lifehouse51

ANother argument is: How many NON-US Citizens that can speak American English? Accent is often used unconsciously as a way of grouping people into their countries of citizenships, but it's nowhere near 100%. It's a bit more reliable for determining peoples' countries of origins, but it's still not 100%.

I'm Australian but because I spent quite a significant amount of my time in the U.S., many people have considered me as having an American accent. Nevertheless, never had a green card nor citizenship.

If the accent argument holds, then I could be an illegal and get by without being checked ID's.

lapin_windstar

Weren't you the one that was making all sorts of sniffy "oh, well, you probably don't understand how American law works" remarks?

kins

Many of my colleagues speak French more fluently than English... I do love that French-Canadian-Maine accent.

kins

My husband has dark skin and a Jewish nose, is American, has an English accent, and was born in Brazil to an English mother and Chinese-born Jewish-American father...

cindyabs

Well that's a whole other point-what about the folks who came over and just never got around to AOSing.

cindyabs

Hells bells, there are plenty folk in northern NY, VT and NH that have that- "mebbee I do it two, t'ree times, me" thing going on. When the factories and mills were going strong in Manchester, NH-not sooooooooo far north of Boston, it was the same, maybe it still is. However, their understanding and ability to speak English far outran the folks coming from south of the border.

penguinbar

Actually I know a bunch of Irish guys that were stopped by immigration a few years back on a train to Buffalo, New York from NYC. They were all illegal and were all deported.

Rete

Yes, this has been happening enough that the Irish Echo has reported that Irish Illegals should not use the Can/Am route to make visits back home. It has been their way to cross into Canada with only a driver's license, fly from Canada to Ireland and then return the same route with only a US driver's license. Too many were being stopped and asked for their immigration papers and subsequently deported.

Do I feel for them? Yes, because they have lost the life they were living here and often the property and businesses that they bought and ran. But in truth, it was a gamble they took and eventually they lost.

penguinbar

My picture has actually been in the Irish Echo loads of times from working in so many Irish Pubs in New York. I'm sure you've seen me Rete!
I actually got in an arguement on Facebook with an illegal Irish girl that I used to work with and was distantly friendly with. She constantly bashed the USA but didn't seem to mind the tax free money and free healhcare that she received. She said she didn't receive free healthcare but only free emergeny room care. I asked if she had any concept of what the emergency room could actually cost? I said we worked the same job but actually she made more money because I had to pay taxes on my wages and tips but she didn't. Anyway the discussion got pretty heated and she didn't seem to think there was anything wrong living here illegally and she should have the same rights as US Citizens. She overstayed here by seven years and is back in Ireland. Before I finally unfriended her on Facebook I said enjoy your 10 year ban from the USA.

Kaffy Mintcake

A family friend of ours is 3rd generation American. He grew up in a community in New Mexico where nearly everyone is of Hispanic descent and he has an accent.

There are many illegal immigrants that moved to the US as children, know nothing of their home countries, and have zero accent.