I love being European, but sometimes I feel very, very ashamed

There was a story on the abandonment of illegal immigrants to their fate last week that I nearly posted, but now we have gone even further.

Illegal immigration is a major problem for us in Europe, but surely we can still think of these people as human? Years of deriding poverty-stricken people who are so desperate for a new life as spongers, feckless, and worse have led to us being able to treat them like this.

If you have the stomach for it, look at the photo on the home page. Think of each one of those tiny, terrified people being dragged through the Mediterranean as yourself, what you would feel looking at your wife and child clinging to a tuna net.

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Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Europe's shame

By Peter Popham in Rome
Published: 28 May 2007

For three days and three nights, these African migrants clung desperately to life. Their means of survival is a tuna net, being towed across the Mediterranean by a Maltese tug that refused to take them on board after their frail boat sank.

Malta and Libya, where they had embarked on their perilous journey, washed their hands of them. Eventually, they were rescued by the Italian navy.

The astonishing picture shows them hanging on to the buoys that support the narrow runway that runs around the top of the net. They had had practically nothing to eat or drink.

Last night, on the island of Lampedusa, the 27 young men - from Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Sudan and other countries - told of their ordeal. As their flimsy boat from Libya floundered adrift for six days, two fishing boats failed to rescue them. On Wednesday, the Maltese boat, the Budafel allowed them to mount the walkway but refused to have them on board.

This is the latest snapshot from the killing seas of the southern Mediterranean, the stretch of water at the European Union's southern gate that the UN High Commissioner for Refugees says "has become like the Wild West, where human life has no value any more and people are left to their fate".

On Friday, The Independent reported how a Maltese plane photographed a crazily overloaded boat in this area carrying 53 Eritreans, several of whom telephoned desperate pleas for help to relatives in London, Italy and Malta. The boat disappeared with all hands before anything was done to save them. They died, not because help was unavailable, but because no-one wanted to do anything. Malta is full up. Libya, where these voyages begin, takes no responsibility. One might think that the EU's new frontiers agency, Frontex, had a part to play. But its "rapid response team" remains on the drawing board.

Frontex is expected to begin joint patrols in the Mediterranean shortly, following a brief pilot programme last year. But the critical stretch between Malta and Libya is to be controlled by Malta and Greece, and the hard-nosed attitude of the Maltese in recent weeks does not inspire optimism.

The Maltese captain of the Budafel refused to land the men, he later explained, because he had $1m-worth of tuna in the pen. If he had taken them to Malta, the trip would have taken 12 days, given the tug's slow speed. There, he would have found himself in the middle of a diplomatic wrangle. "I couldn't take the risk of losing this catch," he said.

The captain informed the Maltese authorities. The Maltese phoned the Libyans - the Africans were about 60 miles from the Libyan coast, within Libya's area of competence for search and rescue. Libya said they would send a helicopter to the spot and throw down a life raft. Malta - by this point Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi had become directly involved - said that was unacceptable. They gave Malta's armed forces the task of persuading the Libyans to pick the men up.

The 27 had by this point spent three days and nights standing on the walkway, which is 18 inches wide. The Budafel's captain said he wouldn't mind being on the walkway for an hour. Any longer - under the fierce sun, or in the chill of the night - no thanks.

The Libyan government eventually sent a fax saying they would pick the men up. But no help arrived. The Maltese steadfastly refused to take the initiative. In the past five days, 157 illegal immigrants have come ashore on the Maltese coast. The small island is full to capacity. The impasse continued all Saturday.

By a stroke of luck an Italian navy vessel, Orione, was not far away: last week Libya had given Italy permission to search for the 53 doomed Eritreans, and it was still in the area, still searching.

The Italian navy dispatched first a plane and then the Orione. By 9pm on Saturday night, after more than 70 hours clinging to the pen, they were on their way to Sicily. Last night, they were reported to be weak and exhausted but out of danger. For them it's a happy ending. But in the past five days, sources in Malta say four other boats have gone down, with the loss of about 120 lives. As Laura Boldrini of the UNHCR puts it, "setting off across the Mediterranean in these boats is a game of Russian roulette".

