Yes normally a Green Card is instant..When I came here I got a Green Card after 90 days...it was mailed to me in 60 days and I was told I could go ahead and work...
since theres only a 90 day waiting period usually...theres a class action suit waiting to be filed...there would be no 8 year wait...
with a green card I had all the rights of citizenship that Americans have but I could not vote and I could not work at a Govt job (like the Post Office or congressional offices, etc) and I could not get instate tuition or freebie college...
However I could be drafted, if I was a guy, I did go into the military where I had a Secret clearance. I became an American citizen while I was in the military...
With a Green card its just a matter of time until the person is eligible to be an American..
It was five years from the day the person arrived here or three years if he or she was in the US military
You see the problems instantaneous AMNESTY/Legality would have caused..
And what was suppose to happen to illegal aliens who did not pass a background check etc? there was no provision to deport them...
All of Teddy’s many crocidile tears could not clean up that stinky Bill...
We had some great orators on our side this time around and I applaud them! When Teddy started tanting and raving incoherently, I had a feeling the bill was dead and he knew it..I was "afraid" he was going to have a heart attack...
Yours is still a kickass story that bears repeating.
It was big among some FR circles, at least. Damned inspiring - serving in the military prior to citizenship.
Tomorrow we ride with attenuated rancor with this temporal victory.
I think the people waiting in line have other issues. And the ones not waiting in line have worse issues. And the ones that have wore issues aren't getting their way tonight.