Bad economy forcing immigrants to reconsider U.S.

CNN ^ | February 10, 2009 | Thelma Gutierrez and Wayne Drash

[rightwingintelligentsia]

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Pedro Pablo slowly folds up his American flag blanket and stuffs it in his duffel bag. With it goes his American dream.

"I left my family and lost four years with them. I will ask them to forgive me," he said.

Pablo is an illegal immigrant from Guatemala who came to the United States to support his wife and five sons back home. When he arrived, construction jobs were plentiful. Over the last year, he says, he's worked three days.

He recently boarded a bus with a one-way ticket home, paid for by the Guatemalan consulate in Los Angeles. "I thought I could get ahead here. I regret coming."

Across the United States, tens of thousands of immigrants -- those here legally and illegally -- are facing a similar dilemma: Do they continue to search for jobs in a struggling U.S. economy or return home to an even bleaker economic situation?

[mort56]

If it is the same Pedro who screwed up my roof repair, I hope the door doesn’t hit him in the butt on the way out.

[muawiyah]

They are NOT immigrants. They are VISITORS. That’s why they don’t have visas.

[KC_Conspirator]

Psst. Cnn, they are illegal aliens, not immigrants. Immigrants come here legally.

[Tublecane]

“They are NOT immigrants. They are VISITORS. That’s why they don’t have visas.”

People who have visas are visitors too. Unless, and until, they seek to change to more permanent status.

[Jackknife]

He recently boarded a bus with a one-way ticket home, paid for by the Guatemalan consulate in Los Angeles. "I thought I could get ahead here. I regret coming."

I regret him coming here as well. Don't let the door hit your ass, Peedro.

[muawiyah]

Not all visitors are required to have visas. Still, if you enter the country legally (with or without a visa) and you stay longer than allowed by law, you are still a visitor, not an immigrant.

Immigrants are NOT visitors!

[brushcop]

I'm a gringo, and even *I* can recognize a hokey hispanic pseudonym when I see one.

ROTFLMAO!! I caught that too, also the dweeb that wrote that probably identifies weapons in his articles such as, "It was believed to be a semi-automatic machine gun...", that kind of accuracy.

[max americana]

> Pedro Pablo slowly folds up his American flag blanket

BULLsh*t!! If this illegal LOVED AMERICA, he would’ve been here LEGALLY.

Damn CNN and their lies...

[Le Chien Rouge]

GOOD!!!!!!!!!——

let’s get our own house in order before we start taking in more people......

Flame away