Would you be willing to hide an illegal immigrant in your home?

[True Dough]

We're hearing about raids taking place in neighborhoods of various cities. If you had a longtime immigrant neighbor whom you know and trust, would you be willing to allow them to stay in your home? If they came knocking at your door expressing fear about being deported because they entered the country illegally, would you give them shelter?

Just curious how far DUers would be willing to go to aid those who are being persecuted?

[rug]

1. Yes. And I would not allow an agent in without a warrant.

[geomon666]

2. Yup n/t

[janlyn]

3. I would,no question.

I am willing to do whatever it takes to oppose this regime.

[brer cat]

4. I would.

[gopiscrap]

5. Absolutely

and the term is undocumented person not illegal immigrant

[doc03]

38. If one doesn't follow the procedures to immigrate by the law

wouldn't they be illegal? There are many people that wait months or sometimes more than a year and follow the
procedures to enter this country by the law. What are they stupid?

[Kali]

59. no they are lucky they have the resources and chances to do it legally

undocumented people don't always have a remote chance to do that, their lives may be at stake or they are so poor and have no way to get the documents needed. calling a person illegal is dehumanizing.

[Doodley]

66. "Like button" needed for this post.

[lunamagica]

85. I have no idea why people can't get this through their head

Do they really think that people would rather come here by walking through a deadly desert and crossing a dangerous living?

Many die on their way here...they all know they are risking their lives by taking on this journey.

Why would they do this if they had a choice?

The fact is that a poor person can only legally immigrate to the US by marriage.

Thank you for this post.

[MarvinGardens]

73. Many have no legal path for entry.

https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/why-don%E2%80%99t-they-just-get-line

[SticksnStones]

109. Their actions may be illegal, the person is not illegal.

The descriptive is attached to the wrong noun.

[Tikki]

6. ABSOLUTELY.

The Tikkis

[sinkingfeeling]

7. Yes.

[Laffy Kat]

8. Yes, and I have more than enough space. nt

[irisblue]

9. I'm an old white lady. They see me, they will go away.

I also will talk to anyone through a locked stormdoor. Easy to open I know, but still locked.

[Dem2]

10. If it was any of a number of folks I grew up with

Absolutely. Already one was deported for a minor crime to a country he HAD NO MEMORY OF BEING IN HIS ENTIRE LIFE - this was under W, but nonetheless the policies of this country are inhumane.

[JustAnotherGen]

11. Yes

And get the power of attorney for their American born children. This way we have the authority (passports) to get them on a plane to their parents in Costa Rica. I would not want those children to get lost in social services. The key to their duplex means I can pack their stuff and get it to them.

Yes - I would hide someone. No questions asked.

[Phoenix61]

19. Hadn't thought of that but great point.

[JustAnotherGen]

89. If you know a family

Where the parents are Dreamers - please do. Think about it.

[brer cat]

34. You have really thought this through, JAG.

thanks for the excellent tips.

[JustAnotherGen]

88. I take no credit

My "neighbor" did.

[NotThisTime]

12. Yes, no doubt

[Egnever]

13. Absolutely

without question

[putitinD]

14. in a heartbeat!

[benld74]

15. Yup

But both daughters can't keep secrets
😎

[Kimchijeon]

16. Yep

If they want to come get me they will anyway... so why not help as many as i could while i still can?

[Jim Beard]

17. Yes, I know many Dreamers, Their younger brothers and sisters........

were born here and the parents got a Permanent Green Gard so the Dreamers had to take the test. It is expensive, costing as much as $2,000 if there is much travel involved. There is two families now just like that and I know more around. The worst pricks are their own race who hate them because they are new and work cheaper.

I live in a town that has had a large Mexican and Mexican American population for years. The established ones are the greediest.

Doesn't matter the race, greed crosses all races.

