Actually, the requirement is still in effect for persons who emigrate to the United States LEGALLY! Ask anyone who marrys a foreign bride or wishes to bring a foreign child or parent. They must provide proof of sufficient income and sign documents that make them responsible for the alien until they have worked 40 quarters in the U.S., become U.S. citizens or permanently leave the country. This is part of the Immigration and Nationality Act and is U.S. law. But apparently, Mexican illegals are exempt from the laws. On a secondary note: Remember all those folks who tell you about how illegals pay their fair share of taxes? How many of you know that Mexicans (and Canadians) can claim exemptions on their tax returns for dependents not even in the country? Lemme see here! If Juan Valdez claims ten kids in Mexico, how much chance is there that he will be paying any tax at all? Hmmm! Maybe even qualify for earned income tax credit?
You are right. When my grandson married a Canadian girl last August 2001, he was not regularly employed having just finishing some college courses. His dad (my son) had to submit proof of his financial ability to support her.
By the way, our govt is so dumb that when they approved her right to emigrate into this country, the govt did NOT provide her the legal right to work in this country!
She had to submit more fees (the real reason?) and basically the same paperwork to get a card permitting her to work. She found work immediately as she had her masters in Social Work and the county needed social workers desperately! Meanwhile her husband (my grandson) could not find work in his chosen work of computer networking (too much competition from workers here on H-1B visas)and took a job at a book store. He is going back to college to add some courses which he hopes will improve his job chances.