undocumented immigrant wants to be a nurse

Nurses General Nursing

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Ok. I'm currently a nursing student who will be graduating in December from a 2 year program. The problem is that I'm currently in this country illegally have been for 10+ years. Like many in my situation, I was brought by my parents to this country at an early age and I've been told that currently there is nothing i can do to help my situation. I know that at the end of the nursing program i won't be able to take the NCLEX and work as a nurse :o but i figure there is something than I can do, seeing that there is such a need for nurses in this country. ANYONE know where i can get help? Who i can contact to help my situation? I already talked to the director of nursing from my school and he didn't offer much help, so i'm hoping someone out there can point me in the right direction. Thank you.

Ok. I'm currently a nursing student who will be graduating in December from a 2 year program. The problem is that I'm currently in this country illegally have been for 10+ years. Like many in my situation, I was brought by my parents to this country at an early age and I've been told that currently there is nothing i can do to help my situation. I know that at the end of the nursing program i won't be able to take the NCLEX and work as a nurse :o but i figure there is something than I can do, seeing that there is such a need for nurses in this country. ANYONE know where i can get help? Who i can contact to help my situation? I already talked to the director of nursing from my school and he didn't offer much help, so i'm hoping someone out there can point me in the right direction. Thank you.

This REALLY steams me! This kids parents break the law to get here (otherwise she would be "documented) and are, in my opinion criminals. I have no problem with immigration, I don't care what country you are here from or why, but PLEASE follow the rules. Here she is trying to better her life and work in an honorable and respected profession and she already has one big stike against her, not even her fault. If this opinion seems insulting to my fellow American CITIZENS then I think you need to ask yourself why ?

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This REALLY steams me! This kids parents break the law to get here (otherwise she would be "documented) and are, in my opinion criminals. I have no problem with immigration, I don't care what country you are here from or why, but PLEASE follow the rules. Here she is trying to better her life and work in an honorable and respected profession and she already has one big stike against her, not even her fault. If this opinion seems insulting to my fellow American CITIZENS then I think you need to ask yourself why ?

THIS really steams me. OK, I have asked myself why your comment is insulting. And you know why? Because we cannot possibly know the h*** some people have lived in and are trying to get out of. And yet you expect them to, "follow the rules" and sit in a line for something they will never get. When it comes to feeding myself and my family, and protecting them from goodness knows what else....I'll pick illegal entry into a country anyday, thanks!

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Specializes in ICU.
That's us! The new Mexico where you go to "hide out" for a while until the dogs are off the trail. :rolleyes:

Ever since 9/11 the borders and all that are tighter....not airtight....but a little better.

Is this a JOKE!!! Its hardly difficult to get across the Mexican Border!! 10,000U$ is all it takes. I know dozens of people coming in through it. Just met with one last week. Heck in a particular South American country at this time, there is a "Novela" about the matter. Its a TV hit down there.

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Is this a JOKE!!! Its hardly difficult to get across the Mexican Border!! 10,000U$ is all it takes. I know dozens of people coming in through it. Just met with one last week. Heck in a particular South American country at this time, there is a "Novela" about the matter. Its a TV hit down there.

I was referring to Canada...Relax.

Note the 'us' reference in post. I never said anything about a Mexican border.

Z

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THIS really steams me. OK, I have asked myself why your comment is insulting. And you know why? Because we cannot possibly know the h*** some people have lived in and are trying to get out of. And yet you expect them to, "follow the rules" and sit in a line for something they will never get. When it comes to feeding myself and my family, and protecting them from goodness knows what else....I'll pick illegal entry into a country anyday, thanks!

Both Haunted and Sarita makes a lot of sense. On the one hand, i can't place 100% of the blame on the child who had no say. But i can also imagine/feel for those parents who felt that they were doing what's best for their family.

I once heard this argument against illegal immigration: "The child of a bank robber has no rights to the spoils of an illegal act performed by their criminal parents." Lots of people liken this situation to that of illegal immigration but is it really that cut and dry? Perhaps, these are the same people who need to find a way to sleep at night everytime they deport an improvished family.

In my experience (limited i admit), those who can afford to go through the lenghty process of legal immigration, do. But what about huladancer? Sounds like the country she grew up in, the country she bought into, has nothing but disdain for her. The sad thing is, as bad as her situation may sound, she'll prob still be better of staying here. Can anyone here truely say that they can accept a 10 year ban (min.) from the home they grew up in?

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THIS really steams me. OK, I have asked myself why your comment is insulting. And you know why? Because we cannot possibly know the h*** some people have lived in and are trying to get out of. And yet you expect them to, "follow the rules" and sit in a line for something they will never get. When it comes to feeding myself and my family, and protecting them from goodness knows what else....I'll pick illegal entry into a country anyday, thanks!

I wonder how much more those who rale against illegals would be willing to pay for their fruits and vegetables? Or have added to the contruction of their homes. Or be willing to return to all those illegals, all the SS taxes they pay via those illegal social security numbers and never end up collecting back? I just wonder.

Grannynurse :balloons:

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In order to take the NCLEX, you need a social security number. I'm assuming as an "illegal" that you don't have one?? Correct me if I'm wrong.

Also, fingerprints have to be submitted and "registered" with the federal government...they run you through a database who affirm that you are who you state you are, no criminal record, etc.

