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I never understood the recent anti immigration sentiment, especially when we knew we'd be having labor shortages in the near future. We need like 4M workers across the country. And it's not a quick process either. It took these people at least 5 years to get their citizenship.

I would have no problem with immigrants if housing was available. A studio apartment in my area starts at 1700 a month because there's a housing shortage and high demand. A 3 bedroom starts at 3500. So you have a family of immigrants able to live in the town I grew up in, but I cannot afford to house my family where I live any longer. We may need the jobs and don't get me wrong, most immigrants are hard workers. But provide the housing along with it.

Really? Over here an entire apartment is 500 a month

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I'd like to imagine anyone other than the very extreme fringe groups are always pro legal immigration. Most countries have very strict regulations on immigration so that potential immigrants need to prove they can be functioning and contributing members of society. This is good.

Seems like your beef should be with the corporations scooping up homes and apartments as opposed to immigrants.

It’s easy to understand when you look at the number of people who watch Fox News.

Welcome!

I'm one of those immigrants that became a US citizen in the past year. It took me 4 years from when I applied for mine. And I was a spousal immigrant, which is the fastest category. It takes most people years longer.

No no. Acording to Faux^^^^^entertainment Newz* the U.S.A. has open borders when the Dems are in office. Strangely not a word about open borders when Republicans are in office. Must be some kind of switch they flip in the Oval office. Also anytime an election is coming up there are migrant caravans lined up at the border that only Republcans can stop. Not sure why they are lined up at the border trying to get in... they said the borders are open!

Sorry to burst your bubble but that's not really true. In reality the US population is split into almost exactly 3rds regarding their thoughts on this issue

Cue Tucker Carlson's dumb fucking face making this a week's worth of episodes that alludes to white supremacist bullshit.

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I assume you’re including the process to applying for and obtaining the permanent resident status (green card) in this timeline, right?

Since, for spousal immigration and naturalization, the period you must be a permanent legal resident prior to N-400 application is 3 years instead of the standard 5.

But subtracting the green card holder period, your naturalization process only took about a year, then?

Took my wife and I 10+ years to just get a fucking green card. This system is so archaic, broken and prone to administrative BS that it's a better option to come here illegally.

And where is over here?

Northwest Arkansas. Plenty of immigrants, native people, and more specifically in the area I'm in. plenty of housing.. almost too much to go around. People come in and leave for better places all the time.

Yes, that includes the green card process. After my 3 years were over, it took me 1 month because I applied 3 months before my 3 year period was over from getting the green card, and it took only 4 months to naturalization from application. It took a year to get the green card.

Thank God! Land of the free. That was always our "Moto" Until Trumps racist ass wanted to build wall and made immigrants taboo! Welcome to the USA. Although it may not be what you expected I wish you the best of luck

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Because the recent anti immigration sentiment isn't new. Look at American history right up until the revolution... We've been in a perpetual pro-anti immigration battle from the start.

The country in which most people are coming from today... Their grandchildren and great grandchildren will be harping on the next wave whom ever they may be where ever they come.

Welcome!

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I have no coins to award you, but if I did. Bravo 👏🏻🥇

I think we live in the same place because the prices are about right. I'm certain the immigrant families can't afford $1,700 a month for a studio either.

Instead of scapegoating people for looking for a better life, we should join forces against greedy landlords that keep jacking up the rent and a housing system where prices never go down because people are leveraging their current assets too buy more rental properties.

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It's not landlords per say. If a house sells in a neighborhood for an amount above market value, the houses around it go up to. This is how the market justifies demand of an area. The landlords have every right to ask for more money when the property and that area are in high demand. What doesn't help with this is lack of housing and new housing being built.

A lot of the posts in this community are very uplifting, but I love how often people passive aggressively post political issues so they can rub their views in the faces of others who can't disagree with them without violating the community rules.

So uplifting, thank you.

So uplifting, thank you.

Welcome! I hope you find health, happiness and prosperity for yourself and your family.

All those former shithole residents are now Americans!

They’re building plenty of new luxury homes and apartments though! /s

It must be really shitty other places for people to be breaking records to be American. So, yay?

Welcome, new Americans! Our country is made stronger and more vibrant with you as a part of it.

Is it the new legal immigrants that are buying property above asking price? Or wealthy people / companies planning to rent them out to families like ours that can't afford to buy and can barely afford to rent?

Back to your original comment about new legal immigrants flooding the housing market and pricing you out if your houseing. Do you still feel that way after this exercise?

the housing shortage is artificial caused by air bnb and other rental companies/corporations that are buying up and renting every property they can

3 bed room house is under 1200/month where i live. maybe 1500 with an exceptionally large yard or highly sought after location

There's a lot more.to it than immigrants. But it's certainly not helping at least in my area. You have a great point though. I simply can't help but feel a little sour when part of the reason demand is so high along with rent is because people keep moving here and are able to move into a 2 bedroom with 8 people. My family of 4 including myself just can't keep up with the rising prices. A big part of it is of course that it's a nice place to live. There's housing out there that's not outrageous. But that's just not the case in my home town where I've resided for 31 years.