[chimpymustgo]

18. how can we make this real? Can we sign up to house people? n/t

[mopinko]

49. i would rec contacting the nearest refugee resettlement org.

get yourself on their radar. do what you can now. be ready.

[sheshe2]

20. Yes. Absolutely.

[Phoenix61]

21. Of course!

[s-cubed]

22. Yes

[bdamomma]

23. who can stop this is the

ACLU aware of this? All those people are not illegal are they??? Or are innocent people being deported.

To answer question I say Yes, I would. True Dough, the Canadian citizens who are being stopped by US Border Control Guards is the Canadian government issuing any advice or info. I read here how a 19yr old boy who was Muslim Canadian with a valid Canadian passport was stopped by US Border Control guards.

[True Dough]

31. Canadians are essentially at the mercy of border guards

Those border guards can exercise all the options at their discretion, and it's a broad range of powers they've been granted by the government (expect that to expand even further under Drumpf). Essentially, your options are to submit or turn around and go back to Canada.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/rights-canada-united-states-border-1.3978699

[Ms. Toad]

32. It is helpful if we reject the rhetoric from the right that refers to people as illegal.

As far as I know, all of the people being deported entered the coutry illegally, or overstayed their permission to be in the country, but that no more makes them an illegal than your last speeding ticket makes you illegal.

Some of the people being deported have not violated laws other than those related to their immigration status. We don't know yet how many - because they have not released much information.

I have always maintained that an accident of birth should not determine where an individual can live or work - but that has not (at least until Trump took office) been a popular position - even here. So yes, I would assist someone in this country whose only crime is being here without formal consent.

[Kaleva]

24. Yes

[Kittycow]

25. Yeah I would. ..

My husband's brother-in-law was here for about 20 yrs undocumented but recently went through the process and got his green card. He worked his ass off the whole time in restaurants. I wondered about his paperwork doing that but I never asked.

[Greybnk48]

26. In a heartbeat.

No hesitation at all.

[chillfactor]

27. no problem for me....

I have a large house and plenty of room.

[Initech]

28. I know people who go back and forth to Mexico, and yes absolutely.

Fuck, we're becoming Nazi Germany every day it seems like.

[Rollo]

29. Not if her name is Melania

[True Dough]

35. Bahahaha!!

Good one!

[hibbing]

77. I can always find a good laugh on DU...thanks n/t

[Raine1967]

30. NO, there are no illegal immigrants. That said, (read on)

I would be more than willing to take undocumented people into my home.

I have made the offer before and will do so in the future.

[doc03]

41. I doubt an American can just move to most countries without following

some kind of legal procedures to move there. So how can someone that comes here without
doing the same be legally here? I would guess there are millions of people around the world
that what would like to move to the USA, how is it fair to them for someone else to just walk in?

[Doodley]

70. I have an American friend who married a woman in Europe and

hasn't yet filed his paperwork over there. It works both ways.

[doc03]

98. I have a friend that married a woman from Colombia, it took her

over a year to legally come to the USA. The woman was a teacher in Colombia, I saw pictures of her home,
it looked like she had a pretty good middle class life there. I think for every person that comes here illegally
they are stealing the opportunity from some other person that follows the rules. It didn't work out and she
chose to move back to Colombia after they broke up. After seeing the pictures of her home and the city she
lived in and hearing about the climate in Colombia I wouldn't mind living there myself.

[treestar]

103. they aren't

the government does not cut the number of legal visas with each undocumented alien.

