Elephant In The Room

I read an article on Facebook how a Doctor in Michigan is being deported to Poland because of two misdemeanor convictions when he was 17.

He's 43 now and has been in the US for nearly 40 years.

He was living here legally, his parents brought him along when he was 5.

There's a lot of sturm and drang over him not speaking a word of Polish and how he's been an upstanding, valuable member of society for the past 27 years.

But apparently didn't like it here enough to bother with becoming a citizen, huh?

I'd have more sympathy if he'd bothered.

I've an attitude about citizenship and think that "permanent residence" status begins with the application for that citizenship.

I think there should be steep limits on how long a foreign national can remain in the country and enforce those limits brutally.  Like 90 days at a time, at least four days out of country for each day in, and not more than 720 days lifetime.

To me this doctor is just another example of someone enjoying all of the benefits of a society without fully joining in.  Don't tell me he didn't have time to get it done.

Why don't we talk about his parents too?  Why didn't they naturalize him?  Are they citizens?  Are they still here?

And, oh yeah, if your legal status is so tenuous that two misdemeanor convictions from 27 years ago can send you packing back to the old country: DON'T BREAK THE FUCKING LAW.

I am sure the good Doctor will discover that learning Polish is easier than his residency was.