What did you think of 'This (Illegal) American Life'?

This show was very well done, but there were many unanswered questions that I felt were worth addressing. You see the show did a very good job of pulling on our heartstrings, and routing for the underdog, the poor immigrant, looking for a better way of life for themselves and/or their family. Their intentions are well shown, but what is not shown is why do they have to do it this way? It seemed like the reporting was glorifying it. I have no problems with any person wanting to enter our country from a depressed area anywhere in the world. However, they must enter the proper way. If that is the problem, than please report that!!!! In no way did this documentary, explain why these people had to come into our country illegally? I saw no efforts of any of the people to even attempt to enter our couny the legal way..Did I miss something?

To show a college graduate at the end of the show, say, "when I go for a job, and they ask for a social security number, I guess I'll just say I lost it and ask to pay me in cash", to me was APPALLING!!!! Here is a college graduate of an american university, that WE the taxpayers payed for, seems to have learned nothing but to follow in her fathers footsteps and continue the illegal legacy by skirting the laws of our land, and find a job that pays cash instead of attempting to become an American citizen LEGALLY, to me was completely appalling!!!!!

Again, if our system is the problem, than please do a documentary that shows the trials and tribulations of becoming a legal citizen in America. Don't continue to glorify the breaking of our laws in our country!!! In my opinion, that is what you are doing!!!!! To see the illegals commenting on how they get over here and laugh about some things, makes me sick to my stomach, like they are mocking us. I have a heart, I know what they have been through, but I would like to be educated on what the problems are in our road to citzenship. I can't help fix somethng that I don't know enough about!!!! Please show this important information to us "American Citizens" so that we can help in the process, instead of just being frustrated and mad at the people who are here illegally.

this is the best program on television, ever. And i don't agree with wingbearer. The show was about what it was about. And the depth of emotion would not have been achieved in the allotted hour if other immigrating ethnicities were included. It was moving and important. What would we eat if the immigrants, illegal and otherwise, were sent home or arrested.

I love Vanguard. However, this show should also have included other nationalities who are here illegally. It should have also included the very many from around the world who are waiting for years to come to America, and doing it legally. I wish it would have covered all the industries that illegal immigrants have literally taken over. My son was literally harrassed off a job at a hotel, because he was not hispanic, doing a hispanic job, so his co-workers stated. There are many industries, construction, service industries, hotels, healthcare. fast food restuarants that employ illegal immigrants. My son, whose grandfather fought in the Korean war and his ancestors lived and help build this country as slaves, cannot find employment. The unemployment for young African American men is so very high. Some say as high as 45%; and yes they do want to work. My son has worked in a grave yard digging ditches. It is not about hate. Its about Americans providing opportunities for Americans first. Will you also do a program on the millions of unemployed black youth. A documentary on the anti-american sentiment among the Hispanic population who have benefited from our resources would be very interesting to. I am a social worker and I hear it all the time. It is disturbing the lack of pride that some show for a country that has provided so much to them.

something like this frightens me, even since i live on the border, this is seriously something happening and there is no fear
http://www.facebook.com/Narco.Juniors

I think there is a bigger problem than can be observed on the surface. I feel for the students featured in this episode as i too am suffering in a similar manner even though i came here legally. I have two degrees and hold a license as a Physical Therapist Assistant. I am currently unemployed not because i want to be but due to bureaucratic red tape. The system is broken, when my brother who is a naturalized citizen filed but it will take 10years; what am i supposed to do with the skill and knowledge i have acquired, am i just supposed to sit around and do nothing? For these kids who have gone through higher education and made something of themselves i applaud you, there will be much frustration once you have graduated but stay the course. Its not just Mexicans who are caught up in the immigration mess, thus i would like to see the immigration issue explored from other angles.

Great piece which explored the immense challenges facing this community by providing an in-depth view of their lives. Inspiring to see what people will sacrifice to have a part of the American Dream.

This was only half the story. Now you need to interview the citizen farm and factory and restaurant workers who have seen their jobs disappear and their wages go down due to having a labor force of 12 million slaves willing to work for less than minimum wage.

Understand that you have three options for becoming a legal citizen of the United States: you were born in the United States; you were born to an American citizen anywhere in the world; or you go through the naturalization process.

2
Enter the country. If you were not born in the United States or born to at least one American parent, you can become a legal United States citizen if you go through the naturalization process. To begin the process, you must first come into America legally.