People who come illegally have no chance to come legally - they don't fit into a category that allows for it. People who do are lucky - they happen to be related to someone or make the cut for refugee or win a lottery. A literal lottery:

https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/other-ways-get-green-card/green-card-through-diversity-immigration-visa-program/green-card-through-diversity-immigrant-visa-program

[doc03]

114. If we didn't have so many people coming here illegally we could take in

more people from other countries. People on other continents are just as poor or more so and they
don't have the opportunity to come here because we already are taking in too many that don't follow the
rules. If we didn't limit immigration the US would end up being like one of third world countries everyone is
fleeing from. Every developed country in the world has laws set up for immigration and I would guess every
one of them will deport you or worse if you don't follow the rules. I would like to have a million dollars but I have no
chance of ever getting it legally so I had to steal it. What happens when I get caught? I don't blame people
that do come here from Mexico. People in the US want what their labor provides but bitch about them coming
here to do the jobs. I have always thought if the people in the US don't want to do certain jobs they should have to
pay them whatever it takes for them to work those jobs. If they hire someone that came here illegally to get cheaper
labor they should be punished not the worker. Believe me if lettuce was $10 a pound the same ones that bitch about
illegals would be screaming to get them back. We have a lot of gas drilling in this area the last couple years. There are
good many Mexican workers here doing the jobs nobody else will do. People here complain about them maybe not being here legally but the same ones doing the complaining wouldn't do their jobs. They don't want to be working their butt off
out in the weather climbing through mud, they would rather drive the bus that takes them to the job.

[Doodley]

119. By being born in a rich country and choosing to stay there, I guess I "stole" the opportunity from

somebody in a poor nation, if I apply that logic.

[Ms. Toad]

108. Here's the "some kind of legal procedures," that aren't even available for many

https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/why-don%E2%80%99t-they-just-get-line

[adigal]

33. Yes and I have actually been in contact with a sanctuary group

If you all are serious, you should go onto twitter and find a sanctuary group in your nearest city.

[HassleCat]

36. Not just anybody, but yes for many.

I know some people I would help because I know they're law abiding, hard working, tax paying etc. But I would have to know the person, the story, something.

[snacker]

37. Yes.

[sarcasmo]

39. I have room a family.

[krawhitham]

40. yes

[womanofthehills]

42. I have a younger undocumented friend

She is from Mexico with no documentation. I met her in an aerobics class. She initially was in desperate need of work so my friends and I all hired her to help with house cleaning, etc. Her three school age children were born in the US and her 12 yr old daughter is a smart, pretty American cheerleader (who has never been to Mexico). Although my friend has been in the US for over 20 yrs, her abusive American husband discouraged her from getting documentation. Her husband actually went to Mexico looking for a submissive wife. She initially thought she had hit the jackpot - but he became more and more abusive over the years - so she left him.

Now she has a really nice boyfriend and a job but I worry about her because she works for a company that hires mostly undocumented people. Of course, I would give her shelter and I know half of the community would. This is such a sad situation, esp when there are children involved.

[True Dough]

46. And there are probably hundreds if not thousands of stories like this

Thanks for sharing, womanofthehills. I hope your friend remains safely in the U.S.

[doc03]

43. What is the penalty for that? nt

[VOX]

44. Yes. Without hesitation. n/t

[True Dough]

45. The penalty for sheltering an illegal immigrant is up to 5 years imprisonment

if I'm reading this correctly:

http://americanpatrol.com/REFERENCE/AidAbetUnlawfulSec8USC1324.html


Would that prospect change anyone's mind?

[Tess49]

72. Certainly something to think about. n/t

[NutmegYankee]

76. The penalty for hiding Jews from the Gestapo was Death. nt

[True Dough]

81. That is a poignant and true statement

The Holocaust memorial Yad Vashem in Israel includes the names of over 10,000 people who risked their lives to save the Jews during the Holocaust. That's a significant number of brave souls, but only a tiny fraction of the people who were in a position to prevent the slaughter of many others.

[NutmegYankee]

84. Fear is a powerful tool and it takes courage to overcome it.

It helps to have the conviction that what you are doing is right, even if others think it wrong.

