mean the reformation of our immigration laws.

  Here’s a few factiods:

  - The population of illegal aliens in the United States is currently estimated to be about 11 million people. You read that right- ELEVEN MILLION PEOPLE!

  - It is estimated that 57% are immigrants from Mexico, 24% are from other Latin American countries, 9% are from Asia, 6% are from Europe and Canada and 4% are from the rest of the world. In other words, 8 out of every 1o illegal aliens in this country are hispanic. You don’t need a calculator to figure out that equates to nearly 9 million hispanics are in this country illegally. You read that right- NEARLY NINE MILLION ILLEGAL ALIENS ARE HISPANICS!

  - Illegal aliens continue to outpace the number of legal immigrants- a trend that has held steady since the 1990s.

  - The majority of hispanics that are here illegally continue to concentrate in places with large communities of the same already exist. However, they are now settling in both urban and rural areas througout the rest of the country, thereby adding to the ever increasing economic burden of this country. And there seems to be no end in sight.

  To add fuel to the fire, now comes the Catholic Church that condones the continued illegal entry of hispanics into this country, then cries foul when our government enforces our immigration laws by deporting and/or incarcerating them. To that end, the notion that ICE raids of American businesses are tearing the families of illegal aliens apart is laughable.

  Hello!

  Did it ever occur to anyone that if these people weren’t here illegally to begin with, their familes wouldn’t be torn apart?

  Of course it did. But they conveniently side-step that part of the issue and attempt to tug at your soft side by playing on your sympathy.

  Indeed, this storyline is remarkably similar to one involving a former neighbor of mine that decided to start up an auto repair business in our neighborhood; this despite the fact that he was violating our neighborhood covenants, not to mention a city ordinance which forbid such businesses from being operated in residential areas. This guy thought that his neighbors were complacent and would tolerate his illegal activities.

  Well, he thought wrong. He was shut down quicker than a grease monkey removing lug nuts with an air ratchet.

  But here’s the kicker. Rather than accept the fact that what he did was illegal and disrespectful to his neighbors, he decided to turn it around and play the “You’re Not Being Very Neighborly” card.

  No one bought it and he moved out of the neighbohood within 2 years.

  The moral of the story: Stick to the facts and the issue at hand. Don’t let anyone- the illegal alien community, Catholic Church or even Auntie Em attempt to side-step the fact that what they’re doing is not only wrong, its illegal.

  I repeat: IT’S ILLEGAL.

  Accept it and move on.

• Lei // April 4, 2009 at 10:11 am

  The Mexicans should go live in Spain, after all, it was the Spanish that brought their architecture, their written history, etc. And if they have gripes, it is with the Spanish. However, they try to lump Americans together with their Spanish conquerors as if we are all one group, indistinguishable from one another.
  The Mexican Army was cruel to American Indians at San Diego, but let’s throw out all parts of history, that don’t suit us.
  A border tribe has also ASKED the illegals to stop trespassing on their land, but they pay them no heed.
  Lying by omission is still lying.

• John Fletcher // August 7, 2009 at 9:24 pm

  At present, we grant US citizenship to any child born in our country EVEN WHEN THE MOTHER IS IN THE US ILLEGALLY. This policy may have made sense 150 years ago, when our country was underpopulated and we had a crying need for more willing hands. Nowadays, of course, this policy strongly encourages illegal immigrants to produce their own “anchor babies” as a way to improve their chances to remain here even though they jumped the immigration queue in the first place. Does any other country in the world have a similarly absurd policy? I seriously doubt it. This policy needs to be terminated ASAP.

  Another thing the US sorely needs is a temporary guest worker program like the one on the island of Bermuda. There, foreigners who wish to work on the island apply for the available jobs. When hired, they remain legally in Bermuda for up to three years. Then they are required to leave, thus creating a fresh position for others who are waiting patiently in the queue.

  Sincerely,
  John Fletcher

  Sincereely

  John Fortuin

• GammySparkles // September 27, 2009 at 8:24 am

  I just found this site! Wow – So many comments that speak to my personal feelings about all of this. I am a liberal conservative! Having said this, I love my country, (I am naturalized from Germany). While we need tolerance, many of the above folks speak of legal as opposed to illegal. If a nation does not have laws, and respect for that land, it has chaos! If we go to other countries and behave in this manner, we would be either jailed, or killed! It is time, people realize that if they do not respect the laws of this land, or help legally change those that are wrong, they will not have a safe land in which to live either! This week as I listened at the UN to Chavez and the other thugs insult this great nation, and talk their lies, I was reminded of their murderous natures, their oppression of their people. THE US is not perfect, but we still have a hope of a free and great nation. I for one, am a tea party goer, and Proud of it. It in no way makes me better than anyone else. It also in no way makes me racist against any other race! It makes me want a strong national security, a strong fiscal economy, a nation that will thrive for us all! I rant to speak my voice! (Sparklestheclown here)

• raza // November 12, 2009 at 3:56 am

  Let’s not forget if Mexico had seized half of the U.S.A.’s territory, we would all be wanting to go to war with Mexico.
  It was Mexico before we seized it, and it’s Mexico again now.