Up to 10,000 people are believed to have drowned trying to cross the Mediterranean from Africa. The passage from west Africa to the Canary Islands is no less perilous. In Spain, where shocking images of a dozen dead would-be migrants in their boat were published in newspapers last week, estimates of the total number of dead run as high as 7,000.

"Governments must encourage fishermen to save human life," says Laura Boldrini. "Now they fear that if they help, they can be stuck for days and weeks. But international maritime law says governments have a duty to allow the speedy disembarkation of people rescued at sea. We say, let's save human lives first. This must be the priority for all the parties involved."

Jaysus. Leaving people to die for tuna, is a tad harsh. Kudos to the italians though, while Malta and Lybia were trying to outmanoevre each other, they were the only ones who did something...

Is it just me, or emi/immi - gration procedures in the N.African - Southern European countries need to be revisited?

And there is also the fact that Lybia should be ashamed. 53 of their citizens frowning, while they bicker on the phone...

Hopefully there is a law to throw some ship's captain into a dark hole somewhere

I read about this earlier. Astonishing, quite astonishing. I'm not making excuses for the skipper of the trawler but wasn't there a problem a while back with a Spanish fisherman picking up the survivors of a sinking boat. Then he was not allowed to sail into port because of the illegals?

On another note, a guy who I do business with was in the Canaries last year. There he was sunning himself on the beach, sunblock 25 applied, nice cold beer in hand, when these 'people' suddenly appeared on the shore. Their boat was sinking and they were in a bad way. He said that these guys were on the verge of death. The holidaymakers ran to them, proffering bottles of mineral water. He said that he'd never seen folks in such a dire condition. He was very impressed about how the tourists responded, but like he said, "What were we supposed to do?", "They were dying in front of our eyes and we were all sat there drinking beer and eating barsnacks in our swimming trunks".

Sort of makes the 'problem' a little more human doesn't it?

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Originally Posted by Redleg

Hopefully there is a law to throw some ship's captain into a dark hole somewhere

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It certainly does seem to violate what I thought was the overriding duty of a captain at sea, namely to save lives, doesn't it?

Rather like those everest mountaineers who walk past dying bodies on their way to the summit, every one of whom dishonours the memories of real mountaineers everywhere. But I digress.

The captain is but a small, small cog in a big machine though. If illegal immigrants were received politely, given a shower, a meal, and clean set of clothes, and then put on a flight back to [whereever] in under 12 hours, then the captain might have taken them on board, and indeed the immigrants might stop coming.

Oh yeah, and stabilising the countries they come from would also be good, although I confess I have very little idea how you start.

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Originally Posted by English assassin

It certainly does seem to violate what I thought was the overriding duty of a captain at sea, namely to save lives, doesn't it?

Rather like those everest mountaineers who walk past dying bodies on their way to the summit, every one of whom dishonours the memories of real mountaineers everywhere. But I digress.

The captain is but a small, small cog in a big machine though. If illegal immigrants were received politely, given a shower, a meal, and clean set of clothes, and then put on a flight back to [whereever] in under 12 hours, then the captain might have taken them on board, and indeed the immigrants might stop coming.

Oh yeah, and stabilising the countries they come from would also be good, although I confess I have very little idea how you start.

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Stabilising is a funny word when applied to a country. A country can be stable and yet its population be so desperate so as to prefer a week of sea to staying home.

If is, however in the best interest of Europe to aid in the development of, at least those countries that serve as the port from which these immigrants set off. Namely those in the mediterranean basin, and the NW African coast.

This being said, though, some discipline must be applied too. Something akin to what's happening with IRan's nuclear program. Severe penalties should be imposed if immigration systems are not revamped, and local economy not developed.

I mean, being a government kind of means that some responsibilty must be taken...

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I mean, being a government kind of means that some responsibilty must be taken...

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Sadly not the case in Africa. :shame:

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Originally Posted by InsaneApache

Sadly not the case in Africa. :shame:

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Almost makes you miss the good old Soviet Union days... :shame:

This is awful. Situation is very similar in America, except here you have right-wing propagandists declaring "the illegals" our enemy and something to be afraid of instead of poverty-stricken people we need to help get a better life.

