http://www.nypost.com/seven/05202007/news/regionalnews/illegals_fear_a_great _divide_regionalnews_jill_culora.htm
Too bad. If they'd come here legally in the first place they would already be citizens and none of this would even be an issue. If my great-grandparents could do it - I have no sympathy for the illegals. <http://www.nypost.com> New York Post ILLEGALS FEAR A GREAT DIVIDE By JILL CULORA May 20, 2007 -- She walked through the hot Arizona desert for seven days with four of her children to make it into the United States from Mexico. She reunited with her husband in 1991 and came to New York, where they've made a life for themselves, first in The Bronx and now on Staten Island, under the radar of the authorities. They dream of becoming U.S. citizens and being able to get a loan to buy a home, send their kids to college, get health insurance, vote and get a driver's license. But the path presented to them in new immigration legislation is a nightmare. Emma, 45, says that under the new law, the status she seeks as a U.S. citizen would come with a crippling financial and emotional price tag. Emma's husband Guadalupe, 47, the breadwinner in the family of 10, would have to return to Mexico for an undetermined amount of time to apply for a green card. But not before paying $5,000 in fees and fines and obtaining a "Z visa." And because three of the couple's eight children are over the age of 21, they would each be required to do the same, costing at least $15,000 more. The family - who spoke on the condition that their last name not be used - would lose landscaper Guadalupe's $500 a week income for the time he's away. While that might be feasible, they say they don't feel confident that if he left he would ever actually make it back to their $1,400-a-month apartment in Port Richmond, Staten Island. "What if he tries to come back and what if they say 'No?' " Emma, a housekeeper, said. "If the people in Washington have opened their hearts to do good things for immigrants, then why this - what is the purpose of making the head of household go?" "I'm very sad because I will be separated from my family. What if I have to wait four or five years before I come back?" said Guadalupe, who, like his wife, is not a legal U.S. resident. Emma and Guadalupe, who have been married for 30 years and living in the United States for the last 15, duck government scrutiny by being self-employed. They obtain car registrations and licenses by using the addresses of friends. Under the coming crackdown, they don't know what measures they'd have to take to prevent detection. They do know their anxiety would rise. "They live in constant fear of an immigration raid," Emma said of her children. "And I don't like to see them live in this fear." Ruben, 22, Jesus, 18, and Guadalupe Jr., 16, help out with the family's landscaping business and already run the risk of being spotted by patrolling immigration officials. The family's other children living at home, Gustavo, 13, Juan, 11, and Patricia, 8, were born in the United States and are legal citizens. Two eldest sons, Rayalzarez, 28, and Rigoberto, 26, no longer live at home. Guadalupe said if he ever went back to Mexico, his sons Ruben, Jesus and Guadalupe Jr. would have to work relentless hours to make up for his lost income. Emma would also step up her hours, doubling her house-cleaning workload - but would still only bring in $350 a week. If he's forced to leave, Guadalupe said, "I'll do it for my family." . <http://geo.yahoo.com/serv?s=97359714/grpId=11648958/grpspId=1705447214/msgI d=33179/stime=1179666784/nc1=3848618/nc2=3848642/nc3=3848541> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. 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