The American Spectator

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p> OUR CANADIAN ALTERNATIVE br> Re: Yuri Mamchur's I'm Not Illegal : /p>

I would like to thank you for publishing Yuri's article. I think his position illustrates opinions of many, many immigrants who are too busy working (legally!) to march on the streets demanding change in immigration regulation on the basis of their own interests notwithstanding laws of the country in which they live (illegally!). I would also like to express my support to the American people who insist on adherence to immigration laws by everyone, including "guest workers." Frankly, I find the term "guest workers" very hypocritical. They are technically illegal non-resident aliens; they are not "guest workers." Illegal immigrants look for compassion, but in essence they demand preferential treatment over all those educated, highly skilled, fluently speaking English people from other countries (e.g., from Asia and Eastern Europe) who choose to respect the law of the United States and apply for visas, wait in lines, pay lawyers, and eventually do or do not immigrate legally.

I live in Canada with my husband who is a U.S. citizen, and both of us are PhDs in business (we are university professors). We chose to move to Canada because I was an exchange student in the U.S. for one year in my undergraduate studies (J-1), and U.S. federal law does not allow for me to obtain immigration status unless I return to my home country for two years. Well, we respect the law and we made a choice to re-locate to Canada, even though there is an enormous shortage of faculty in U.S. universities in our field (accounting), and I could argue that it is more beneficial for the U.S. system of higher education to keep me, given that I obtained my doctorate through the state system in Atlanta, Georgia. (I earned my PhD at Georgia State University). However, the law is the same for everyone, and I understand and respect that. My husband, who is a former U.S. Army officer, and a Notre Dame graduate, also understands that. We did not leave the U.S. because we disagreed with politics of the current administration, or to protest against anything. We left because we understood our choices under the law and respected the law.

p>We are not unhappy leaving and working in Waterloo, Ontario; but I know that my husband would rather live and contribute to the economy (and young minds!) of his home country. So would I. Why should uneducated laborers be treated differently on the grounds that there is demand for their work in the U.S.? This idea is unjust not only to U.S. taxpayers who cover their social services, but also to thousands of law-abiding immigrants or potential immigrants. br> -- Natalia Kotchetova , PhD, CMA br> Assistant Professor of Assurance br> School of Accountancy br> University of Waterloo

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