The people I know go no exemption on taking the test in another language. They walked into immigration for their citizenship test told the officer their english was not good, can then ask the questions in their native language and the officers REGRETTABLY complied. I think this is awful and should not be acceptable. As for the seasonal work visas-in Hawaii they hand out temporary work visas for people from Honduras and Panama to pick the coffee since they cannot find enough local labor force to do the job right. Anyone want to move to Hawaii to pick coffee a few months each year? I am thinking of it.
gabesz: Strange. I cant seem to find anything on the official website about passing the test without English, unless one qualifies for any of the exceptions. English sufficiency test without English..? Haha, cant figure that one out even if I tried. :O Hawaii, eh? Hmmmm... Why not? If it doesnt exist already, Im surprised that mainland US doesnt do the same thing. Clearly, lots of Americans cant be bothered with certain jobs, and thus, an entire nation is dependent on that workforce being brought in from elsewhere. I have a feeling that many(not all, haha) Americans want to both have the cake and eat it: "Yaaaay for cheap workers/services - boooooo for scary foreigners, taking our jobs..." Thats a classic back home as well. *sigh*...
The temporary visas also exists on the mainland for agricultural work since as you say we are overdependent on a workforce we are too lazy to do on our own. And you are right Americans want their cake and eat it as well. Shame on us.
I guess I am at a loss here v8eyedoc...if you don't like the way things are going in the US, why not just leave. I have discovered that one of the great things about gringos living in Mexico is that we don't usually complain about the way things are done in Mexico, we find humor in the situation.
Scorpio, life is very short and I choose to live my life where I am happy and content. I worked way too many years for "the man" in the US and was miserable. Now I live in the Riviera Maya, have my own business along with great, like minded friends that were not afraid to seek a more comfortable way of life. I no longer have your political correctness issues and life is good...really good. I could could not care less about who leaves or who stays in the US, that is their choice. It is my life and now I live it the way I choose. Maybe you might consider how many years you have left on this big blue planet and think living what is instead of what should be. The humble opinion of a happy person living a great life with no regrets.
Come to Mexico, if you want to compete for a job based on your qualifications. Unhandicapped, young, white male, well educated, Spanish speaking, and lots of valuable experience will not weigh you down, here; nor will you feel the burden of those affirmative action programs you've spoken of. :mexicoflag: Scorpio, you're not old enough to behave or think like a bitter old man who resents the opportunities he sees others enjoying. Most of your life still lies ahead, and it's full of good surprises. Trust me.
When I hear some American complaining that an illegal Mexican or EVEN legal Mexican has taken an American job......IT MAKES ME SICK!!! Thes people are doing menial tasks - jobs which no American wants at all....!!!! Like cleaning toilets at Walmart - gardeners - roofing - picking crops............
What irks me most about the whole controversy is the hypocrisy on all sides. One country stating, while maintaining its right to control its borders, that another country doesn't have that right. What happens here in Mexico when people from the southern border come through "without passing through Immigration?" The are "repatriated" while Mexicans doing the same thing going through the northern border are "deported." What would happen to any non-Mexican citizen living here who just decided to not follow the rules of the Immigration and Naturalization Services or just wander back and forth between countries without passports, FM-3's or 2's? Although primarily a philosophical anarchist who believes that we are all citizens of the world and that borders are artificial inventions, I find it a currently untenable philosophy to put into practice at this time. Sovereign countries seem to at least think they have the right to control their borders and what happens within their territory and we seem to have to follow their rules if we wish to not be hassled, jailed, deported or repatriated. Sigh.
