Undocumented immigrants are immigrants. Don’t just take my word for it, take the word of the Immigration and Nationality Act itself, which has what’s known as the “presumption of immigration intent,” saying that every single person who enters the United States is considered an immigrant under our laws unless they are…

You know, people keep saying these vague things you said right here. “I’m all for a path to legalization, but we need strong borders, etc. and some stuff.”

I was just about to post something similar. I’m not a sore loser, I’m a pissed off citizen who doesn’t want to see my country destroyed by bigots and hypocrites.

One of my mom’s friends called our reps up for days to get a meeting. She told them she was calling the newspaper. She talked to a reporter and the reporter emailed our reps. Within hours a townhall was scheduled. She went to that meeting and told them off for gerrymandering districts in our area. In Wisconsin, it was…

Because he seriously considered calling up the National Guard to stop people on the streets and question them about their citizenship. Every citizen of this country should be fucking horrified that this is what he wanted and will absolutely do, given the chance.

Yes, absolutely, 100%. Undocumented individuals should consult with a lawyer about options now. But they should also not sign expensive retainer contracts or pay any huge fee for a consult. There’s a lot of shady private attorneys out there. People should look for reputable attorneys or immigration non-profits that…

It’s absolutely true, and it’s also the story of America, which is what frustrates me so much. The vast majority of Americans can look back at their ancestor who came to the United States and say “That person looked around at their home country, saw how terrible things were, and decided that the only viable option to…

Of course this whole mindset is paused whenever someone they know or like is the subject of arrest or prosecution.

You’re butting up against this idea that is closely held among the right-wing that anyone who breaks a law forfeits all rights and privileges and is no longer a part of society. This “crime and punishment” mindset feels that it’s 100% ironclad, and to even be accused of a crime is tantamount to treason because “good…

What do other perspectives say? I think it might help to admit that admitting more immigrants does tax resources. It does cost money to ensure the health and education for immigrants. 

Well, if they cut the entire budget of the National Endowment for the Arts they can fund.... 5% of the border wall! Yaaaaaay!

I wish I had a good answer for you, because I also end up going into sputtering rants about him when I try to answer that question. If I take a moment to really try to encompass his entire gestalt into a couple sentences, it would be:

No joke, I am genuinely surprised you went there with your comment. Like... what? Where did I accuse you of anything? The rage I mentioned is at the Trump administration, not you, and I’m having a genuinely hard time trying to find some way of interpreting my mildly sarcastic response to being called a prick that …

45% of all undocumented immigrants entered here legally on visas and then overstayed those visas. They have not committed any crime. As the Supreme Court has made very clear, “As a general rule, it is not a crime for a removable alien to remain present in the United States.”

I just want to say thank you for taking the time to comment on these type of Jez posts. I’m sure you have better and more important things to do, but you are always so informative. It is so valuable and I appreciate it so much.

It literally means every undocumented immigrant except those who entered with a visa and then overstayed, except that even those individuals would be a priority if they admitted to an ICE officer that they’d done anything that could bring a conviction, even if it was something incredibly minor. Like, an officer could…

So, what, specifically, makes me come across like a prick in this comment? Is it the clearly barely-concealed rage about actions I think are cruel, inhumane, and un-American?

Maybe when I do my taxes this year I’ll add a note saying my payment is “subject to the availability of resources.” Seems legit.

If you’re white, you’re fine. If you’re an immigrant, well, you may be in bad shape. If you’re undocumented? Get a lawyer now and talk over your options immediately, right now, ASAP, instantly, JUST DO IT #shia.

Right? Imagine the horror a parent goes through when they hear that they son or daughter they left back in Honduras is being threatened with murder, torture, or rape if they don’t leave immediately. And that parent thinks “I need to get my child out of the situation immediately, and that means bringing them here to me…