--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We should encourage people who have lived…" description: "\"We should encourage people who have lived here peacefully for years to earn legal status over time.\" — Luis Gutierrez" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/380/luis-gutierrez-8772_immigration_we-should-encourage-people-who-have-live_2192527.png" --- # We should encourage people who have lived here peacefully… ![“We should encourage people who have lived here peacefully for years to earn legal status over time.” quote by Luis Gutierrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/380/luis-gutierrez-8772_immigration_we-should-encourage-people-who-have-live_2192527.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/380/luis-gutierrez-8772_immigration_we-should-encourage-people-who-have-live_2192527.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/380/luis-gutierrez-8772_immigration_we-should-encourage-people-who-have-live_2192527.png) > “We should encourage people who have lived here peacefully for years to earn legal status over time.” [Luis Gutierrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-gutierrez/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates for granting legal status gradually to long‑term peaceful residents. **In simple terms:** Give long‑term peaceful residents legal status gradually. Key Takeaway Support incremental legalization. Themes immigration rights integration Mood empathetic advocacy Type policy social justice When to use this quote - community organizing - legal aid - government hearings Key Concepts social justice policy reform Questions to Reflect On - How can communities build support for gradual legalization? - What safeguards ensure fairness? A Different Perspective Legal status may be politically contentious and slow to implement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Earn Legal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earn-legal-4782091/) [Encourage People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encourage-people/) [Immigration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigration/) [Legal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legal/) [Legal Status](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legal-status-1634730/) [Lived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lived/) [Lived Peacefully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lived-peacefully-3054035/) [Peacefully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peacefully/) [Peacefully Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peacefully-years-4782090/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) ## Related quotes > [But I also want to give them a pathway so that they can earn citizenship, earn a legal status, start learning English, pay a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/but-i-also-want-to-give-them-a-pathway-so-that-they-can-earn/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Because there was a pathway to citizenship that allowed me to secure legal status, I had the unbridled chance to work hard and build…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-mayorkas/because-there-was-a-pathway-to-citizenship-that-allowed-me-to-secure/) [Alejandro Mayorkas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-mayorkas/) > [As an immigrant justice advocate, I, of course, want legal status for everyone trying to make it in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-tometi/as-an-immigrant-justice-advocate-i-of-course-want-legal-status-for/) [Opal Tometi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-tometi/) > [Whatever their defects, Christian fundamentalists have lived peacefully among us in America for several hundred years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gallagher/whatever-their-defects-christian-fundamentalists-have-lived/) [Maggie Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gallagher/) > [The wise old fairy tales never were so silly as to say that the prince and the princess lived peacefully ever afterwards. The fairy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-wise-old-fairy-tales-never-were-so-silly-as-to-say-that-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [October— You were sleeping so peacefully that I was loath to wake you. Duke Torquill, after demanding to know what I was doing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/october-you-were-sleeping-so-peacefully-that-i-was-loath-to-wake-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I ever went, I'd want to go peacefully in my sleep. I wouldn't want to plan my own death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-diamond/if-i-ever-went-i-d-want-to-go-peacefully-in-my-sleep-i-wouldn-t-want/) [Dustin Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-diamond/) > [I strongly support anyone's right to peacefully protest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/i-strongly-support-anyone-s-right-to-peacefully-protest/) [Tate Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-reeves/) > [Resist, however peacefully and even in your own home, and heaven help you, no matter what your skin color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/resist-however-peacefully-and-even-in-your-own-home-and-heaven-help/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [Stop doing what is wrong, and do good... Look for peace, and do all you can to help people live peacefully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stop-doing-what-is-wrong-and-do-good-look-for-peace-and-do-all-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Peacefully and lovingly accepting who we are today requires honestly looking at our past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-letters-of-gratitude/peacefully-and-lovingly-accepting-who-we-are-today-requires-honestly/) [The Letters Of Gratitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-letters-of-gratitude/) > [If you want to attain peace, live peacefully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-fronsdal/if-you-want-to-attain-peace-live-peacefully/) [Gil Fronsdal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-fronsdal/) > [“If hard work is done peacefully then the personality of a human being becomes more impressive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dax-bamania/if-hard-work-is-done-peacefully-then-the-personality-of-a-human-being/) [Dax Bamania](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dax-bamania/) > [“Be quick to resolve conflicts before they mature to become wars. The energetic crocodile was once a delicate egg!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/be-quick-to-resolve-conflicts-before-they-mature-to-become-wars-the/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Whoever expects to walk peacefully in the world must be money's guest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-o-brown/whoever-expects-to-walk-peacefully-in-the-world-must-be-money-s-guest/) [Norman O. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-o-brown/) ## More by Luis Gutierrez > [Uncertainty and fear and ignorance about immigrants, about people who are different, has a history as old as our Nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-gutierrez/uncertainty-and-fear-and-ignorance-about-immigrants-about-people-who/) [Luis Gutierrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-gutierrez/) > [DACA is a lifeline for individuals who have grown up in the U.S. but who lack immigration papers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-gutierrez/daca-is-a-lifeline-for-individuals-who-have-grown-up-in-the-u-s-but/) [Luis Gutierrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-gutierrez/) > [We must stand on principle and practicality, and we should be very clear that a policy aimed at driving out 10 or 11 million…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-gutierrez/we-must-stand-on-principle-and-practicality-and-we-should-be-very/) [Luis Gutierrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-gutierrez/) > [As a Democrat from Illinois, as a member of Congress who believes in and admires President Obama, it genuinely pains me to say that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-gutierrez/as-a-democrat-from-illinois-as-a-member-of-congress-who-believes-in/) [Luis Gutierrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-gutierrez/) > [On Tuesday 26 July 2011, I was arrested in front of the White House along with a dozen other pro-immigrant advocates and clergy. