The Immigrant Advantage (in America)

Post by **BigBubba** » May 25, 2014, 10:25 pm

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/25/opini ... inion&_r=0

Very interesting read.

First paragraph: IF you want to die a successful American, especially in the heartland, it helps to be born abroad.

Post by **parrot** » May 30, 2014, 3:58 pm

For all our supposed immigration problems in the US, we have a formula that seems to work well. Sure there are problem spots......but overall, Americans seem to be more accepting that the family next door, or the family doctor, or the cab driver, or the clerk at 7-11 could have come from Pakistan or Afghanistan or Laos or China.

Post by **GT93** » May 30, 2014, 4:10 pm

parrot wrote:For all our supposed immigration problems in the US, we have a formula that seems to work well. Sure there are problem spots......but overall, Americans seem to be more accepting that the family next door, or the family doctor, or the cab driver, or the clerk at 7-11 could have come from Pakistan or Afghanistan or Laos or China.

Yes, that's my perception as a foreigner of the US. It's one of the strengths of the US. A Thai neighbour of mine went to study in Australia probably in the 1990s. She said she and her boyfriend (who eventually became her husband) felt very unwelcome in Melbourne and left after a year. They both went to Michigan and said they didn't feel unwelcome there. They eventually graduated.

However in about 2007 she applied for a visa for a holiday in the US. The visa was declined despite her 5 year old son not going on the holiday and her being very wealthy. She was very surprised.

Post by **leterry60614** » May 31, 2014, 10:50 am

I concur, immigrants still have a great shot to a good life in America. With good communication skills there isn't any limit to success in corporate America or your own business. But they need to be and stay in good health as they can easily lose it all if any member of the family get sick. And my advice would be to get cozy with a good lawyer early on...

Post by **parrot** » July 5, 2014, 10:21 am

Joe Nocera is a sports/opinion writer for the NYT. He recounts his family's experience as immigrants in the US and how the melting pot continues to gather new material and change the face of America.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/05/opini ... amily.html

Post by **Jsell50** » November 24, 2014, 4:37 pm

"Legal" immigrants are a great boon to America and always have been. Illegal immigrants are another story altogether and are bankrupting many small town education systems and health care systems all over the country.

Post by **merchant seaman** » November 24, 2014, 6:32 pm

What other country in the world allows foreigners to stay in their country illegally and without a passport or a visa?

Post by **FrazeeDK** » November 24, 2014, 6:57 pm

urrr... I would put forth, Thailand, seeing as there are hundreds of thousands of "illegals" that are not registered in the foreign worker system working throughout the country. Lao doing field work, Cambodians working in eastern Thailand, and Burmese everywhere to include thousands in Khon Khaen.. During my time in Thailand I have repeatedly seen the government get spun up about the illegals but when factory owners say, "oh, no cheap labor?? We'll have to leave Thailand." Then the government backs off..

In the U.S. its much the same.. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is all for "immigration Reform" which I suspect is all about cheap labor.. The government started the E-Verify system for employers to check prospective employees but it is not mandatory.. Without a mandatory system to validate the citizenship of applicants and criminal penalties against employers knowingly hiring illegals no amount of "Immigration Reform" or Executive Orders are going to fix the mess.

Post by **leterry60614** » November 25, 2014, 10:07 am

Immigration law change in the U.S is not about cheap labor but retaining rich and smart foreign students on American campuses. The USA is still draining brains from all over the world and the Bangkok ambassy is doing a great job at it. It's going to be a long and tough road for illegals no matter what Mr. Obama does.

Post by **Jsell50** » November 25, 2014, 3:00 pm

If the USA is really serious about this "Brain drain" they need to close their borders to illegals. All we are getting from Mexico are the dregs of their country. As far as "Cheap labor", they cost a lot more than they are worth in social and educational programs and the cost of policing their illegal activities.