British couple locked up for 5 weeks for being in U.S. illegally

[joslar15]

My point isn't that it couldn't be done, it's that it can't be done without violating the fourth amendment. How do you know if someone is illegal?

Well, it must not be that difficult, ask the cops who found these folks!

 

[Dirtebiker]

Why are they always protecting the W E L F A R E takers, send all illegal back home

Wow in previous posts, I've been called a bigot and racist for similar comments!

 

[gunman41mag]

Well, it must not be that difficult, ask the cops who found these folks!

You are correct again

 

[Que]

A poor immigrant sucking our government's teet and wasting tax payer's dollars? Yes, I'm sure it(the OP) would be different.

These people were here on vacation, spending THEIR money in our country and got a harsher punishment than most illegals that come here to exploit our system.

Nope, I don't care what they said they were doing. They can say anything they want. So what they were on vacation? They could be al qaeda operatives for all I know. They are illegal and they need to go back to England before they get too comfortable. Besides, who travels to other countries and not understand the limitations of their visa? I would be terrified to do that, but they "assumed" their stay would be automatically lengthened? Wrong!

 

[gunman41mag]

Wow in previous posts, I've been called a bigot and racist for similar comments!

The illegals are law breakers, all should be sent back. I didn't mention any one country of origin

 

[Dirtebiker]

How realistic is rounding up illegal immigrants though? And how do you do it without violating the rights of legal immigrants and law abiding (though socialist they may be) citizens? How do you tell the difference between the three categories?

Easy.... You get stopped for a traffic violation, you show your I.d., get your ticket, or warning, and move on! Unless your an illegal! In that case, you can't produce I.d., or you hand over a fake, and hopefully the L.E.O. Can figure that out.... You are arrested, given a trial , or plead guilty, then serve your sentence and/or get deported, and not be allowed back! (in a perfect scenario)
Or....... You apply for a job, fill out the paper work, show your ( fake) I'd. or whatever, company does the right thing.... Doesn't hire you and /or reports you, then continue as the above situation.
Or..... You commit a crime of any kind, get processed, etc. etc. ... Get deported.

Simple no rights violations..... Just ENFORCE THE LAWS along with getting the damn fence built and lock down the borders!

Of course, It can't be done over night. But it sure ain't working as it is now!!!!!

 

[Dirtebiker]

The illegals are law breakers, all should be sent back. I didn't mention any one country of origin

Neither did I!!!!

 

[Benny]

Nope, I don't care what they said they were doing. They can say anything they want. So what they were on vacation? They could be al qaeda operatives for all I know. They are illegal and they need to go back to England before they get too comfortable. Besides, who travels to other countries and not understand the limitations of their visa? I would be terrified to do that, but they "assumed" their stay would be automatically lengthened? Wrong!

I never said they weren't wrong and shouldn't be punished. I simply stated the fact that they received a harsher punishment for spending their money in our country than most illegals that are here to spend our money.

Maybe you don't agree, but I think that is absolutely ridiculous.

 

[Bunnykid68]

Nope, I don't care what they said they were doing. They can say anything they want. So what they were on vacation? They could be al qaeda operatives for all I know. They are illegal and they need to go back to England before they get too comfortable. Besides, who travels to other countries and not understand the limitations of their visa? I would be terrified to do that, but they "assumed" their stay would be automatically lengthened? Wrong!

They probably assumed that from reading how we treat all of our illegal immigrants that we give free money too that they would be ok

 

[gunman41mag]

Neither did I!!!!

Originally Posted by Dirtebiker
Wow in previous posts, I've been called a bigot and racist for similar comments!

I don't think my comments are racist or am I a bigot, for wanting our LAWS to be enforced

 

[gunman41mag]

They probably assumed that from reading how we treat all of our illegal immigrants that we give free money too.

And " F R E E " airline tickets back to ENGLAND

 

[Que]

I never said they weren't wrong and shouldn't be punished. I simply stated the fact that they received a harsher punishment for spending their money in our country than most illegals that are here to spend our money.

Maybe you don't agree, but I think that is absolutely ridiculous.

These are typical comments and no I don't agree that every person that is here illegally is on welfare or taking advantage of the system. Should anyone be sent home if they are here illegally? Yes, I think so. I doubt if the few pounds they spent in the States are going to pull our country out of the red, so I can care less about the money they spent while on vacation and no matter how much they spent, they can't buy me.

