Illegal in NY?

[NALs]

First.NYC sucks!! is only for rich and poor..Dominicans live in the poor areas of the city, I have not found any living in Midtown Manhattan or downtown, then you have DR when the minimun wage, -if you are working- is $193 a month!! or $6.43 a day. So is hard to sell to any Dominican to "comeback" home for a better living , if I was him, I would stay and give a try to US. Anyways, It allways will be an opportunity to go back to DR.. deported, legal, or citizen.

For the record, there are some Dominicans living in the Upper East and West sides as well as Midtown and the villages. I have not met any who lives in downtown, but there probably are a few there too.

Dominicans live in all types of neighborhoods, from lower class to upper class both in the city and in the suburbs. However, the vast majority are concentrated in the inner city poor neighborhoods, but that doesn't mean there are none living in the well-to-do areas of either NY, NJ, or CT.

Ok, back to topic.

-NALs

 

[Ricardo900]

First.NYC sucks!! is only for rich and poor..Dominicans live in the poor areas of the city, I have not found any living in Midtown Manhattan or downtown,

All Dominicans do not live in poor areas of the city, many of the second generation Dominicans attend college and receive excellent income working for major firms and companies in the city and they are assimilated very well into the Hip NYC Culture and live in Manhattan or Downtown.

Now, the successful First Generation Dominicans who arrived here, scraped and saved are home owners in Long Island, Queens and Staten Island. Being originally from the DR, they are into communal living and a nice house with a back-yard is what they know. So they will never settle for, even if they can afford it, a 3 Bedroom Condo on East 68th St and 5th Ave. To them that's not living.

I agree NYC is outrageous when it comes to pricing only for the Rich & Poor.

Back to the topic, I know a hardworking Dominican who has been here illegally for over 10 years and it tears him up that he will never return and beable to come back. Very Very homesick, I can't even imagine.

 

[johne]

The real Deal

is that you don't stand a chance being an illegal. Things are a lot different since 9/11 . You might read a bunch of success stories here but I would bet they are all 9 to 10 years old.Let me tell you a story about a 19 year old Dominican girl here on a work visa.

Carina's visa was to expire in Feb. She worked in her cousin's beauty salon on Long Island. Her cousin had moderate success and was illegal about 10 years ago. She became legal thru marriage to a man from Honduras. At the same time she was to go back another cousin was here on a visitors visa and they were to go back together. One week before" see you later "she announced she wasn't going back. There was no changing her mind by cousin #2 (who did return). She worked on her for 3 days, including a phone call to her mother in SD. Surprise--mother says I want her to stay there. Its best for her and she can send me remittances!
Beauty Salon cousin says nothing. Why? Because her husband wants her here to keep working at less than minimum. Wants her to continue paying her rent on the one bedroom. Wants her to continue to pay her share of the food and wants her to baby sit when not at the salon. So, will he be exploited? I think so.

There are bodegas in this city one about every 75 feet apart. Most of then our small, crappy, dirty and I see very few sales in the ones located in Brooklyn and Queens.So how do they survive? I dont know but I hear rumors. Funny, when you're born and raised here how you hear things.
There are been quite a few cases of food stamp fraud. I wont go into the details of how this is done right now but it is fraud. It's a crime against the City of New York.
There is also a rumor afloat that bodegas deal in illegal betting and drug sales. I dont know. I dont use drugs as I get my highs from sex orgies. (now if you believe that line I have a bridge to sell you)
So is it possible that your guy will be exploited? Will he rise from sweeping floors in some crappy bodega? Dont know but I can guess.

One poster suggested "go for it what do you have to lose?"Not a clear thinker. Plenty to lose. If you overstay and then need to get back to the DR -you are not coming back here again. Ever. Never.
His mother is sick. Dying. Dead. So you dont go back? Hmmmmm?
And all these suggestions in many other threads how you can just reverse yourself by filling out form xyz or form 123. I dont believe it.

Now the confusing part for me. If he was not suffering in the DR ie: not using a cup to shower himself, getting a education, etc. why is he so intent on overstaying? Is the visa not renewable if he makes a return to the DR and then returns to NY? This is why I never understood Carina's decision. All she had to do was return to the DR. Stay a while and then she was permitted to return. Instead she threw it all away.

The cheapest apartment you can get in NYC is $950 per month. Yes, you can get a room for $500 but you are sharing the "common" areas with other people. So how would he rise out of the dung heap living in NYC with $500 a week? There is food. Travel. Utilities. Clothes. and bla, bla bla.

