Saturday, October 07, 2006

Immigration lawsuit

So, I just heard on the news (tried to find a link but couldn't) that there's a lawsuit being filed against Wendy's by a group of illegal aliens who were fired last month.

Now it may seem simple, but there's a twist:

These aliens have been working at Wendy's since around 2000-2001. They were told that if they did x, y, and z then they could become citizens. Now, that included filling out paperwork, paying taxes, and paying legal fees.

So these illegal aliens fill out the paperwork, pay taxes on their wages, and also pay $25 a month in legal fees, all in an attempt to become American citizens. Only the legal firm DOESN'T FILE THE DAMN PAPERWORK! So these people have been working for five or six years, thinking that they'll become US citizens, paying taxes, and paying LEGAL FEES to a lawyer has screwed them over, and then get fired last month because they're illegal aliens.

I'm kinda torn on this.

#1 - They're illegal aliens. They broke the law. That makes them criminals.

#2 - For years they've been doing what they were told that they need to do. They've paid taxes, for Pete's sake! They filled out paperwork saying "Yes, we came here illegally, but we're willing to do what we need to do to make it right." And they've worked their asses off trying to become citizens. The only law they broke was the law at the border, and they've been by all accounts exemplary people ever since. Hell, working at Wendy's for five years? That's gotta nominate someone for sainthood.

So here's my thinking - I honestly think that these people should sue, and I hope they win. And I'll admit, what won me over was the fact that they've been paying their taxes like ordinary citizens. Hell, that's been the big sticking point with illegal aliens to begin with - they come here for benefits that we pay for, while contributing absolutely nothing. You can't say that with this group.

Plus, they were told years ago that they would become citizens if they did this, that, and those. So they did this, that, and those, and then they get fired and told to piss off.

That ain't kosher.

Anyways, I say that they should win the lawsuit. Gimme your opinion.

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