Albany Government Law Review

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.