Dear Editor:
As much as I welcome a friendly gesture to immigrants from the Bush administration, I have some questions.
What sort of legal status is Ridge talking about?
Alien status? Permanant residence?
I can understand providing alien status, but permenant residency status is another matter.
What about people who go through all the ropes to be documented? Ropes which have become increasingly detailed, complex and expensive in post 9-11?
Legalization places people who violated immigration law in a more favorable position than individuals who have paid the fees, disclosed personal information, gone for the interviews and yet will remain in a probationary sort of situation. Resident, but not quite for a given period of time. The potential consequences of being on probation can still result in a documented alien's deportation. When the alien is applying for permenant residency on marital or family grounds, this could result in the forced separation of parents and children, spouses etc.
Doesn't legalization therefore, ultimately penalize people who complied with the law, and more so given the increased scrutiny in post 9-11 US?
Maria Allison
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