3
Apply for permanent resident status. Once you are granted a permanent resident card, you can remain in the United States for a total of three years if you're married to an American or five years if you are not married to an American.

4
Once you have been in the United States for the required length of time, you must fill out Form N-400, the Application for Naturalization and pay the required fee. Upon reviewing your application, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will inform you that you need to be fingerprinted and where you should go to get fingerprinted.

5
You will be required to attend an interview with USCIS. Remember, during the interview, it is essential that you are completely honest with the interviewer, even if your answer isn't flattering to you.

6
You must take a test that illustrates how well you know U.S. history and U.S. government. In addition, you must prove that you can speak basic English unless you meet specific exemption criteria.

7
Once you have taken the civics and English tests, you will be informed whether you have passed or failed. In many instances, you may retake the tests if you have failed.

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If you've passed the civics and English tests, you must take an oath to the United States at an official ceremony. At the ceremony, you will return your permanent resident card and be given a Certificate of Naturalization upon taking the Oath of Allegiance.

9
Congratulations! You are now an American citizen.

We should not fault a child for their parent's behavior. I saw a show once where a young 20+ man who has been in the US since 2, was deported to Mexico. Now in Mexico, he had no place to go, no one and no opportunities, so he tried to cross back into the US and couldn't. He cried and I lost it too. Why should he be deported when he has grown up American and only knows America as home...all groups of people in America have snuck into our country and have built businesses and done wonderful things for our country. That doesn't make it right, but children should never be punished for something they did not do.

I made a comment on another page on this website about this very topic. My comment, copied and pasted:

I am curious about the term "illegal immigrant" in America...

There are states that want Mexicans and Latinos to go back home and in some states, they want Africans, Arabs, Indians, Islanders and Asians to go back home too...but what about the illegal Canadians, Irish, Germans, Russians, French, Australians, Italians, British, South Africans etc? There are soooo many illegal Russians in Maryland who get housing and medical care by playing the system, and make jokes about how easy it is...but I guess because they are not brown it's okay. If we are going to discriminate against one group of people, why not all? I think it's wrong that people in power legally discriminate against people of color but not white people...that's why I am curious about the words "illegal immigrant"...in America, if you're white, you're not considered illegal, but that's so ignorant. I am ashamed at times to be American because I am not ignorant and do not want to be judged for the choices that my fellow Americans make.

This was an attempt to justfy an illegal practice and a play on the emotions of the misinformed by giving a biased one sided veiw of illegal imigration. The simple fact that Us dollars are used to educate,hospitalize and in some cases the raiding of DHS dollars is at epidemic levels.The fact that the girl was coaching others illegals on how to beat the US system and laws was discusting.And the admition that they were taking "cash only" Jobs because they don't have a SS# proves as the girl so tearfully said, talk radio accused them of being a burdon on the US society. The fact that millions of dollars leaves The US every month by way of illegal imigrants. I couldnot help but notice the father had been in this country long enough to become a citizen and chose not to. this tell any sound mind they are here to exploit the system. The "documentary was a failed attempt to reason criminal behavior.This was a bad example of unbias journalism and a tumor on the cretibility of the current network.

I think that the young people should have an opportunity to become an american citizen.
The young people dont have much of a choice to what is gonna happen. Its not like they can go live with someone else without, being a burden to the family that they are planing to stay with.

The results from an almost unfettered free market in illegal labor should be telling to the lower socioeconomic classes that make up the unquestioning political ideologues from the 'conservative' side, but they appear oblivious to it. What better example than the one in your own country of what happens when labor competes against itself for survival? How any other outcome besides a race to the bottom ensuing is not clear to me.

"Featured" at "Culture" . The issue is certainly here.

i grew up on a hay ranch in nevada
seasonal laborers from mexico made our world go 'round
we could afford the workers

the work made their world go 'round
the summer season afforded the rest of the year back home
it was a good arrangement

today?
republican vilification of immigrant labor has made a mess of that arrangement

who will irrigate the fields and pick potatoes?
americans? not hardly
they're culturally disposed to feel entitled and above labor
not to mention needing a living wage to afford living in america

i suppose if republicans have their way in the dismantling of the middle class
we'll have a whole new labor class in america to do field work

do you think they'll adapt to to leaving their families for the summer and
live in a bunk house?
that was the way way back in the day
grapes of wrath redux?