What Part of It's An Utter Nightmare to Migrate Legally Don't You Understand?

By Diego Graglia, Feet in 2 Worlds. Posted October 8, 2008.

Despite all the talk about immigration over the past several years, it’s clear that many people are still mystified about how the U.S. immigration system works. But if you explain it with pictures maybe people will get it. That’s the approach taken by two magazines -Reason and GOOD- who just published new graphics describing the process of immigrating to the U.S. today.

Both show how long it takes to become an American citizen, how many people are trying to do so, what it really means to “get in line,” and “why coming illegally might seem like an attractive option.”

GOOD’s graphic is on a sheet the magazine distributes for free at, of all places, Starbucks coffee shops nationwide. (Click on the image to see it in a large size on their site.)

Good Sheet - Coming to America

Reason presents a flow chart showing how difficult and slow it is to immigrate legally. (Click on the image to go to their site and see it in full size.)

Reason Magazine - What Part of Legal Immigration Don't You Understand

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Diego Graglia is a freelance reporter who contributes regularly to American and Latin American publications, including the New York Daily News, and Hora Hispana, a weekly newspaper in Spanish.

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