In support of immigration, these Long Islanders offer sympathy with a condition: Do it right

Kevin Waszmer, of Patchogue, learned firsthand about the complexities of obtaining legal citizenship after adopting his 6-month-old Romanian daughter more than 30 years ago.

He spent years going through the official channels — at one point seeking help from the office of then-U.S. Sen. Al D’Amato — before his now 35-year-old daughter became a U.S. citizen.

It was challenging, Waszmer, 60, said, "but we did it."

While immigration remains one of the country’s most polarizing political issues, interviews across Long Island found broad agreement with Waszmer's point: overwhelming support for legal immigration with the belief the current system makes it unnecessarily difficult to immigrate legally. Interviews with nearly two dozen Long Islanders at gas stations, convenience stores and municipal buildings in mostly Republican strongholds revealed a mix of empathy and rigidity, with many residents acknowledging the hardships immigrants face while maintaining a belief that the nation's immigration laws must be upheld.

Their positions echo a Newsday/Siena Research Institute poll released earlier this month that found 53% of Long Island respondents said they approved of Trump's ability to secure the U.S.-Mexico border while 37% disapproved. Republicans were far more favorable toward the president's immigration efforts, with 84% saying they approved.

The interviews suggest a more nuanced take than the polarized rhetoric that often dominates the national immigration debate.

The Trump administration, while aggressively ramping up deportations, has prioritized curbing legal immigration through travel bans, new green card processing rules and terminating temporary protections for many. Most recently, the administration’s attempt to end birthright citizenship was blocked by the Supreme Court.

Following the rules

Nancy Harris, 72, of Lake Grove, said she has "very mixed feelings" on immigration. She said while she believes people should immigrate legally into the United States, she would prefer to see less militaristic tactics toward combating undocumented immigration.

A registered Republican, Harris said her political beliefs align more with those of an independent, adding the current legal immigration process needs to be fixed.

"There’s too much bureaucracy in it," she said while waiting to board a train at the Ronkonkoma Long Island Rail Road station on a sweltering July morning. "There are too many holes carved out of the process for different groups. I feel like we almost need to start over."

In West Islip, Tom Pastore, 72, said he believes the current system works and the country has "gotten better off since our president has taken office." The Bay Shore resident said people who "follow the rules," have proper documentation and have no past history of any "illegal issues" should have the opportunity to enter the country.

"I understand the value of people coming in, they’re hard workers," said Pastore, a registered Republican, after leaving a 7-Eleven.

Complex pathways

Some interviewees said people should "come legally," but today’s immigration system bears little resemblance to the Ellis Island era many referenced, when only a small percentage of immigrants seeking to enter the country were denied.

Today, legal immigration is primarily done through an "alphabet soup of visa categories," according to the Migration Policy Institute. Immigrants entering the country with one of those visas or receiving protection such as asylum can apply to become a lawful permanent resident, often referred to as a green card holder.

Lawful permanent residents can apply for citizenship after five years in the United States, or three if married to a U.S. citizen. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services outlines a 10-step process for the naturalization application, which includes compiling documents to show eligibility, completing a biometrics appointment and interviewing. Applicants must also pay fees such as the $760 N-400 application for naturalization when filing in person, or $710 online. Eligibility for citizenship requires people must be "of good moral character" and can read, write and speak basic English based on age, according to USCIS.

Luis Castillo, 34, of Laurel, experienced that process. He was born in Guatemala and came to the United States with his brother in 2015 as permanent residents. He became a citizen about three years ago and recalled the interview process as being difficult.

"They talk to you like you are nobody," said Castillo, speaking to Newsday while on break from his catering job.

He said while he and his brother were "lucky" over the timing of when they came to the United States, their sister who remains in Guatemala hasn't been as fortunate. She was too old at the time to be granted the same status, he said.

Their family has tried to find an avenue for her to come but continues to wait, he said.

"We were trying to call Immigration and ask if we can get the process faster, but they say, 'No, you got to wait,' " he said.

At the Ronkonkoma railroad station, Rex Aguirre, 78, of Lake Grove, said while vetting immigrants is essential, the current immigration process "stinks."

"A lot of these people that are immigrants, all they want to do is work and make a better life for themselves," said Aguirre, a registered, unaffiliated voter. He added that finding solutions when the topic is a "political football" is difficult.

Democratic voters, polling shows, are much more willing to view immigration as a good thing. A recent Gallup poll found 91% of Democrats surveyed said immigration is a good thing, while 50% of Republicans answered the same.

For Democrat Steve Richardson, 79, his viewpoint has always been "pro-immigrant," he said.

"People who are escaping from oppression, and their lives are in danger, should be able to come over the border and go through the process," the South Setauket resident said.

For Daniel Molinares, 22, of Smithtown, the hurdles involved in the immigration process and its complexity lead people to choose the alternative of entering the country illegally.

"Unfortunately, people don’t really have a choice when it comes to the legal way, which is more difficult," he said outside Brookhaven Town Hall.

A first-generation American, Molinares said both his parents came to the United States from Colombia. He recalled how his grandfather arrived in the country first to get settled before other family members followed in the early 1980s.

Rachelle Psaris, 79, of Coram, an unaffiliated voter, said she doesn't "sanction illegal immigration," but reflected on how her father-in-law came to the United States illegally from Greece during the Greco-Turkish War in the early 1900s. Her mother's family, she said, came from Russia, and her father's family came from Austria.

"We're a country of immigrants," she said.