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Situation is very similar in America, except here you have right-wing propagandists declaring "the illegals" our enemy and something to be afraid of instead of poverty-stricken people we need to help get a better life.

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It is not. Lets take in everyone. Also both liberals and conservatives oppose illegal immigration as should everyone. Everyone does but the politicians it seems. Maybe you believe in open borders but most of us dont .

Hm, what would you say the number one opposition to 'illegal' immigration is?

Its illegal :laugh4: Ok It costs us a bundle. Also why have immigration laws if you dont enforce them. Let me ask. Are you in favor of open borders? If not i dont see how you have a leg to stand on.

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Originally Posted by Gawain of Orkeny

It is not. Lets take in everyone. Also both liberals and conservatives oppose illegal immigration as should everyone. Everyone does but the politicians it seems. Maybe you believe in open borders but most of us dont .

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I am curious here, since illegal immigrants don't vote, and don't pay taxes that politicians can later milk, how is illegal immigration good for them?


See, while I agree with you in that the law should be enforced, but maybe it is not a good law that can't be enforced. If the general attitude has changed maybe a new law governing this area should be made. Nothing wrong with tearing up and writing up new constitutions every now and then...

And Legal immigration should be inforced in the countries immigrants come from. I mean, if a guy leaves Sudan to go work in Spain or Italy, you can't let him get to Morocco before teeling him to go back. It's too late. He's commited. However, if back in Sudan you told him it isn't happening, and explained him why and how to do it legally, the results might be different.

Ok, its illegal--why? look at the history of US immigration. how many times has the law been changed and why? let's change it back to the way it was and there, its no longer illegal.

It costs. So youre willing to deny millions of people the opportunity of a decent life beause you don't want your taxes raised by a percentage point or two? not to mention that new citizens = new tax income.

I am in favor of open borders, theres no need to deny people freedom.

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I am curious here, since illegal immigrants don't vote, and don't pay taxes that politicians can later milk, how is illegal immigration good for them?

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Oh but they do vote. Also they pay some taxes and if as has happened in the past they get amnesty they get to be citizens. Thats how.

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See, while I agree with you in that the law should be enforced, but maybe it is not a good law that can't be enforced. If the general attitude has changed maybe a new law governing this area should be made. Nothing wrong with tearing up and writing up new constitutions every now and then...

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Ok Ill ask you the same question I asked Zaknafien. Do you favor open borders? And that should be for all nations right? The general attitude of the peope hasnt changed. In fact most are up in arms about it. Were sick and tired of it.

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And Legal immigration should be inforced in the countries immigrants come from. I mean, if a guy leaves Sudan to go work in Spain or Italy, you can't let him get to Morocco before teeling him to go back. It's too late. He's commited. However, if back in Sudan you told him it isn't happening, and explained him why and how to do it legally, the results might be different.

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You do know the Mexican government encourages its people to migrate here illegally?

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Ok, its illegal--why? look at the history of US immigration. how many times has the law been changed and why? let's change it back to the way it was and there, its no longer illegal.

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When? When we had 13 colonies and all of the continent lay before us? So you do favor open borders?

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t costs. So youre willing to deny millions of people the opportunity of a decent life beause you don't want your taxes raised by a percentage point or two? not to mention that new citizens = new tax income.

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Percentage points? Also is illegal immigration the only way we can add new citizens? Do you know that half our jail population in some states is illegal immigrants and thats not why their in jail?

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I am in favor of open borders, theres no need to deny people freedom.

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Do you realise how quickly we would be over run?

Is Tuna worth more per pound than Ghanans?

Well, don't just talk a good game. If you really feel that strongly, sell all your possessions and send them to the UN commission on refugees or some other organization dedicated to helping the extreme poor of the world.

For that matter, do you donate anything?

And tell the rest of your family to do the same :laugh4:

From each according to his ability, to each according to his need

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Originally Posted by Gawain of Orkeny

Oh but they do vote. Also they pay some taxes and if as has happened in the past they get amnesty they get to be citizens. Thats how.

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This is what I cannot understand. Why would they vote? how is it possible that they pay taxes?

