They changed the law in 1986 that made all the illegals who got in before 1982 legal under certain circumstances.
The keyword is "certain". The circumstances had mostly to do with regimes that were considered anti-American in the tail end of the Cold War. This was mostly politics about international relations, not immigration.
So a lot of Hispanic immigrants got a break. This was during Ronald Reagan's administration. Then they changed the law again at the end of the 90s. That was really the last time the law was changed.
Particularly if they were from socialist leaning nations. This was the time that Nicaragua had gone deeply socialist, El Salvador was having its "problema" (actually a civil war... I wore bullet proof vests when I visited my client there), Guatemala and Honduras were leaning left, we had the Noriega dictatorship in Panama and the FARC in Colombia. All those and others gave many a "free pass".
We need to do for immigrants today what was done for them then. We used to be the land of opportunity. Now we want to shut the border and keep only Hispanics out. This is all aimed at Hispanics.
No, it is not. Mexicans are migrating much less than before because their economy, despite the carteles, is prospering. It's just as much about Asians, Indians, Haitians, Africans and, particularly Muslims from both Arab nations and places like Indonesia.
My friend from Australia is treated differently than people from south and central America. We need a law that has a path to citizenship that is fair for all immigrants.
And, maybe, just maybe, your friend has followed the proper procedures and also has a "wanted skill" such as computer programming, technology, AI, and the like.
A relative of a friend from Colombia just graduated with a masters back there. He got a job at a tech support company in Miami and was easily granted a visa based on his skills.
It's too late for that. Their home countries are screwed up. The process is broken. You can't put the toothpaste back in the tube. Some of these people have been here for 20 years and their case hasn't been heard yet.
That part does need fixing. And there is certainly an issue when it is suggested that children, raised and educated here with American customs and English as their main language might have to go back to a country where they don't know anyone, don't know anything but kitchen Spanish and have no skill useful in Latin America.
The real issue is regulating and qualifying those who want to come here now.
They've gone to college, they've had kids, their kids are citizens, and they are not. We've never treated people like this. Never. That's why the poster called it racist. Because it's all aimed at Hispanics. Yes Hispanics are not a race, but they are being targeted by their country of origin. The politicians have to fix the problem, and the problem won't be fixed by deportations. These people are doing the work needed to keep this economy moving and food on the table affordable. All 6 people killed when the Baltimore bridge collapsed were Hispanic immigrants, mostly from Mexico.
Actually, they were half from Central America... Honduras and Guatemala.
Having radio newscasters lump all immigrants on one category because they're Hispanic is unfair and discriminatory.
If I read the reports correctly, the person in Houston was referring to all those illegally entering across the Mexican border. A huge percentage are not Hispanic.
