Controversy erupts after undocumented immigrant waves Mexican flag at graduation

Actually you simply want to create a situation where people can break the law with impunity and then say oh well it's too hard to sort this out now. Her parents put her in that situation. They knew they were breaking the law and they knew they would put their daughter in a precarious legal situation. They're respinsible yor that. Cases like these simply give a green light to millions of other people to cross the border and basically claim squatters rights. Foreigners don't have a right to show up here whenever they want and then claim they have a right to be here. Immigration isn't a foreigner's legal right. There are people who follow the process and wait years to be here. How is this girl's activity, illegal immigration allowed by virtue of geography, fair to them?

 

Perhaps a better example then would be the Basque who were defeated in the 16th C. but to this day Basque nationalists still fly their flag. Kurdish parts of Turkey or Tibet. The PRC calls Tibet as a separate country a non-existent entity and pro-independence Tibetans traitors and outlaws the flying of symbols of Lama ruled Tibet yet many Tibetans still do in secret.

My main point stands that tribalism and family history is a strong force in human nature.

 

Exactly it's a great thing she did something good with her life like getting a college degree and going to a masters program. But a wrong is a wrong. You steal a million bucks from a dbag rich person an invest it well to make it two million which you then give back to society. That's nice but you shouldn't have stole.

Our immigration system is broken but here's still a line where honest people wait and wait. They don't try to come here illegally or skip to the front like many Hispanics. The 11-20 million illegal immigrants need to pay a penalty of some sort like 6 years in the Peace Corps, higher sales tax, plant trees beside Westheimer, teach Spanish for free etc. Better border security and mandatory employment background checks corss referenced to citizenship database is the way to go. Your family won't be broken up, but you will get a hefty fine and penalty which you have to pay back either with money, time, or skill.

 

I'm certainly making the assumption that she's of legal age and responsible for her own actions. Considering the quote below she is apparently interested in paving the way to make it easier for others to break the law which is just swell. I'm sure there are tens of thousands of Susanese or insert nationality here that wish they could just walk across the border, set up shop, and justify it by working hard.

“No matter how hard you work or how qualified you are there are people… (who feel) that we’re taking the place of a student that was born here,” Esparaza told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "Being an undocumented student on campus has definitely motivated me to work as hard as I can to ensure I am opening doors for the next generation of undocumented students.”

 

I'm not picking at this post in particular because several people have mentioned appropriate times for waving foreign flags on American soil, and other times such as this graduation that they deem inappropriate.

What I haven't figured out is what makes some times inappropriate and other times perfectly acceptable. Who decided these times? Is there a way that immigrants should know those times beforehand?

 

Just regular logic.

What if I take a trip to France and unfurl and American flag while taxing and wave it while deboarding? Just weird.

What if I go to Mexico and wave a US flag during a Monterrey vs. Guadalajara match? Again, just odd.

It's like those people at sporting evenrs who are wearing jerseys of a team that isn't even playing. Shouldn't they be watching that game instead?

Her graduation is a triumph of her American heritage (and yeah, she's way more American than Mexican, even if she doesn't like to admit it).

 

I would bet they are more than happy to pay a hefty penalty. There are a certain segment of "us" that would ever let "them" have that option, even for kids. The problem can be addressed and need to be addressed. In the meantime, heck yeah, those that are here illegally, especially those that didn't have a said so should do whatever possible to live a positive life and show others the path. Much better than so many given so many opportunities and fk it away.

 

Because working super hard is bad for this country???

She isn't the type of immigrant - legal or illegal, we should be worried about. I don't have a problem with someone strong enough to overcome the challenges they faced to make it here and get a diploma. Kudos to her. The only reason people are complaining is because she waved a Mexican flag. Had that flag been Irish no one would give two hoots.

 

What if it was China or France?

 

China would have made people think she was a spy. France she would have been burned at the steak.

 

How about Greece or Iran?

 

Letting someone break the law because they're goal oriented and hard working is a problem, yes, whether it's a Wall Street trader or an illegal immigrant.

If she were an Irish illegal immigrant flaunting her illegal status I'd be just as annoyed. We're a nation of laws but screw that when it comes to mass illegal immigration because she's brown? Whatever. I'm Hispanic and that's never excused me from following the law in any case and it certainly shouldn't in hers. She's working to open the doors for the next generation of illegals? She should be deported yesterday.

 

The only difference between you following the law and her not is circumstance. Unless you are willing to state that you would have the moral integrity to deport yourself as soon as you had the ability if you were brought in here illegally as a baby by your parents, you sound like a condescending ass.

Don't be jealous that she is far more successful than you(graduated from one of the best universities in the nation) while being an 'illegal' human.

 

You're putting a little too much weight on a fairly typical and intermediary accomplishment while making assumptions about your counterparty's background.

 

For real. These Indian people love to throw around terms like "successful" like it means anything. And no one said anything about deporting yourself just that in her situation it helps to be modest and sensitive about waving a mexican flag.

 

She went through hard times when people wrote here off. She is proud of her origin. Let her be

 

So ... "legal Americans" spent 20+ years trying to deport her and/or her family ... and now they're demanding that she wave the American flag and deport herself?

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

 

I'm curious for those who keep on saying "She Broke The Law!" If they have always followed the law. I presume they've never sped, jaywalked, or drank alcohol before they were 21. I presume then if they are calling for her to self-deport they are then willing to go and voluntarily pay fines for the above offenses if they weren't caught.

I agree we have laws but what point are these laws when they are so out of touch with reality as to be almost unenforceable? Many like to complain about illegals coming and taking our jerbs but most seem willing to enjoy what they bring to our economy. People keep on coming to this country, are willing to risk their lives in dangerous crossings and pay smugglers, because businesses and individuals are willing to hire them. Instead of blaming people who are coming here to work and get their children education perhaps they should blame the businesses who are more than willing to hire them.

Of course just be prepared for higher prices and more difficulty in getting things from strawberries to construction done.

 

I'm not the one telling others that they need to deport themselves when they would never do such things themselves in their shoes.

 

How can a 2-year old break the law?

No you wouldn't even know about it because it would have never been reported. There's 10k undocumented Irish folks in Boston for instance - and each year they get a parade.

I am surprised by this reaction coming from you. Really thought you were progressive. She came here when she was two, grew up in fear and with family members getting deported. She faced racism all her life. As a minority - I am sure you have too. Despite having little and getting little she managed to take the opportunities afforded to her and out compete others to achieve her dream.

She did not break any law. This is the only country she knows. A country that allows you to express yourself freely no matter how unpopular it might be. She's a winner, and that's what this country is about - winners. I say congrats to her.