Amnesties every now and then are necessary to at least know how many immigrants has the country taken in over the last few years after the previous amnesty. They are not put forward to hurt your rights.

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Originally Posted by Gawain of Orkeny

Ok Ill ask you the same question I asked Zaknafien. Do you favor open borders? And that should be for all nations right? The general attitude of the peope hasnt changed. In fact most are up in arms about it. Were sick and tired of it.

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I do not favour open borders. What I hate is the hypocrisy. You don't want mexican immigrants, stop bragging about the "american lifestyle" abroad, keep your MTV for yourselves. The saddest thing I ever saw, was this african kid from Burkina Faso who wanted to be a rapper... And the family barely had enough money to put him through school.

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Originally Posted by Gawain of Orkeny

You do know the Mexican government encourages its people to migrate here illegally?

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I did not know that, but maybe that is where the money would be better spent...

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Originally Posted by Gawain of Orkeny

When? When we had 13 colonies and all of the continent lay before us? So you do favor open borders?

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You are right, the needs have changed. Isn't it an uncanny american ability to make everything about the US?
The fact that the needs have changed in 300 years, doesn't mean they aren't or can't change now...

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Originally Posted by Gawain of Orkeny

Do you realise how quickly we would be over run?

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And what is it exactly you are afraid of? Change? Or the fact that you'll see more people with darker skin when you are walking the dog? Or that there'll be more mexican restaurants in the vicinity?

For fishermen lke the fella in the story above that tuna is his lifeblood for the year. if he was detained, prevented from landing and caught up in legal proceedings long enough that he catch would not be viable, how would he and his crew feed their families?

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Why would they vote?

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Why does anyone vote?

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how is it possible that they pay taxes?

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Because to get a job on the books here the taxes are taken out automatically. Only those who work off the books dont pay taxes.

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Amnesties every now and then are necessary to at least know how many immigrants has the country taken in over the last few years after the previous amnesty

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Thats your opinion. If you know that if you can evade the law long enough you will become a citizen, you dont think that encourages illegal immigration?

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They are not put forward to hurt your rights.

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They dont affect my rights in the least.

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You don't want mexican immigrants

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I have no problem with Mexican immigrants nor do most Americans unless their bigots or racisits.

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You are right, the needs have changed. Isn't it an uncanny american ability to make everything about the US?
The fact that the needs have changed in 300 years, doesn't mean they aren't or can't change now...

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Come on lets be practical. We dont have the room for all the worlds poor and even if we did wouldnt that make us all poorer? Is there that much money and work here ?

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And what is it exactly you are afraid of? Change? Or the fact that you'll see more pe

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Change? How about a place to live? I dont think you have a clue on this topic. Where will we put them all. How will we feed them? Do you have any idea how many people would flock to the USA if we opened our borders? Terrible a country as you all claim us to be. Why the hell would anyone want to come here.

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Originally Posted by Gawain of Orkeny

Why does anyone vote?

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Beyond the obvious, how can anyone who isn't a registered citizen vote?

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Originally Posted by Gawain of Orkeny

Thats your opinion. If you know that if you can evade the law long enough you will become a citizen, you dont think that encourages illegal immigration?

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Exactly why the emphasis should be on discouraging emigration in the countries of origin as opposed to the destination, where the whole journey has already been made.

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Originally Posted by Gawain of Orkeny

I have no problem with Mexican immigrants nor do most Americans unless their bigots or racisits.

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Ok, fair enough, i didn't mean it in the racist way, just as an example population.

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Originally Posted by Gawain of Orkeny

Come on lets be practical. We dont have the room for all the worlds poor and even if we did wouldnt that make us all poorer? Is there that much money and work here ?

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Isn't there? Since according to you they all come in anyway, and they do work somewhere.... And wouldn't they pay taxes?

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Originally Posted by Gawain of Orkeny

Change? How about a place to live? I dont think you have a clue on this topic. Where will we put them all. How will we feed them? Do you have any idea how many people would flock to the USA if we opened our borders? Terrible a country as you all claim us to be. Why the hell would anyone want to come here.

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Again, I am not arguing for open borders. I am arguing for a more humane approach to people's lives. And how would immigration affect you personally? Do you really think your government would kick you out of your home? Or any of those immigrants would? Please.

