Exactly, Sherry! When it comes to immigration, the laws are inconsistent and the process is confusing and expensive. I am helping someone now with renewal of their permanent residency card and I can’t make sense of the instructions! Called the Jacksonville immigration office about a question for which none of the selections applied and the “help” person didn’t know what to do. I ended up lending the immigrant, who had saved $540 for the cost of the renewal application and fingerprinting, money to see an attorney to get assistance with the application.

I have a neighbor who grew up here. Her parents came and have remained here legally but the father’s type of Visa and work permit doesn’t allow him or his family a route to citizenship or permanent residency. The children were all less than six when they arrived. The girl has received her MBA but was refused a work permit in spite of having a job waiting for her! Our government, in all its stupidity, wants to deport this highly intelligent, well-educated woman, who is as American as I am, to Venezuela, a country in complete chaos! She has exhausted her options. Rather than deportation, she will probably move to China where she has been offered a job teaching. Her brother, who is in college now, and was only 6 months old when they moved LEGALLY to the U.S., will have the same problem. The older sister, who is not very intelligent, was a poor student and didn’t go to college, got pregnant in high school, married her American boyfriend, and was able to become a citizen, while her accomplished siblings will be deported or will have to move to another country. Insane!!