[treestar]

94. Aimed at actual smugglers

§1324. Bringing in and harboring certain aliens
(a) Criminal penalties
(1)(A) Any person who-
(i) knowing that a person is an alien, brings to or attempts to bring to the United States in any manner whatsoever such person at a place other than a designated port of entry or place other than as designated by the Commissioner, regardless of whether such alien has received prior official authorization to come to, enter, or reside in the United States and regardless of any future official action which may be taken with respect to such alien;
(ii) knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that an alien has come to, entered, or remains in the United States in violation of law, transports, or moves or attempts to transport or move such alien within the United States by means of transportation or otherwise, in furtherance of such violation of law;
(iii) knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that an alien has come to, entered, or remains in the United States in violation of law, conceals, harbors, or shields from detection, or attempts to conceal, harbor, or shield from detection, such alien in any place, including any building or any means of transportation;
(iv) encourages or induces an alien to come to, enter, or reside in the United States, knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that such coming to, entry, or residence is or will be in violation of law; or
(v)(I) engages in any conspiracy to commit any of the preceding acts, or
(II) aids or abets the commission of any of the preceding acts,

shall be punished as provided in subparagraph (B).

[kiranerys]

104. Aimed at, but who knows how they'll interpret it now

Certainly CBP has shown they don't care much about the constitution or reasonable limits of the law.

[mopinko]

47. oh hell yes.

oh very hell yes. and i have a big house, too.
i sorta trust my neighbors would know to ask, too.

[panader0]

48. I live about 10 or 12 miles from the border.

I bought 40 acres in '78. I have had many "illegals" come through my place.
I have employed a few, given clothes and rides, and of course, water.
I remember once as I walked outside early that there were over a dozen
"hikers" moving silently through the trees. I was struck by a young mother
carrying a child. They saw me, no one said a word. I have admiration for
the people who can do this.
ETA: I'm not Hispanic, despite my user name. It was given to me by my
Mexican friends, (bricklayers).

[True Dough]

55. And I have great admiration for your good deeds

I know there are others out there like you, panader0, but I wish there were more.

[panader0]

60. These so-called "illegals" are PEOPLE

And almost all are good people.

[True Dough]

61. I believe that

And yet Drumpf is doing his level best to stoke fears about terrorists flooding into the U.S. over the past week. He wants Americans to look suspiciously upon anyone with brown skin. Evil. Pure evil.

[Doodley]

71. It is working, but in a limited way. I hope over time, more people see trough it as his

unpopularity grows.

[Kali]

62. ...

[jmg257]

50. Commit a federal felony? Tough call.

[adigal]

53. Hiding Anne Frank was a crime, punishable by death. Yet people did it. nt

[jmg257]

58. Yes indeed...always worth a look at what you have to lose..nothing worse

Then that.

[True Dough]

57. Yes, it is

I don't know how seriously some here have considered the possibility of a fairly long stretch behind bars. If they are willing to flout the law in order to help an illegal immigrant that they care about, then I tip my hat to them, for sure.

[pnwmom]

79. What law? Since when does the law require us to check the citizenship papers

Last edited Sun Feb 12, 2017, 02:34 AM - Edit history (1)

of our house guests?

[True Dough]

82. Would be interesting to see how that argument holds up in court

Hope you never have to find out!

[pnwmom]

83. I took in a homeless college student several years ago and never asked to see her papers.

Since landlords aren't generally obligated to ask for immigration status, I don't know why friends would be.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=8634480

I knew virtually nothing about her that first night except that she went to school with one of my kids, and had no place to go. (She later told me she'd had been adopted and became a citizen). She had been born outside of the country but you'd never have known it by her accent. That's true of most documented and undocumented people who come here while they are children.

She's about to graduate from college, where she had a full scholarship, and I'll always be so glad we took a chance.

