Brown-skinned immigrants versus light-skinned immigrants

[Hugabear]

An Eastern European travels to the United States, marries a US citizen in order to stay in the country, gets a job, has children, attends their local church, contributes to the local economy, and generally has what many would consider to be a very productive life.

A Mexican crosses the border, takes a job that nobody else would want to do. He saves up enough money to bring his wife and children over. He busts his ass working at the same job, stays loyal to his employer despite being paid shitty wages. He also attends his local church and contributes to the local economy, and has what many would consider to be a very productive life.

The tea-bagger types look at the Eastern European immigrant and admire their grit and determination, and turn around and spit on the Mexican. But yet they're not racist. :sarcasm:

(edited)

[midnight]

1. True.

[bherrera]

3. Maybe their legal status is different?

What is the legal status of the two immigrants you discuss? I know here in Spain we like to legalize immigration, and the ones who are not legalized are not very happy, because they are likely to be sent out of the country.

[Hugabear]

6. In my hypothetical, they're both technically illegal

Marrying someone for the purpose of staying in the US is illegal, I'm pretty sure.

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

8. Well, if both are marrying solely with the purpose of obtaining

an immigration benefit, then that's immigration fraud and I don't care where they're from. However, please see my post below regarding the difference between entry with and without inspection.

[dipsydoodle]

2. Bigotry at its worst

.

[Hello_Kitty]

4. I spit on employers who feel entitled to slave labor

And consumers who tolerate their fellow human beings being exploited so they have cheap goods. That's who I spit on.

[EFerrari]

7. If there was a path to legalization, that wouldn't be an issue. n/t

[Hello_Kitty]

9. I fear that's why there won't be.

Even the most watered-down "business friendly" guest worker program will increase the labor costs of the major employers of undocumented immigrants.

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

5. An immigration law tidbit...

since the Eastern European probably entered the U.S. by air, s/he was inspected by U.S. authorities and thus his/her entry is 'with inspection.'

If the Mexican crosses the border and s/he is inspected, then s/he enters with inspection. If s/he swims up the border or walks through the desert, s/he enters without inspection.

Why is this a crucial distinction? Because when you enter with inspection, if you marry a U.S. citizen you are eligible to adjust your status to that of a permanent resident, whereas if you didn't enter with inspection you'll have an impossible (barring a waiver of inadmissibility) time to be eligible for permanent residence.

Regardless of where one is from, entering the U.S. with/without inspection makes all the difference with regards to obtaining permanent residence based on marriage to a U.S. citizen.

[Sta au]

10. Rich people like mexicans if you don't have to pay them all that much.

I thought the bigger problem was that it was a job that no one wanted to do because it was beneath minimum wage.