[spectre]

But this idea of the waiting years — no, I don’t agree with that. In fact, look, if we can get a credit card application done within hours, if we can get passports done within days, if we can transact business over the Internet any place in the world within seconds, do a background check instantaneously — it’s our government that has failed and is dysfunctional.

Once again, Huckabee proves is out of touch with reality. If anyone here is under the illusion that getting a passport only takes days, go and apply for one!

sw

[Oldexpat]

We need all these turkey’s..and our congressmen to sign pledges to crack down on illegal aliens and those the employ and aid them. I guess their oath of office isn’t enough.
We do need a guest worker program..limited by our unemployment figures. All immigration and visa programs need to have in and out logging. If US ICE can’t handle that we should ask Visa or Amex to bid to provide the cards and system. At the same time..we should have immigration bonds. Every visitor should post an immigration bond via an acceptable bank. These bonds would sort out who might overstay. The bonds would be real cheap..for Europeans and those with good credit records, but would be impossible for those with high risk of overstaying. Forfeited bonds would be used to pay for fugitive apprehension.
A friend of mine who works for State says they have discussed such a system.

[Red_Devil 232]

At one time in the recent past you could get a passport fairly quickly. In December 1990 I was asked by the US. Manager of my company if I would go to Venezuela for a 2 week period to relieve another manager who need to return to the States. I did not have a passport so I was told to show up in his New Orleans office Friday morning with my birth cert. That Friday morning I was given directions to the passport office ... picture taken ... application filled out. They told me to pick up my passport at 2:00 pm. I was in Maracaibo, Venezuela Sat. night.

I ended staying in Venezuela for over a year. Turned out the reason for the quick return of the other manager was to fire him!

Excuse the long winded rant.