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How an Undocumented Immigrant from Mexico Became a Star at Goldman Sachs

bloomberg.com

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Re: How an Undocumented Immigrant from Mexico Became a Star at Goldman Sachs

#11

Post by Incredulous42 »

hyperliner wrote: post #8
lmg643 wrote: post #6

Interesting that Goldman doesn't have good enough background checks (or any background check?) to catch fake SS numbers. The securities industry is supposed to fingerprint and check any candidate who would be licensed, which a securities salesperson generally would be.

It was not easy to check SS numbers back then. She joined the firm in 2005. The systems that verifies them today is recent ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-Verify ). It did not really start working well until 2007. http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify

I can understand that you might not verify the number for every random low-level position. But a securities trader has a specific risk profile and I would assume a higher level of due diligence by the employer to avoid potential law suits or problems with their liability insurance.

I'm also a little surprised that you can work and pay payroll taxes to an invalid SSN. Shouldn't that raise a red flag when someone pays payroll taxes to an invalid SSN, or when the name of the employee doesn't match the name on the SSN? Doesn't the social security administration notice that and notify ADP / the employer? Not just to combat fraud but also to uncover and fix honest mistakes when someone flips a digit in an SSN?

Re: How an Undocumented Immigrant from Mexico Became a Star at Goldman Sachs

#12

Post by refurb »

Incredulous42 wrote: post #9

Wait, how did she get a proper green card? I know she married a US citizen but why didn't the government notice that she'd been in the country illegally? I mean she didn't materialize out of thin air. She had a fake SSN, fake tax records and apparently tax problems, etc. Also, now that she came out, can her citizenship be revoked? She was in the country illegally for more than a decade, worked illegally, and apparent…

My understanding is that under certain circumstances, such as marrying a US citizen, the USCIS can ignore any past violations of immigration law.[1]

"If you are a foreign citizen who is in the United States without permission, having overstayed your visa, you can indeed cure the problem if you enter into a bona fide (real) marriage with a U.S. citizen and then apply for adjustment of status (a green card)."

You are correct that for most visas and green cards, any violation of immigration law means that your application will be denied.

[1]http://www.alllaw.com/articles/nolo/us-immigration/visa-over...

Re: How an Undocumented Immigrant from Mexico Became a Star at Goldman Sachs

#13

Post by huherto »

hyperliner wrote: post #7

The problem with the issue of illegal immigration in the US is that is has become too politicized, and the issues that relate to millions of people take precedence over the issues of attracting the fewer immigrants who bring a certain skill to the country. I am going to criticize her approach a little first. She was a minor when coming over, but she did knowingly throw her employer under the bus as an adult who did n…

As a Mexican national with a college degree she could really easily have obtained a TN visa. Then an H1B, then a green card.

But she was already in a gray area, because she came at 14 and had obtained and used false documents. I guess once you cross that line, the whole thing becomes highly complicated.

Re: How an Undocumented Immigrant from Mexico Became a Star at Goldman Sachs

#15

Post by sparkzilla »

She should have gone through the process like everyone else. I invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in my business to get a visa, spending all of that money on American suppliers and employing Americans. Now that the business failed I have to leave the U.S., taking my kids out of their schools, and start the process all over again, taking even more time, expense and disruption. But I am not going to break the law.

As usual, the people who abide by the rules get screwed, while those who break them, not only thrive, but get written about as some kind of heroes.

Re: How an Undocumented Immigrant from Mexico Became a Star at Goldman Sachs

#16

Post by huherto »

hyperliner wrote: post #7

The problem with the issue of illegal immigration in the US is that is has become too politicized, and the issues that relate to millions of people take precedence over the issues of attracting the fewer immigrants who bring a certain skill to the country. I am going to criticize her approach a little first. She was a minor when coming over, but she did knowingly throw her employer under the bus as an adult who did n…

> America try to have it both ways by "not wanting them" but "wanting the cheap tomatoes at the supermarket." That is for another thread.

Increased security at the border is keeping people in the USA. They would return to their families if they could, but they have to stay here because crossing back and forth is too dangerous. They should be able to come to the farms in the USA seasonally, help and go back to their families in Mexico. The money they bring to their rural communities will be highly beneficial to those communities. These are hardworking people that are desperate in need of work.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bracero_program

Re: How an Undocumented Immigrant from Mexico Became a Star at Goldman Sachs

#17

Post by hyperliner »

Incredulous42 wrote: post #11
hyperliner wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It was not easy to check SS numbers back then. She joined the firm in 2005. The systems that verifies them today is recent ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-Verify ). It did not really start working well until 2007. http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify

I can understand that you might not verify the number for every random low-level position. But a securities trader has a specific risk profile and I would assume a higher level of due diligence by the employer to avoid potential law suits or problems with their liability insurance. I'm also a little surprised that you can work and pay payroll taxes to an invalid SSN. Shouldn't that raise a red flag when someone pays…

Maybe you are not in America and don't understand the power and the behavior of the Internal Revenue Service, which tracks your due taxes.

There are BILLIONS of dollars collected by the IRS into accounts not for the original beneficiary. The Federal Government is the last entity who will complain about those Billions of Dollars extra.

I am sure there is no RED FLAG for, "hey, look, you PAID US MORE" nor for "YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE PAID US THIS."

That is one requirement that would have immediately been deleted from the spec.

Re: How an Undocumented Immigrant from Mexico Became a Star at Goldman Sachs

#18

Post by hyperliner »

sparkzilla wrote: post #15

She should have gone through the process like everyone else. I invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in my business to get a visa, spending all of that money on American suppliers and employing Americans. Now that the business failed I have to leave the U.S., taking my kids out of their schools, and start the process all over again, taking even more time, expense and disruption. But I am not going to break the la…

I assume you have contacted an immigration lawyer for your options correct? Sorry to hear about that.

Re: How an Undocumented Immigrant from Mexico Became a Star at Goldman Sachs

#19

Post by hyperliner »

dismal2 wrote: post #14

Wonder is she was paying any taxes? This whole article feels strange to me, if I slipped through the cracks and got luck I wouldn't be shouting on the rooftops about it.

hmmm, at that level of income, you don't PAY your taxes. They are DEDUCTED from your paycheck.

Re: How an Undocumented Immigrant from Mexico Became a Star at Goldman Sachs

#20

Post by littletimmy »

sparkzilla wrote: post #15

She should have gone through the process like everyone else. I invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in my business to get a visa, spending all of that money on American suppliers and employing Americans. Now that the business failed I have to leave the U.S., taking my kids out of their schools, and start the process all over again, taking even more time, expense and disruption. But I am not going to break the la…

She should suffer because you suffered? I sympathize with you but that's not good logic.
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