In the area that Carina lived in, Long Island, there are dozens of men each morning by the roadside waiting to be picked up for work. Any work. Hard work. Eight dollars an hour. They rush your car if you stop or slow. I drove Carina by the streets. Didnt matter to her. "I'm staying"

In summary, I don't think being an illegal in the U.S.A. is very smart for a person with a full life ahead of them.

Chip,if I can be of any further help please don't hesitate to call upon me.
JOHN

 

[El Tigre]

John,

I get what you are saying. But I do not appreciate how you all of a sudden come on here and try to set the record straight and that your point holds the most vadility. That is how it came across to me and I apologize if that wasn't how it was supposed to be perceived.

Like I had said before, I have a VERY large family and some of them are illegal AND very sucessful.

I still stand by what I said. If this kid comes here from the DR and can rent a room for 500 dollars a month AND he is smart he can save a lot of money to help his family out. Or he can have a goal like "i'll work for two or three years and then go back". Everyone deserves a chance. I know it doesn't seem logical for this kid to do this.

Chip - please pardon the questions and I know you mentioned something about his parents both being employed. The question is are they middle class, lower class? What is te deal? What university does he attend? What is his major?

 

[Chip00]

El Tigre

First I agree with a lot of things John has said based one of which being the probable fact that the kid will not be able to ever return to the States if he overstays his visa.

FYI his mother works as a nurse and his father is a carpenter(has his own business) and he is studying medicine at one of the Universities (don't want to say for obvious reasons). they would be considered lower middle class I guess because they have there own house and car and stable jobs if not much material posessions.

The doctors I have seen in the DR do well, this with the fact that I believe relatively few illegals do well in the States more or less convinced me that staying in the DR was the best choice for his future

 

[johne]

Not trying to set the record straight

John,

I get what you are saying. But I do not appreciate how you all of a sudden come on here and try to set the record straight and that your point holds the most vadility. That is how it came across to me and I apologize if that wasn't how it was supposed to be perceived.

Like I had said before, I have a VERY large family and some of them are illegal AND very sucessful.

I still stand by what I said. If this kid comes here from the DR and can rent a room for 500 dollars a month AND he is smart he can save a lot of money to help his family out. Or he can have a goal like "i'll work for two or three years and then go back". Everyone deserves a chance. I know it doesn't seem logical for this kid to do this.

Chip - please pardon the questions and I know you mentioned something about his parents both being employed. The question is are they middle class, lower class? What is te deal? What university does he attend? What is his major?

Alex--sorry if I came across as a know it all. Far from it. I tried to say I don't know it all but, please, I am entitled to my opinons without being called to task about it.
What part of my post do you disagree with? Lets see:
1) the word "illegal"? I would bet this is the most troubling to you. Well,I don 't have describe the word to you do I? We are a nation of laws. We live by the law. Immigration is the hottest topic in America right now and I am not going to fly off topic to discuss it. Suffice to say its not legal. I did say that MANY of the success stories happen prior to 9/11. I dont think that you could have a problem with that. Tell me if you do, please.
2) $950 apartments? Problem? Didn't I say you could get a room for $500?
Whats the problem here?
3) "Dirty, crappy, bodegas dealing drugs and cashing food stamps" with unsubstantiated sales? Come on Alex we both live here and we know the game.Whats the problem with this statement?
4) That he will never, ever, return? Well, my take on that is he will apply for another visa. Wait months. Get a pin #. Wait weeks for a meeting at the embassy.Wait 7 hot smelly hours at the Embassy for the 3 MINUTES in front of the interviewer. The interviewer will use one minute to say" OK buster we gave you one chance before. You overstayed. Why should I let you back in again? How can I trust you"? The young man has one minute, one chance to explain why he wants to reenter. Interviewer takes the 3rd minute.
I said in my posting -No way--myopinion . Whats wrong with that?
5)What did I leave out other than "Chip if I can help you in any OTHER way call on me" Whats wrong with that?
Maybe you think Chip would like to hear everything is fine and he doesn't have a problem(He asked "Do I have a problem here?)
In summary, my answer is--Yes you do both morally and legally.
JOHN
P.S. Just in case readers might not understand my position on immigration I am 100% against illegal immigration.

