Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/09/09/want-to-cross-the-mexico-us-bo.html
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Haven’t watched yet.
Before the Great Plague, the easiest approach was simply to have authorization, and then act beyond your authorization.
- Fly or drive to the US on a tourist or migrant-worker visa.
- Overstay the visa.
The number of undocumented aliens who came in by clandestine journeys across the border is dwarfed by the number who came in through the airports or highways.
My guess (to be confirmed or refuted when I actually watch the video) is that Sam will say the same thing, or that he has an update to the story taking into account the effects of the Great Plague, or is discussing the methods used by people who are barred from obtaining a visa, perhaps because of a prior overstay.
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The information that a legal visa to the USA from Mexico is liable to take 24 years is something of an eye-opener.
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When you make unreasonable laws, you diminish people’s respect for the law itself. Who could possibly take these laws seriously?
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A legal permanent visa. Which is why we have so much trouble with people overstaying non-immigrant visas. It surely doesn’t take a quarter-century to get a tourist or business visa!
(And we tend simply to turn a Nelsonian eye to the ‘right’ kind of overstayers. The two biggest populations of undocumented aliens come from Canada and the UK.)
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I just happened to read the following article today, which reminds me that crossing into the U.S. without authorisation is a very risky business in these days of ultra-nationalism and nativism.
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That’s why I cringe every time I hear a MAGA-type scream “how come they don’t get in line like my ancestors did?”
Yeah, there is no line to get in anymore unless you’re rich and well connected.
Most people don’t realize this.
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So - this tells people how to move to Mexico?
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I come from a privileged background, and even I recognize that they can’t get in line the way my ancestors did. My ancestors all arrived before there were immigration controls at all. Some of them were rich merchants in North America to make money, some were in North America out of desperation, a few were transported petty criminals, one was a crewman on a wrecked ship, and a few were here before the Europeans. The only line to stand in was the line to walk down the gangway to the dock.
Now that Trump has eliminated the lottery, the family preference, and the path to a permanent visa from an H-1, there is literally no path to permanent residency for those who aren’t both rich and well connected, even if they do wait 25 years. Trump says the country is full. (He’s said literally that.)
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Precisely. I’m a legal permanent resident in the US, and that status took 15 years, around $50,000 and six lawyers to achieve. I am college educated and in an extremely high demand field, so this was comparatively easy. My employers paid about 80% of the costs, so my case is dripping with privilege and still it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. For all that, I still have relatively few rights and the government can revoke my status at any time for no reason.
Legal immigration is not an option for 99.99% of people.
PS. And after all that, now I wanna go home. Thanks Trump. 
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There are so many good places in the world. I am astounded that you would do that. You must have had your reasons.
Well 25 years ago this country was a very different place.
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Yes, I do.
(U.S. citizen.)
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Very true.
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