I for one don't really know why would anyone want to go to the US more than they'd want to go anywhere else, but that is just me.

I always thought the "common law of the seas" was to aid those in peril. Even during war-time, the enemy sailors of a sunken ship were rescued if possible.
The tuna captain, or anyone else should be fiscally compensated for any economic loss incured in such a rescue. If that's not an international law, then the UN should make it a priority and fund such a program.

The best answer: open the borders completely. Or better yet, remove the borders.

I can't really understand why I have a greater right to live where I do than anyone else has, just because I'm born here. I don't understand how anyone can deny me the freedom to live where I want to.

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Isn't there? Since according to you they all come in anyway, and they do work somewhere.... And wouldn't they pay taxes?

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You know I never said that.

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Exactly why the emphasis should be on discouraging emigration in the countries of origin as opposed to the destination, where the whole journey has already been made.

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WE told them not to come.

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Again, I am not arguing for open borders. I am arguing for a more humane approach to people's lives. And how would immigration affect you personally? Do you really think your government would kick you out of your home? Or any of those immigrants would? Please.

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For the very last time I and most americans are in favor of immigration. Its how this nation was built, But do it legally. Our immigration policies are humane.

@HoreTore: Because then the entire world would become overpopulated. Cultures that don't condemn overreproduction shouldn't be allowed to migrate to areas where the culture does, because that would mean a genocide/assimilation of the local group, and deny the locals all their rights/freedom, much like the native indians. The solution to problems abroad isn't massive immigration, but to fix their problems at home. Helping one immigrant costs as much as saving 1000 in their homeland. Feeling sorry for illegal immigrants and opening the borders would mean the death of millions that can't receive foreign aid because state expenses have to go to the more costly needs of immigrants. That's why immigration should be restricted to fugitives from dictatorships, fugitives from war, and other grave cases where not moving means certain death, or to people who won't need any monetary aid when they come. This means that people that are just looking for an improvment from a bad life to a better one needs to have lower priority.

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Originally Posted by Gawain of Orkeny

For the very last time I and most americans are in favor of immigration. Its how this nation was built, But do it legally. Our immigration policies are humane.

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Really? It is harder to get into the US than it is to get into Israel or Russia. I actually stopped at a US embassy a few days ago, as I have to go there for work, and i have to present documentation to justify pretty much every single movement i made, from beach holidays to morning commute, and not only that, i wasn't even allowed into the embassy, but was given a card by a (rude and full of himself) army sargent and told to check the website.

How very welcoming and humane. This is just to get a 9 month Visa mind you, no word on semi-permanent residence or anything of the sort.

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Really? It is harder to get into the US than it is to get into Israel or Russia.

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Because more people want to come here. Tell me how our immigration laws are inhumane. What do you suggest we change?

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Originally Posted by Gawain of Orkeny

Because more people want to come here. Tell me how our immigration laws are inhumane. What do you suggest we change?

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Firstly, I do not want to be told off by some sargent, I am not a recruit, and have no desire to take orders from military unless at war.

Secondly, there is no justification whatsoever for being rude.

Thirdly, my personal travels are mine. I am not a US citizen, and I am to be presumed innocent until proven otherwise, right? I have nothing to hide, but I don't walk around naked either. I think this is, again, basic privacy and crossing it without invitation is rude.

So if more immigrants wish to come to the US, the ridiculous control procedures must be placed to discourage applicants? Ironically, those who bother adhering to the procedures are the legal immigrants, so the illegal immigration problem is still there, and encouraged for people who cannot provide the relevant documentation. Perhaps if the procedures were relaxed, more people would immigrate legally, and would have a better opinion of american law abroad.

believe it or not before i joined the army I actually worked for INS as it was changing over to BCIS. i left a pretty good government job to enlist into the military after 9/11. Our immigration policies are anything but humane, they're ludicrous. Indeed, its harder to get to the US and involves more paperwork and fees and fines than 80% of the world can afford.

Fact: There is plenty of living space in the United States, vast swathes of the West and Central Plains are virtually uninhabited. That argument is simply fear-mongering.