Being an illegal immigrant means that, for all intents and purposes of federal government, you don't exist as someone with a right to be here, who is a known member of American society. Therein lies the rub. You can't test...you can't work OFFICIALLY.

You could possibly go back to your country after graduating, take the NCLEX (the same way that other immigrants take it when they are getting licensed before coming here). Then, assuming you pass, you'd be licensed in the state and THEN you could petition to enter legally. Something that could be on your side is that you've been here already. However, the fact that you've already been here illegally is, in of itself, a crime.

Like the rest said: find an good immigration/work visa attorney. And maybe even find an employer who's willing to sponsor you.

You do not need a social security number to sit for the NCLEX exam, but CA will not actually issue the license without one.

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Nursing programs here in metro NY don't let just anybody in. And as far as I'm aware, all of them are requiring a social security number and some type of government identification or immigration papers from students as a part of the admissions process. How many foreign students do you personally know of that are in NY nursing schools without legal papers? I'm also curious to know the names of these colleges. I don't know where in NY you are but at my school and many of the other area college apps that I've seen they ask for both SSN and citizenship information. If you can't produce evidence of both when you apply they won't process your application. I know this because I've seen it happen to a friend of mine who is a foreign student who temporarily lost his student status and was trying to get back into school without current immigration paperwork. Every college he went to told him the same thing: no admission unless the immigration stuff is in full compliance. He had to wait out an entire semester before he got the approval from immigration, and the whole time he was worried that he wasn't going to get it because he thought they would find out that he had been working illegally while he was out of school.

The OP is asking for opinions on what she can do to legalize her status, and from what has already been posted I gather that she has already been to immigration lawyers who promised that they could fix the situation but were not able to. There's nothing at all that's easy or simple about immigration, especially since the 9/11 incident. Unfortunately for the OP, she has no choice but to try again with a reputable immigration attorney and see what happens. If she got this far in California with no papers, then quite possibly she can get a lot further if she hooks up with the right attorney. My advice to the OP is: no matter what anyone says, don't give up!

There are actually about six that I know of that have attended school in NY fairly recently and were never asked their immigration status because they had attended school in NYC all of their lives. So they were never questioned as to whether or not they were in the country legally.

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I wonder how much more those who rale against illegals would be willing to pay for their fruits and vegetables? Or have added to the contruction of their homes. Or be willing to return to all those illegals, all the SS taxes they pay via those illegal social security numbers and never end up collecting back? I just wonder.

Grannynurse :balloons:

Again, America is expected to bear the brunt of criminal activity. Here in California alone we spend over 6 million dollars a year to incarcerate illegal aliens who have commited crimes and let's not even get into the cost of providing healthcare to them as well.

You refer to illegal ss numbers, so that constitutes ID theft also. Agriculture is one of Californias' largest industries and is regulated as is the construction industry. Employers are fined if it is discovered that they hire undocumented workers. Your point seems to be that we are profiting from someone elses "misfortune" in being here illegally. I think many people have posted their dismay and concern over the increasing problem of illegal immigration.

The statistics are quite alarming in regards to the children of these illegals and we are discovering a new breed of societal missfits. I think the original poster shows a lot of integrity and I hope she can take steps to become a citizen of this wonderful country.

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Specializes in ICU.
Again, America is expected to bear the brunt of criminal activity. Here in California alone we spend over 6 million dollars a year to incarcerate illegal aliens who have commited crimes and let's not even get into the cost of providing healthcare to them as well.

You refer to illegal ss numbers, so that constitutes ID theft also. Agriculture is one of Californias' largest industries and is regulated as is the construction industry. Employers are fined if it is discovered that they hire undocumented workers. Your point seems to be that we are profiting from someone elses "misfortune" in being here illegally. I think many people have posted their dismay and concern over the increasing problem of illegal immigration.

The statistics are quite alarming in regards to the children of these illegals and we are discovering a new breed of societal missfits. I think the original poster shows a lot of integrity and I hope she can take steps to become a citizen of this wonderful country.

I agree, very well said.

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Specializes in Clinical Risk Management.
I wonder how much more those who rale against illegals would be willing to pay for their fruits and vegetables? Or have added to the contruction of their homes. Or be willing to return to all those illegals, all the SS taxes they pay via those illegal social security numbers and never end up collecting back? I just wonder.

If it would help ensure equitable pay & benefits for these workers, then I'd gladly learn to deal with it. Those without documentation tend to not have insurance. Thus, when they need medical care, the cost is paid by the legal resident - often twice if the legal resident has health insurance (taxes & insurance). We're already paying extra...right now it's in health care. I'd be more than willing to transfer that cost to a different area.

I'd also like to penalize the construction managers & "field bosses" for enticing people to engage in illegal immigration & not pay them what documented workers earn. It may be how "it's always been done" but that doesn't make it right.

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I wonder how much more those who rale against illegals would be willing to pay for their fruits and vegetables? Or have added to the contruction of their homes. Or be willing to return to all those illegals, all the SS taxes they pay via those illegal social security numbers and never end up collecting back? I just wonder.

Grannynurse :balloons:

Kick all the ILLEGALS out. Make the people on welfare pick the fruit and vegetables. Problem solved.

I am sick of working and paying for people who are breaking the law and/or just being lazy!!!

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