[treestar]

95. It doesn't

what is illegal is smuggling illegal aliens into the country. Some page exaggerated the law stated:

§1324. Bringing in and harboring certain aliens
(a) Criminal penalties
(1)(A) Any person who-
(i) knowing that a person is an alien, brings to or attempts to bring to the United States in any manner whatsoever such person at a place other than a designated port of entry or place other than as designated by the Commissioner, regardless of whether such alien has received prior official authorization to come to, enter, or reside in the United States and regardless of any future official action which may be taken with respect to such alien;
(ii) knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that an alien has come to, entered, or remains in the United States in violation of law, transports, or moves or attempts to transport or move such alien within the United States by means of transportation or otherwise, in furtherance of such violation of law;
(iii) knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that an alien has come to, entered, or remains in the United States in violation of law, conceals, harbors, or shields from detection, or attempts to conceal, harbor, or shield from detection, such alien in any place, including any building or any means of transportation;
(iv) encourages or induces an alien to come to, enter, or reside in the United States, knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that such coming to, entry, or residence is or will be in violation of law; or
(v)(I) engages in any conspiracy to commit any of the preceding acts, or
(II) aids or abets the commission of any of the preceding acts,

shall be punished as provided in subparagraph (B).

[pnwmom]

78. Does the law require us to ask to see our friends' citizenship papers?

[rug]

87. Nope.

The government must prove knowledge or reckless disregard of the fact.

8 U.S. Code § 1324 - Bringing in and harboring certain aliens

(a)(1)(A) Any person who—

(iii) knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that an alien has come to, entered, or remains in the United States in violation of law, conceals, harbors, or shields from detection, or attempts to conceal, harbor, or shield from detection, such alien in any place, including any building or any means of transportation;

Meanwhile, the penalty for hiring someone without proof of residence is ten years. I'm shocked at the sight of thousands of employers being shackled as they're taken from their families.

[jmg257]

91. Oh likely something in there about "knowingly"...there usually is. Nt

[treestar]

92. cite to a statute?

Where is that act made a federal felony?

[jmg257]

93. Check post #45.

[treestar]

96. I think that it is aimed at real smugglers

§1324. Bringing in and harboring certain aliens
(a) Criminal penalties
(1)(A) Any person who-
(i) knowing that a person is an alien, brings to or attempts to bring to the United States in any manner whatsoever such person at a place other than a designated port of entry or place other than as designated by the Commissioner, regardless of whether such alien has received prior official authorization to come to, enter, or reside in the United States and regardless of any future official action which may be taken with respect to such alien;
(ii) knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that an alien has come to, entered, or remains in the United States in violation of law, transports, or moves or attempts to transport or move such alien within the United States by means of transportation or otherwise, in furtherance of such violation of law;
(iii) knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that an alien has come to, entered, or remains in the United States in violation of law, conceals, harbors, or shields from detection, or attempts to conceal, harbor, or shield from detection, such alien in any place, including any building or any means of transportation;
(iv) encourages or induces an alien to come to, enter, or reside in the United States, knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that such coming to, entry, or residence is or will be in violation of law; or
(v)(I) engages in any conspiracy to commit any of the preceding acts, or
(II) aids or abets the commission of any of the preceding acts,

shall be punished as provided in subparagraph (B).

[jmg257]

97. Ah thanks for the heads up!

[Island Blue]

51. Sure, as long as they're not

allergic to my two cats.

[Maru Kitteh]

52. YES. Full stop.

[dembotoz]

54. What about an about to be homeless person

[Kali]

56. Pfffft I may have already done that on more than one occasion for perfect stangers.

and transported as well.

Or maybe that was a story I heard.

[hunter]

63. Somehow, them that'd say "NO" never imagine themselves as economic refugees.

"Okie" was not a term of endearment in California.

I suspect global warming is going to tear the U.S.A. apart.

There will be no "welcome" signs hanging out for racist xenophobic white guys fleeing places that have become uninhabitable.

As they sow so shall they reap.

[nini]

64. yes

I'd be nervous but I'd do it.

[Tess49]

65. I like to think I would. n/t

[sagetea]

67. yes.

Of course.

