US Immigration as Flawed as Ever

Word has spread quickly of a Marine's widow and their child's (1) inability to legally immigrate to the US because of an old U.S. immigration law requiring their marriage to be consummated. Having faced my own immigration battles just a few years ago, I knew the system had its' faults, but never to this extent.

The obvious fault here is that the widow and her then-boyfriend had consummated their relationship prior to marriage, which is evident in the birth of their child. Unable to be together since they married, by law, their relationship was never technically consummated in marriage. I have battled through the technicalities of immigration law myself, and the difficulties and expenses that are required are unimaginable.

The widow and her child are facing two huge hurdles: immigration and widowhood. I lost my husband after just a year and a half of marriage, and the emotional toll this takes on a widow are devastating. Now, this widow must battle through the flaws of a broken immigration system so that she can give their child a safe, loving home surrounded by her late husband's family.

U.S. immigration processes are difficult procedures that are nearly impossible to understand. Even as a person who grew up learning the English language, I still found myself lost in the legal jargon of the immigration forms. For someone like this Marine widow who has minimal knowledge of the English language, the immigration process must be extremely difficult. Immigration lawyers are also very costly, and now being a widow and a mother, there is bound to be little money left to put towards immigration expenses.

The facts are clear: whether it was before marriage or not, their relationship was consummated. Outdated laws force our legislative system to make an honest effort to quickly evaluate these laws for their credibility. Many of the laws based on US immigration are flawed and cause extra expense and time for not only those trying to immigrate to the United States, but also to its citizens. Everytime someone gets denied or appeals, more money is spend on their case.

Re-evaluations need to be made of the entire immigration system in the United States. It is not an issue of border crossings, patriot acts, or who can come. It is about streamlining and simplifying the process.

This can be done by combining the multiple forms that are required to be submitted for immigration. One form for each type of visa should be used which would then allow less staffing for immigration processing centers, and less fees for those applying.

Loopholes in the system should be closed so that no one can slip through the cracks, and all get a fair chance. This is especially important for those who cannot afford immigration attorneys and do not know the quickest routes to enter the United States legally. Closing loopholes creates safeguards for our citizens, and also allows everyone and equal and fair chance to live in the United States legally.

All laws pertaining to immigration, that are 10 or more years old, should be re-examined. The global map is constantly changing and laws consistently ned to be re-evaluated for equal opportunity, protection, and flaws. As is evident in this case of United States Marine widow and their child, old laws can become outdated.

This particular immigration story calls for legislative action to rethink the immigration process beyond border issues and terrorism. It is a much broader issue than these two items, and we should never forget that love does transcend borders. The pursuit of life, liberty and happiness is still true today.

Sources:
(1) Hall, Kristin M. The Associated Press. 17 September 2009 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090917/ap_on_re_us/us_marine_s_widow_immigration