3 Alb. Govt. L. Rev. 57 (2010)
Margaret W. Wong, Scott Bratton, Lori Pinjuh, & Francis Fungsang
This article is a short summary of views on what immigration
policies need to be changed after having practiced in the field of
immigration law for a cumulative of sixty-plus years. People born outside of the United States view this country as a “Golden
Mountain” and envision a land of freedom and opportunity. After entering the United States, however, they often encounter
difficulties navigating through the nation’s complex immigration
laws. The U.S. immigration system identifies four distinct
categories of people in the United States: citizens; lawful
permanent residents (green card holders); temporary visa
holders; and unauthorized aliens. These distinctions become
blurred for those who have become mired in the technicalities of
the legal process—from those waiting for the opportunity to apply for permanent residence, to those struggling to avoid detention and deportation. This country must find a way to balance, on one hand, the need for ensuring the safety and security of our borders, and the structuring of an efficient system that allows the highly skilled and the best and brightest people to contribute to our economic system, allowing families, defined as parents, siblings, children, and grandchildren, to join together.