What do you think we should do about ‘illegal immigrants’ who were brought to the U.S as babies and toddlers and raised here??

Cassandra Ingram

Atlanta

[Cassandra spoke, specifically on the case of Ximena Arias-Cristobal, 19, a Georgia teen who was erroneously arrested by police for a traffic stop and then turned over to ICE. Her parents brought her to the US illegally at the age of 4.] 

“I really don’t know. There’s a moral answer, you know, and then there’s also a legal answer. So it’s a really tough call. I mean she’s been here her entire life and she’s been raised here and her whole life is here and she has been established and she has been a productive citizen of our country and a lot of people have come here from different places and have done that. So from a moral, ethical perspective she should be pardoned and allowed to stay here. But I don’t know what all the laws are around people that have come here illegally. So I think that they should put her into the system to allow her to go through the process to gain her citizenship. That’s what I think, but I do not know what the law mandates.”

Yamakie Dharrampaul

Atlanta by way of Houston

“I think it’s a great idea. I think she would “My opinion on the situation with who we’re referring to would be if the person was not involved in any illegal activity, and they’ve been here since they were a young child, then they should have an opportunity if they have contributed to society, and they’ve been doing well in our communities, then why not give them some exoneration from their issue that they’re having with the government right now.”

Roland Lott

Atlanta

“I feel that the immigrants should be able to stay as long as they came over here as a child. I feel they are entitled to stay here in the United States. The United States is a good place to live. It’s a land of the American way and I feel if they had an opportunity to come over here when they were young they should be able to stay.”

Lanicia Thompson

Ellenwood

“As far as the immigrant babies… Aren’t we all immigrants? I mean, we live in a world where we’ve all kind of migrated to somewhere that we didn’t discover. This isn’t truly our land. Our parents, you know, our ancestors built this land and we’re grateful for what they did. But how can we judge? How can we really judge anybody? You just kinda gotta love everybody, let them, you know? Let people do what they want and need to just survive. We’re all trying to make it, so that’s my view.”

Justin Hefner

Gresham Park, Atlanta

“My thoughts on the current climate of the immigrant policies is I feel that it should be the total opposite of what Donald Trump is doing. That’s going into schools, going into churches, not giving them any rights, sending them to Guantanamo Bay. I don’t have any ideas, but I just know that what Donald Trump is doing and what I’m hearing isn’t right and it’s not helping anyone out. It’s displacing families and cousins and relatives and friends and just putting a bad look on America and how we really treat other people, especially with the whole South Africa situation. Um, yeah, that’s what I think.”