[diversionfactor]

I worked that long in another country, as an American, and had kids there. Then I was laid off. The government didn’t care, my employer didn’t care, I had to leave and uproot everything. This is how it works in most of the world. Only in America do we think an immigrant “deserves” a job while letting native born citizens go hungry.

[UncleMeat]

You were treated inhumanely. That's not a reason to treat others inhumanely.

[rhaway84773]

You do realize that basically 90+% of Americans today are all immigrants right? You do realize that right?

Essentially you are stating everyone who loses a job in the U.S. should leave the US.

Or alternatively you want to draw a line when the good immigrants are allowed to enter after which are the bad immigrants. And I’m sure that conveniently that line will ensure your family becomes part of the good immigrants.

[confidantlake]

This is not true. If your parents were immigrants and you were born here you are not an immigrant.

[arcticbull]

Hm, not really. That would make you a second-generation immigrant. [1]

First-generation immigrants are folks who are born outside the US and naturalize. "In the United States, among demographers and other social scientists, 'second generation [immigrants]' refers to the U.S.-born children of foreign-born parents."

Not in the strictest sense, but it's not the bright line you're making it out to be either.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigrant_generations

[confidantlake]

This is incorrect, 90% of Americans are not immigrants. Please stop spreading misinformation.

[krapp]

Unless your ancestors were in the Americas before Columbus arrived, you're an immigrant. First generation, tenth generation, a hundred generations from now, it doesn't matter. Your great great grandfather landed at Plymouth Rock? You're not native.

[atq2119]

In other words: you had it bad in the past, therefore the future is not allowed to be better.

More seriously, while this particular discussion centers around US visas, obviously the analogous arguments apply to other countries as well.

[throwaway5959]

Yeah, I’m curious how immigration works in India, how generous the grace period etc is there.