Roadtrip,

Unfortunately the INS makes it absurdly difficult to work legally in the US, even when the economy was/is screaming out for the skilled professionals that the US educational system has failed to deliver. There are plenty of examples of people lving here and making a significant contribution who have fallen foul of some trivial technicality and become "illegal".

I have no doubt that you have lived legally in European countries - it is quite easy to do - but without paying for the services of a good Immigration Lawyer, I doubt you would have much luck doing the same as a foreign national in the US due to your extremely Byzantine laws, rules and interpretations, and their wholey inconsistant application by the INS.

Of course there are many people who don't even try to comply with immigration laws, and I don't condone them, but you really shouldn't paint the world in such simplistic black and white hues - it belies your obvious intelligence to do so.

This would get you booted out or imprisoned in most of the countries I've worked in...

________________________________________________

. .February 13, 2002

Pilot With Fake ID Faces Deportation. .By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. . . . . .Filed at 12:14 a.m. ET

GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) -- An American Eagle pilot accused of using a false passport to get his job will appear in immigration court to face possible deportation, an immigration official said.

Luis Garmendia, a Venezuela native, was arrested after landing a flight at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on Saturday. He was among seven pilots and two ramp workers arrested in Texas and Florida and charged with immigration-related offenses.

The others airline employees are being held in Miami.

Lynn Ligon, spokesman for the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, said Monday that there was no indication the employees were involved in terrorism.

Garmendia paid $25,000 for a counterfeit stamp in his passport indicating he had applied for a green card, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

But Garmendia, released on bond Tuesday, told television station KDFW that he received the stamp from a lawyer. When he learned a year ago that it was counterfeit he said he reported it to Miami INS officers.

"They kept my original passport and everything saying they would look into it,'' he said.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office in Miami said the case is being reviewed.

American Eagle officials said they were aware of the investigation before Ligon's arrest and he has been put on unpaid leave.

Garmendia's pilot's license is valid.

FrontWindowSeat -. .I make no excuses for the INS, either from a policy or enforcement basis.

But, I submit that if we took all the illegals in this country, the number of questionable cases would be mincule compared to the people that are here clearly illegally - i.e. no visa, expired visas, no paper at all. A supposed labor shortage is no excuse for crashing a border.

$25,000 for a stamp? And he thought it was legal?? Oh, please. Adios, amigo.

And BTW, despite what someone else said, there is NO shortage of qualified pilots in this country. There are lots of US citizens standing in line for pilot jobs, especially at the regionals and majors. Our two AE friends need to go back to Venezuela and work there.

[ 13 February 2002: Message edited by: Roadtrip ]</p>

...and STAY there!

Bug Smasher: The North Tower roof neither had an observation deck nor access to the general public. It was the tower with the big antenna. Only the South Tower had an observation deck. Nevertheless, there are yet unanswered questions about why neither of the two media helicopters attempted to rescue anyone from the roofs, if indeed people with cellphones had called for help.

Staysafe,We welcome you and most foreign students to use our facilities..yes its expensive..yes we have the best..we just can't be sure of everyones intentions since 9-11!. .With all due respect to you and my flying brothers and sisters, we've all made sacrifices for our careers. Without a certain amount of preparredness and security one forgets why we have to police our own.To give these guys a pass would be to invite a recurrance of the past.Paranoia takes many forms and I'll say it again, Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they ain't out to get you!!!! <img src="tongue.gif" border="0"> Flysafe Staysafe!

Absolutely correct Glueball, apologies for the error.

Glueball

Did people actually get up to the observaton level? The original story was that the doors were locked and no one could get up there.

This in spite of the plan to use choppers for evacuaton if the buildings ever caught fire.

That's right grizzly bear...then came back over and saved your country for you...

Spinproof: I suppose I came acroos a little disrespectful in my posting. I apologize for that. No other contry would have given me the opportunity to become a pilot... - not even my own, unless I was the son of a rich father. Believe me, I am more than thankful for my US experience. I would never have been where I am today, if it was not for the US.

What I wanted to point out is that I feel we all get a litte tunnel vision when we speak of illegal immigrants. I tried to think back of myself when I was at the start of my carreer and what I would have done to make it. Fortunately for myself I was able to get a greencard... I did not buy it and I did not get married to get it. There was nothing disqualifying me when I finally received my resident alian status. But I am sure, if the US didn't want me, they would have been able to deny my legal status for some reason.

These Venezuelans most likely just wanted to be pilots. Their problem was that they were from the wrong contry. They should respect your laws... absolutely. But when some fat lawyer is waving some fancy papers in front of you, for the exchange of a nice fee... telling you this will take care of it all, the temptation would be strong. Tell me, who is really the criminal?

I have never forged my logbook.. I don't have a DUI or any criminal record. But I know plenty of pilots in cushy jobs... yes even in the US, that have. So lets not throw stones, folks.

OK Staysafe. .Thanks for the clarification! I'll get off the box! <img src="frown.gif" border="0"> ...I feel so silly... <img src="frown.gif" border="0"> ...Friends? <img src="wink.gif" border="0">