A lot of the comments in this community are very uplifting, but I love how often people passive aggressively post a “critique” about a post simply because in their mind, everything has to be inherently political. It seems to me that they like to post these passive aggressive “critiques” so they can rub their views in the faces of others who can't disagree with them without violating the community rules. ​What do you think?

they are so desperate for new workers they keep on lowering benefits, do not increas wages, lowering respect for botom libe workers, constant researching if they can move labour out of the country etc...

The import of immigrants grants companies workers with lower standards for pay, compensations, bonusses etc..

Also, the import of immigrants = importing a culture that loves 50-100 years behind when it comes to social stuff (compare central Europe to Morocow for instance)

I'm talking about a 2 bed one bath apartment.

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My wife included! Such a trip to think you can meet someone from across the world with an entirely different language, upbringing, and worldview, and somehow that’s your soulmate - fuckin a….

Welcome to America all you folks from around the world - we are thrilled to have you!

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That house just sold to a leasing company who is going to paint it and rent it out for $2000 or more per month.

Why's this uplifting news? Doesn't this show we have a problem in this world?

Have wages increased to fill the demand? If not I'd have to question if they really want to fill those positions.

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It's easier to point at foreigners as the source of your problems than it is to point at people you've been holding in prestige (billionaires, grandparents, etc).

Sometimes, sometimes people immigrate for love, or for work they could do at home, but someone in the US was hiring.

If place B is better place A might still be good. Just not as good for that person's life.

Good news!

Maybe, maybe not. But it’s nice to know that america is still perceived as a place where people can find a better life. And God knows we need the labor. Some of those low-skill jobs are basically tailor-made for first-gen immigrants. It’s a good deal all around.

Wait... you think immigrants coming to this country and becoming US citizens is a problem?

Please explain.

Immigrants have to jump through hoops and show qualifications to become US citizens. It is indeed a good way to welcome driven and productive people to a country built by welcoming driven and productive people.

Begs the question with so much anti-American sentiment I see on Reddit, why are so many people immigrating there?

Because a good chunk of the world happens to suck even more, and despite being in the best position to help, the US is an incredibly selfish place with a million cracks to fall through.

Or you know, just have kids. I'm personally against all immigration to this country and want the people already here to have children.

Red Hats must losing their collective shit.

>despite being in the best position to help

But if they accept immigrants and are also the largest provider of foreign aid in the world, how are they not helping?

Why is this uplifting ?

The aforementioned selfishness and cracks, which makes it so the US is constantly at war with its own proposed ideals.

>lenty of immigrants, native people, and more specifically in the area I'm in. plenty of housing.. almost too much to go around. People come in and leave for better places all the time.

You answered that question with "better places".

Ok just hang tight for 18-24 years till we can breed a new labor force here..

It won't be smooth sailing but it what must be done instead of importing people that don't share American values.

I'm afraid to have to tell you this, my friend, but most US Citizens probably don't share the 'American Values' that you subscribe to....

They should have to jump through hoops to start. Also, shouldn't the question be asked why so many people are trying to immigrate in the first place?

Immigration as it is isn't a problem. But isn't it worth asking why so many people are fleeing from their country in the first place? And how we can fix this.

You want to fix the problems in their countries instead of welcoming them into our country.

Do I have that correct?

I mean, I don't think illegal immigration is a good thing at all. I would never blame an illegal immigrant however, as I have been to places where people have fled and they are just looking for a safe life for themselves and generally would rather stay in their country. I don't think we should just let anyone in however.

The second point you are correct. If their are high numbers of immigrants it must mean the country they are going to is currently "better" than the one they are fleeing and this should be fixed.

Leagl immigration I have little problem with.

> I mean, I don't think illegal immigration is a good thing at all.

Oh.

But that's not the topic here at all.

Lol no need for quotation marks. American values are laid out in our founding documents, which includes The Constitution and Declaration of Independence. Ideals which you should "subscribe to" or honestly, leave. Ironically, immigrants take an oath to The Constitution, and then overwhelmingly vote for politicians that want to limit or completely take away one's rights enumerated in it, such as the right to freely speak, bear arms, and have due process, among other rights. And yes you're right, many born and bred Americans don't support those rights, which is a major issue that can be solved through education.

Immigrants keep the American dream alive!

I mean it's not like we live in a dump. hell it's actually getting better, and infrastructure is being rebuilt. by "better places" I meant leaving arkansas, because frankly the place is soon to be run by a crazy trump loving woman named sanders who wants to take away rights from poc and lgbtq people.

all of that sucks, but, in the meantime the rent is cheap and the place is slowly getting better.(and to be frank, progressive places aren't the best spots for poorer people in america considering that a lot of those places are built for upper-middle class people)

LOL, nothing at all wrong with NW Arkansas. My comment was more to underscore the power of perception. Better is of course subjective to what you want in a place. For most, that means better employment, but those places often come with much higher living costs, so not much is gained. Some like urban lifestyle and convenience, others like a more reclusive lifestyle and nature. The key is to figure out what one likes and to accept the good and bad that comes with it.

My beef isn't with immigrants over corporations. I'm just saying it doesn't help when anyone and their uncle can come over and increase the prices of the housing market.