It’s my understanding that discussions are starting soon for Prince William County ’s 2009 budget, I am opposed to the continued funding of the Immigration Resolution. To clarify, I’m not opposed to the ‘Rule of Law’, but I don’t agree with 20 years of non-enforcement by the Federal government followed by a period of strict enforcement without making some accommodations for those individuals who in many cases have been entrapped by inconsistencies in our immigration policies. There’s an example of a girl who’s entire life will turn out differently because immigration laws changed 3 weeks before her brother’s 21st birthday. We all know there are service member’s families who too have been caught up in these nightmarish scenarios.
Just a reminder, it’s only post 9/11 that we have stopped allowing people to adjust their status HERE. But many of these individuals entered our country during a time period where we allowed them to gain work sponsorship after they arrived ILLEGALLY. However, now with changes in immigration laws, these individuals who were once under the impression that they could adjust their status here have now been told that they must leave and in many cases for lengthy periods. It doesn’t make sense to have these people abandon their homes(especially in the current real estate market), have their children lose years of an educational opportunity only to readmit them years from now. It doesn’t seem to benefit our economy either now or in the future, and, our enforcement of these policies are directly affecting the lives of many including our most vulnerable - US citizen children.
Additionally, these laws have fluctuated greatly over the years. In fact, during the time when my husband adjusted his status, he was required to return to the Consulate Office in Mexico for the interview process. However, two weeks before his scheduled interview Congress changed the laws, requiring instead that he pay an increased filing fee and have his interview conducted here in the United States . In fact, had left the country as scheduled he would have been severely penalized. My point being simply that immigration laws have changed back and forth many times over the past decade and likely could change again.
My recommendation would be to take another look at our immigration policies and try to correct our mistakes instead of washing our hands of it and blaming it entirely on those that were under the impression that they could adjust their status once they arrived. Americans play fair, we shouldn’t start off with one set of rules and then change them in the middle of the game, telling all the other players to pack-up and go home.
For these reasons, I object to increased enforcement on the general population until the Federal government addresses the issue.