[pintobean]

68. No.

[Solly Mack]

69. Without question

Obedience to the unjust isn't in my nature.

[AJT]

74. A definite yes

[butdiduvote]

75. I couldn't. I don't own this place. :/

[pnwmom]

80. Here is some information on renting to undocumented people.

It turns out that the legal situation varies by state.

Of course, just letting a friend stay as a guest in your house would be a different matter. I haven't found any information saying that would be illegal (unless you are knowingly harboring a criminal).

https://www.ezlandlordforms.com/articles/educational/3/45/renting-to-immigrants-the-laws-affecting-landlords-and-undocumented-immigrants/

The problems associated with renting to non-U.S. citizens are compounded by the dichotomy between federal and state law, says Professor Michael Seng, Director of the Fair Housing Legal Clinic at the John Marshall Law School. The federal government makes no distinction between a legal or illegal immigrant, so renting to a foreign national is subject to the same standards as renting to a U.S. citizen. The difficulty arises on the state level if you live in a municipality that has made it an offense to rent to an undocumented immigrant. In some of these jurisdictions renting to an illegal "alien" is punishable by the imposition of a fine, but in others renting to unauthorized immigrants is a criminal offense.

SNIP

There is also the question of what additional steps the state may require if you rent to a non-U.S. citizen. Some states may call for the tenant to produce verification of their legal status. There may also be a specific form that the landlord must file with the state that indicates that a documented foreigner is renting from you.

In general, the landlord doesn’t have the duty to inquire about status, explains Professor Seng. That means that since most criminal standards require that the offender know that they are committing the offense, renting to an illegal immigrant is typically not prosecuted as a criminal offense even in the states that consider it to be one.

[nikibatts]

86. Yes.

If I had a home. Should we all take part in a new underground railroad?

[Inkfreak]

99. Probably not.

[ileus]

100. No...I'm getting kinda tired of hiding my kids in my home.

I kind of like keeping my lawful status intact.

[yuiyoshida]

101. Well, if she was a lovely Chinese woman....

I would probably marry her! Problem solved...


Kidding,... but yeah I would help any dreamer!

[Old Vet]

111. You had to go there didnt you......

[yuiyoshida]

116. uhuh!

XD

[Paladin]

102. I've already offered my gay friends sanctuatry if things get too bad.

I'd be willing to do the same for immigrants.

[Raine1967]

105. I would shelter an undocumented immigrant -- People are not illegal.

So my answer it yes, we would give immigrants a safe place.

[madokie]

106. Yes I would

trouble is I live in a bastion of white

Not many people from a foreign country live around here

[kiranerys]

107. Yes, at least temporarily

We don't have a big place, but we do have a small spare bedroom. We've let friends-of-friends crash there before for a couple weeks or months so they wouldn't be homeless. I'd do that again in this kind of case, especially if it was someone I knew, or someone I knew vouched for them.

[dagnuguy]

110. Nope

Considering I took an oath to uphold the law, that could have a negative impact on my job. I place my family and my supporting my family above all others.

Even if I don't agree with every law out there, I will enforce them as necessary and will not purposely break the law.

[KittyWampus]

112. Maybe. It all depends on the situation.

[Fast Walker 52]

113. yep, no doubt.

[Lurks Often]

115. Keep in mind the DOJ considers this a felony

Link: https://www.justice.gov/usam/criminal-resource-manual-1907-title-8-usc-1324a-offenses

"With regard to violations of 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(ii)-(iv) and (v)(ii), domestic transportation, harboring, encouraging/inducing, or aiding/abetting, the basic statutory maximum term of imprisonment is 5 years"

[True Dough]

117. And I'm sure the Drumpf administration would warn

the public that they plan to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law in such cases.

Bastids!

[riderinthestorm]

118. Yes. I've already offered that to my employees family members

I personally know there are at least 3 family members of the guys who work for me who are undocumented.

They've all been told already by my husband and I that they have sanctuary here.