You're right: I'm here because the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. But this kind of stuff is what tips the balance the other way, not for me, but for other people like yourself.
The problem with the US immigration system is that none of the people suffering in it can vote to change it. The purpose of my story is to raise awareness amongst US citizens who understand the importance of immigration to the economy that the system is broken, at nearly every level. I can't fix the system by complaining, but they can.
> But this kind of stuff is what tips the balance the other way, not for me, but for other people like yourself.
I made my decision independently long ago. You really should ask yourself: if this is not enough to tip the balance for you (who has experienced it firsthand) why would it tip the balance for someone who only gets it second hand?
Nobody is going to fix anything because of this blog post, but you can make a statement that really carries weight.
But if you feel that your greencard is worth more than your dignity or principles then you've made your own bed and now you must lie in it.
Understand that my native country, Trinidad, has laws still on the books that make my sexuality illegal. You have to be pretty shitty to be worse at respecting my dignity and principles than that, so the US has a low bar.
But yes, I could pick some other first-world country to move to. In fact, I lived in the UK for seven years: in that time, I made as much progress in my tech career as I did in my first six months in the US.
I think America really is a land of amazing opportunity, and I believe action to change the system from the inside says more than staying out does. And I believe that America is full of decent, compassionate people who genuinely believe that fairness and justice are bedrock principles of their nation, and would be horrified to learn that this is how their country treats some people -- and I'm right, because I can see them saying so elsewhere in this thread.
This is indeed my bed, but I think I can change the sheets :-)
I went to college in the UK. Before, during and after, I worked at a series of startups. I gained experience in PHP, MySQL, etc.. -- a slow but steady accumulation of skill. Then I got a job with Yahoo in the UK, who despite their (many!) flaws as a company are a world-class web development organization -- I learned more, but at much the same speed.
After a year, Yahoo moved me to the bay area, and the difference was shocking. The demands made of me professionally, the density of smart and talented people everywhere, the intensity of the focus on tech culturally and socially: it blew me away. I went from feeling like a spectator of internet technology to a participant at the leading edge -- in terms of the skills I had, the people I met, the sense of the industry's direction.
The bay area is where people invent the next big thing, continuously. London has improved substantially as a startup environment since I left, but it's still nowhere near the same league.
> But this kind of stuff is what tips the balance the other way, not for me, but for other people like yourself.
Says who? How do you speak on others behalf? No offense, but your post (like many others) just sounds like someone who is upset that were inconvenienced for a day. If you have all of your papers sorted out (and nothing is fishy), what's so mentally anguishing about having to wait?
The problem is, as you say, "the benefits outweigh the disadvantages". So, the US will continue to act this way until that statement gets less and less true. I'm not disagreeing with your premise, I just think your opinion would be a lot better served if you formulated your response to the actions against you in the proper way.
> The problem with the US immigration system is that none of the people suffering in it can vote to change it.
Your spot on with this comment. Until the people who are American citizens start suffering, you won't see any reform in this area. If you are actually serious about reform (and I hope you are, I believe it's needed) than you'll need a much more of a powerful argument than "I can't be inconvenienced at customs". Put some data together about how immigration is needed to create new jobs in America, and if those who are inconvenienced continue to be pushed away, then these jobs are a lot less likely to be created. Maybe it makes sense to create a sub-community of foreign entrepreneurs in the valley who all share your same thoughts?
> No offense, but your post (like many others) just sounds like someone who is upset that were inconvenienced for a day. If you have all of your papers sorted out (and nothing is fishy), what's so mentally anguishing about having to wait?
It's not just 'waiting'. The problem is every time you cross the border there is the very real chance that the mistaken opinion of a border guard would cost you job and your ability to enter the USA for many years. The USA is also an air hub, and many flights would be closed off to you. It's not just an inconvenience.
They have some of the nastiest attitudes I have ever encountered in people too. I've never encountered a group that seemed to be so callous and seem to have a complete lack of human empathy amongst a good chunk of their members. They don't have to, they have a near complete power over you when your at the border.
If you are told you are being deported rather than denied you should state that you are 'withdrawing your application for entry' if you're under VWP, otherwise it can/is a 5 year entry ban.
I am trying to sympathize but I agree 100%. You seem to be complaining about being inconvenienced for a few hours as a result of your inability to be on-point with your profession for the few seconds that it matters most during your re-entry to the country. The world is full NOT bright people. You can't really expect them to know the difference between software and web developer. You just need to solve for that and make sure you make it easy for them to let you back in.
I did not write the article. It's not about being 'inconvenienced', it is entirely about the incorrect opinion of a border guard causing you to lose your job, income and whatever personal connections you have established in the USA even if you have been doing everything correctly.
Typically you have to pay for these 'inconveniences' with another flight (that you pay for), immigration lawyers and so on if it gets really bad. There is a complete power imbalance in that situation and due process, if any, is minimal at most border crossings. ANY record of shit going wrong at the border will result in you getting extra attention EVERY time you cross.
> very real chance that the mistaken opinion of a border guard would cost you job and your ability to enter the USA for many years.
I'm not sure I understand. If you are granted full legal rights to work, live, and breath in the US by the US border patrol organization (i.e. you have a visa), then there is zero reason a border guard can "mistakenly" not let you in. They can certainly "question" your ability, but that doesn't mean they have any right to immediately deport you without due process. Can you cite a source of this actually happening?
> If you have all of your papers sorted out (and nothing is fishy), what's so mentally anguishing about having to wait?
You are right, if you're sure you haven't done anything illegal, it will all be OK.
But the problem is that those people can really cause you trouble. Not only they can keep you waiting for hours (is there even a maximum amount of time they can hold you for at the border?), which can result in lost connection flights, etc. that won't be reimbursed, but they can also allege that there's something wrong with your data and threaten deportation. There's a comment in this thread from a reader that almost saw his wife deported to her home country for apparently no reason. Yes, you'll get to be heard by a judge, but not until you've spent a considerable amount of money, time and patience.
The problem is that those people don't seem to be penalized for their faults. Immigration/customs personnel bullying passengers is seen as OK by central authorities, as homeland security and the struggle against terrorism are the priorities. If in order to catch a couple of terrorism suspects we have to give the rest of the population a bad time, it's still OK. Better "safe" than sorry, right?
I think your faith in the electoral process changing things is simply that; faith. Hypothetically, what if this policy did impact large numbers of voting Americans, but both parties supported it? How would your vote help to change things then? I ask these questions because there are plenty of examples of laws that adversely affect voting Americans but fall into this category of policy supported by both sides.
I think there are problems other than inconvenience. You might have a job or property or family within the US. Being denied entry without the protection of due process where you are innocent till proven guilty can be a BIG deal.
The problem with the US immigration system is that none of the people suffering in it can vote to change it. The purpose of my story is to raise awareness amongst US citizens who understand the importance of immigration to the economy that the system is broken, at nearly every level. I can't fix the system by complaining, but they can.