If you want to become a US citizen, leave and then come back legally

[Bill Mattocks]

Yeah we had a former cuban army officer in my platoon in the marines. He and his brother built a boat out of coolers and other trash and floated to fla. He then enlisted. Good dude he was very funny when I could understand what he was saying. We had a bolivian guy too he didn't say much and kept to himself

We had an acting First Sgt who was Panamanian. I could never understand him, and he often lapsed into Spanish. We also had Puerto Rican and Mexican-American Marines in our unit and they'd just laugh at me, "Oye vato, we can't understand him either."

 

[Tez3]

Cheers for that! there was a bit on the programme where they were in Buffalo, I was wondering if I'd see Bob lol, seems there was a bridge out and people were mistakenly going into Canada and having to come back, they found a illegal immigrant family like that, there was another incident where two Canadian lads had come over for a shopping trip and one was found with a small amount of marijuana on him, got fined and both sent back before they could shop. Interesting.

 

[Carol]

Slightly off subject but relevant. I was watching a programme the other night, it was one of those American real life ones this time on the US Customs, missed a lot of it but did see a woman going through the citizen ceremony, what took my interest was that stood beside her also taking their American citizenship were two men in American military uniforms. Is is usual you take non citizens in the armed forces? We take Commonwealth citizens but outside the UK and the Commonwealth never.

While such folks are in the minority, it is indeed usual and its been said that the service men and women get fast tracked towards citizenship -- serving in the U.S. military may put the service person's existing citizenship at risk, and U.S. citizenship laws specifically seek to avoid leaving a person "without country"

Also, due to an old treaty between the U.S. and England, members of certain Canadian First Nation tribes have dual citizenship and can join the U.S. Armed Forces. A recent example, Cpl. Michael Seely from Fredericton, NB was a young First Nation man KIA serving in Iraq.

http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37560

 

[punisher73]

I think we are forgetting that even in 'tourist area' you can find the cartels unloading truckloads of dead bodies onto the highway in broad daylight.

However NOTHING is broadcasted outside of the country. The Statedepartment website ought to be lit up with warnings.

I should have differentiated between "nice" as in amenities and sanitation when refrencing the resorts. You are quite correct that they are dangerous as well. I went to some training conducted by mexican gentleman about the drug cartel problem and how it relates to US law enforcement. His own words were that he wouldn't visit Mexico or go there unless in a large group of armed people.

 

[Dirty Dog]

I should have differentiated between "nice" as in amenities and sanitation when refrencing the resorts. You are quite correct that they are dangerous as well. I went to some training conducted by mexican gentleman about the drug cartel problem and how it relates to US law enforcement. His own words were that he wouldn't visit Mexico or go there unless in a large group of armed people.

We go to Mexico at 2-3 times each year. We were last there in December. We will be there again in May. Yes, you can certainly get hurt, and there are bad people running loose in the streets. Exactly as it is in US cities.

We do spend a lot of time either under water or at the resort, but we do not stay there all the time - Wet Wendys and El Moro on Cozumel are NOT to be missed, and it's not a bad idea to drop by Senor Frogs or Margarittaville either.

We have never felt unsafe.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

We go to Mexico at 2-3 times each year. We were last there in December. We will be there again in May. Yes, you can certainly get hurt, and there are bad people running loose in the streets. Exactly as it is in US cities.

We do spend a lot of time either under water or at the resort, but we do not stay there all the time - Wet Wendys and El Moro on Cozumel are NOT to be missed, and it's not a bad idea to drop by Senor Frogs or Margarittaville either.

We have never felt unsafe.

The company I worked for sent my wife and I to Cancun one year for a vacation. It was living in the lap of luxury. But I am a photographer; I didn't go with the tours, I went out on my own. I wandered into the city, taking pictures. I met hotel workers; my company was paying $400 a night for us to stay in the resort; the people who cleaned it made $2 a day and lived on the beach under a wharf. The city is dirty and poor, and crime is rampant, but it is petty crime.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g150807-s206/Cancun:Mexico:Health.And.Safety.html

Mexico does not even closely resemble US cities otherwise, though. When I briefly dated the daughter of a US diplomat stationed in Mexico City, I was invited to visit. We stayed in an armed compound inside another armed compound; the only crime-free parts of the city. We traveled in groups; kidnappings of foreigners are common. Even when buying gasoline; one pulls up the pump, the attendant zeroes it, then you pull up and they fill your tank; when done you pull back to look at the numbers yourself. If you don't, you get robbed. If you get out of your car, you get robbed. And that was before the narco-terrorists took over.

We visited La Mecha Mecha. Small town; one rich guy living there. Vincente Fox. He lived behind a wall, had horses and peacocks; yes, no fooling. There were no cars in the dirt streets in town; no one could afford them. Actual wooden carts and donkeys, not for tourist attraction; that's how they lived. You could only shop in town with an armed guard with an automatic weapon on his hip. Again, years ago.

http://articles.cnn.com/2011-09-14/...l-social-media-users-nuevo-laredo?_s=PM:WORLD

To the best of my knowledge, we do not have bodies hanging from bridges in the USA as they do in Mexico.



I'm sure that American tourists are kept safe. Tourism is big bucks for Mexico. Outside of the 'safe zones', I don't think the rest of the country has it that well.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html

Travel Warnings are issued when long-term, protracted conditions that make a country dangerous or unstable lead the State Department to recommend that Americans avoid or consider the risk of travel to that country. A Travel Warning is also issued when the U.S. Government's ability to assist American citizens is constrained due to the closure of an embassy or consulate or because of a drawdown of its staff. The countries listed below meet those criteria.

Mexico 02/08/2012

Millions of U.S. citizens safely visit Mexico each year for study, tourism, and business, including more than 150,000 who cross the border every day. The Mexican government makes a considerable effort to protect U.S. citizens and other visitors to major tourist destinations, and there is no evidence that Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) have targeted U.S. visitors and residents based on their nationality. Resort areas and tourist destinations in Mexico generally do not see the levels of drug-related violence and crime reported in the border region and in areas along major trafficking routes.

Nevertheless, U.S. travelers should be aware that the Mexican government has been engaged in an extensive effort to counter TCOs which engage in narcotics trafficking and other unlawful activities throughout Mexico. The TCOs themselves are engaged in a violent struggle to control drug trafficking routes and other criminal activity. As a result, crime and violence are serious problems throughout the country and can occur anywhere. U.S. citizens have fallen victim to TCO activity, including homicide, gun battles, kidnapping, carjacking and highway robbery.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Cheers for that! there was a bit on the programme where they were in Buffalo, I was wondering if I'd see Bob lol, seems there was a bridge out and people were mistakenly going into Canada and having to come back, they found a illegal immigrant family like that, there was another incident where two Canadian lads had come over for a shopping trip and one was found with a small amount of marijuana on him, got fined and both sent back before they could shop. Interesting.

I avoid the media. I'm camera shy.

 

[CanuckMA]

I avoid the media. I'm camera shy.

Or wanted...

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Or wanted...

Well, yeah. There's no poster with my face on it at the post office.