 

[Garb]

By their WELFARE check

Lol, I do think cutting welfare programs would help a lot. I think that, combined with securing the border and eliminating the ridiculous war on drugs is the best solution. Rounding up people won't bode well for the Feds.

 

[jsharmon7]

Well at least their friends back home won't have to sit through those awful vacation photos. Always gotta look at the bright side...

 

[Benny]

These are typical comments and no I don't agree that every person that is here illegally is on welfare or taking advantage of the system.

1. What are typical comments?

2. Who said that every person here illegally is on welfare or taking advantage of the system?

Should anyone be sent home if they are here illegally? Yes, I think so.

Me too...I simply stated that the fact that they got a harsher punishment than a lot of illegals here exploiting the system is ridiculous.

I doubt if the few pounds they spent in the States are going to pull our country out of the red,

No one said it would, but it could easily discourage other law-abiding foreigners from coming here and spending money...Again, I agree with you that we should have sent them back home, but detaining them for over a month is ridiculous.

so I can care less about the money they spent while on vacation and no matter how much they spent, they can't buy me.

If you can care less, you are caring too much.
(reps for the civil discussion/argument when I spread the wealth)

 

[beararms1776]

They probably were thinking they could come here without a problem. All the other illegals do it.

 

[stormryder]

It was done in 1954 Operation Wetback - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lets bring up Operation Wetback II.

Besides, you think we would have been treated differently(less harshly) in another country, if WE let our VISA expire while there???

I seriously doubt it.

 

[Garb]

Easy.... You get stopped for a traffic violation, you show your I.d., get your ticket, or warning, and move on! Unless your an illegal! In that case, you can't produce I.d., or you hand over a fake, and hopefully the L.E.O. Can figure that out.... You are arrested, given a trial , or plead guilty, then serve your sentence and/or get deported, and not be allowed back! (in a perfect scenario)
Or....... You apply for a job, fill out the paper work, show your ( fake) I'd. or whatever, company does the right thing.... Doesn't hire you and /or reports you, then continue as the above situation.
Or..... You commit a crime of any kind, get processed, etc. etc. ... Get deported.

Simple no rights violations..... Just ENFORCE THE LAWS along with getting the damn fence built and lock down the borders!

Of course, It can't be done over night. But it sure ain't working as it is now!!!!!

Illegal immigrants can get drivers licenses too, and a fake one doesn't necessarily mean they are illegal. What ID are you talking about? Green card? SS card? Birth Certificate? As for the company doing the right thing, not all of them are going to. There was a discussion in another thread about farmers being out of work because illegals are getting deported. As for criminals who are illegal immigrants, yes, deport them. You are simplifying something that is very complex.

 

[Stschil]

While I agree, All illegals should be deported, I don't see the situation with this couple to have the required intent for it to have risen to a criminal status and thus derserving of the treatment they were given.
I agree they were at fault for not knowing, however, a quick check to confirm the booking of the return airline tickets would have shown they either were intending to leave or they were not. If the return was scheduled within the second 90 days that they allegedly believed they had, levy the fine, put them on a persona nongrata list even and activate the airfare.
We are talking about two different type of actions
1. the entering of out country illegally, which in itself proves intent to commit the crime

2. The remaining in the country after a valid visa to enter had been issued.
There seems to be a possibility of mitigating circumstances that may disprove criminal intent. Our government agencies have to ability to verify flight information, this whole process could have taken less than a day.

The angst over this, however, stems from another issue that many feel passionately about. I share those feelings, but when removed from the bridal of them, it can be easily seen there was a better way this could have been handled and that these two senior British citizens are neither the cause of that emotion nor should be to target of it.

 

[88GT]

My point isn't that it couldn't be done, it's that it can't be done without violating the fourth amendment. How do you know if someone is illegal?

It can't be done completely. But it's not as if there aren't other measures of evidence that can be used. And federal law allows for the request of immigrant papers. In fact, it demands their production upon request.

I'll grant the devil is in the details in knowing who to ask. And the catch-22 that if you knew who to ask, you wouldn't have to ask. But there are clues. So it's not completely impossible.