 

[2LeftFeet]

NYC isn't an easy place to live in. It can be very overwhelming especially if you've never LIVED here. It can get lonely if you don't know anybody. NYC isn't the DR. There are 8 million people here. All in a rush to get no where. People want things done YESTERDAY. It's not a laid back place. It can be cold. You can live in an apt for years and not know who your neighbors are.

I think many people who come here think that they are going to make it big. They are going to make lots of money..... NYC is very expensive. There is so much to do and so much to see. So many people have MONEY that it's enticing and I think the lure of quick money is a scary possibility. So many Dominicans get lured in and then find themselves on the other side of the jail cell.

It is the land of opportunity but you have to be legal and even then it's difficult. If you aren't legal what are you going to do? Be a deliveryman? The Pakistani's are pushing the Dominicans out of Bodegas. He can drive a livery. That's very dangerous. He can be robbed. Office cleaner?

Most illegals live in the poorer neighborhoods where it's dangerous. I think if he comes here he's not going to be happy after awhile. It's going to be more diificult than he thinks.

He's going to start way behind the 8 ball and he's going to make his mother worry! So he should not do this!

Maybe after he gets here he'll realize how difficult it is and not do it.

 

[Chip00]

First of thanks for all of the advice , especially to Johne and El Tigre. I want to hear the good and the bad.

At this point the kid nor his family are really no longer paying attention to me. This thing Domincans have for NY has been around for a while and the people have actually grown up hearing about it all the time they really can't think rationally about it. I guess it would be the same for an American for example if somebody were to say George Washington was a criminal, fraud and child molester - we would just ignore the person making the claim even if there was evidence.

What I wonder, as I don't really watch the news reports here in the DR, is if they are reporting about the ever increasing deportations in the US, even of hard working people who have no history of problems with the law? I seriously doubt it. The only real disconcerting voice would be mine I believe.

Also, my personal opinion about illegal immigration maybe somewhat complicated. For one I don't like laws to be broken and the law should show no favoritism. However, I sympathize completely with many illegal hardworking immigrants who have come to the US to make a better life in the US just like millions have in the centuries beforehand. When you get down to it the US wouldn't be what it was if not for immigration - it is part of our history and the fabric of our society.

El Tigre definitely makes me feel a little bit better about the kid's future but I really don't think his cousin who got him the job at the Bodega has his future in mind - he just wants good, cheap, honest labor. Maybe he will make it on his own. He is quite bright and came from a Christian family even though he left the church so he hang out with the pals and chase girls and drink. That may not be the worse thing in the world if not taken to an extreme. I just hope he doesn't get drawn into some group that gets into trouble.

Also, El Tigre if he does stay could I put the kid in contact with you?

Thanks to all

 

[rubio_higuey]

but in the long run he needs bank records and credit history and a SS#

If he went for a work and study or work and travel program, which are legit programs that allow legal work (though conditioned and restricted to petitioner employers, etc.) he would get his SS# and SS card. the SS card would state "valid for work with USCIS authorization only".

He can open a bank account with a valid passport, which he has to already have in order for him to have received the work and study or work and travel visa.

So with a SS# (even though legally limited for working for certain employer) and bank account, he can start his credit.

Back in 2000 before I got my US residency, I came to the US on business visa and opened up my company. I got a SSN and SS card stating "not valid for employment" because of Driver's Licence requirements. I opened a bank account with just my passport and business visa. I got my Bank of America unsecured credit card with a 2k limit with NO SS# after 6 months!!!! That was back in 2000. Times have changed and things changed as well. But he will have things a BIT easier, because he WILL have his own SS number.

I reiterate, if he goes for ANY legal work program (even though it's a 3 months program), he WILL get a SS# and SS card,

 

[rubio_higuey]

This thing Domincans have for NY has been around for a while and the people have actually grown up hearing about it all the time they really can't think rationally about it.

Looks like the Dominican comedy showing adventures of Balboa in "Nueva Yol' " I, II and III did not help. The comedy depicted in reality the life many Dominicans face in NY, including drugs, crime, bad accomodations, difficulty to find job, and when finding one it's a low paying job, immigration problems, raids, etc.

Dominicans still have and will have the "heaven" imagination when hearing words "Nueva York".

 

[something_of_the_night]

Looks like the Dominican comedy showing adventures of Balboa in "Nueva Yol' " I, II and III did not help.

I thought they went from Nueba Yol I directly to III because las partes dos nunca sirven.