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-gutierrez/on-tuesday-26-july-2011-i-was-arrested-in-front-of-the-white-house/) [Luis Gutierrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-gutierrez/) > [It is so difficult to, day in and day out, hear these incredibly painful stories of the destructive nature of our broken immigration system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-gutierrez/it-is-so-difficult-to-day-in-and-day-out-hear-these-incredibly/) [Luis Gutierrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-gutierrez/) > [BP should be Banned Permanently because they are too failed to be big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-gutierrez/bp-should-be-banned-permanently-because-they-are-too-failed-to-be-big/) [Luis Gutierrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-gutierrez/) > [We should be clear that we prefer a system that allows people to come to the U.S. with visas, not in the hands of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-gutierrez/we-should-be-clear-that-we-prefer-a-system-that-allows-people-to-come/) [Luis Gutierrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-gutierrez/) > [We watched the U.S. citizenship immigration services web site in March. They had six million, two hundred thousand hits, and two million people downloaded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-gutierrez/we-watched-the-u-s-citizenship-immigration-services-web-site-in-march/) [Luis Gutierrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-gutierrez/) > [I mean, the greatest laugh I always get is, if darkness, right, just overwhelms the Earth one day and Obama had the key to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-gutierrez/i-mean-the-greatest-laugh-i-always-get-is-if-darkness-right-just/) [Luis Gutierrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-gutierrez/) > [The American people are much more practical than Republican lawmakers on equal pay, on the minimum wage, on same-sex marriage, and on basic civil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-gutierrez/the-american-people-are-much-more-practical-than-republican-lawmakers/) [Luis Gutierrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-gutierrez/) > [The immigrant blame game is constant. Cynical politicians believe it drives poll numbers; cynical commentators believe it drives TV ratings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-gutierrez/the-immigrant-blame-game-is-constant-cynical-politicians-believe-it/) [Luis Gutierrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-gutierrez/) > [We need legal immigration as an alternative to illegal immigration and a way of getting the millions of unauthorized immigrants already here to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-gutierrez/we-need-legal-immigration-as-an-alternative-to-illegal-immigration/) [Luis Gutierrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-gutierrez/) > [I will argue until my last breath for a pathway to citizenship that is quick and efficient because I want to end this chapter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-gutierrez/i-will-argue-until-my-last-breath-for-a-pathway-to-citizenship-that/) [Luis Gutierrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-gutierrez/) > [I have never pretended to be a legal scholar, but when scores of lawyers are lining up to agree with the Supreme Court that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-gutierrez/i-have-never-pretended-to-be-a-legal-scholar-but-when-scores-of/) [Luis Gutierrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-gutierrez/) [Explore all 78 Luis Gutierrez quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-gutierrez/) ## More Immigration quotes > [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/) [Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/) > [Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/throughout-our-history-the-words-of-the-declaration-have-inspired/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Europe is creating the flight of refugees that's tearing it apart politically, and leading rightwing nationalist parties to gain power to withdraw from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/europe-is-creating-the-flight-of-refugees-that-s-tearing-it-apart/) [Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/) > [We need to fight to prove to people that it is possible to form an E.U. migration policy that is in line with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-orban/we-need-to-fight-to-prove-to-people-that-it-is-possible-to-form-an-e/) [Viktor Orban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-orban/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [A lot of Broadway has that immigrant narrative of America as a place where you can become something else against all odds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-kass/a-lot-of-broadway-has-that-immigrant-narrative-of-america-as-a-place/) [Deborah Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-kass/) > [Ed Koch once said that New York City is where immigrants come to audition for America. That's what happened to my parents; that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-manuel-miranda/ed-koch-once-said-that-new-york-city-is-where-immigrants-come-to/) [Lin-Manuel Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-manuel-miranda/) > [“If all the developed countries would let in just 3% more immigrants, the world’s poor would have $305 billion more to spend, say scientists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/if-all-the-developed-countries-would-let-in-just-3-more-immigrants/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“...the haunted always take refuge in stillness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-dodd/the-haunted-always-take-refuge-in-stillness/) [Christina Dodd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-dodd/) > [These men of many nations must be taught American ways, the English language, and the right way to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/these-men-of-many-nations-must-be-taught-american-ways-the-english/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [Let's be honest, if the Democrats didn't support ignoring our nation's immigration laws, there is no way they could win the presidency or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/let-s-be-honest-if-the-democrats-didn-t-support-ignoring-our-nation-s/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [I think what Democrats need to do is they need to work for the country and make sure that not only the southern border…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-tester/i-think-what-democrats-need-to-do-is-they-need-to-work-for-the/) [Jon Tester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-tester/) > [We need to remain a nation that doesn't just welcome but that celebrates legal immigrants who come here seeking to pursue the American Dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/we-need-to-remain-a-nation-that-doesn-t-just-welcome-but-that/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The Chinese describe themselves as political refugees. Many base that claim on China's strict population laws, which allow them to have only one child.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/the-chinese-describe-themselves-as-political-refugees-many-base-that/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [“The next morning, the refugees rose from their agitation to the realization that they were slowly being erased from the world, from its history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-next-morning-the-refugees-rose-from-their-agitation-to-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 4,018 Immigration quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigration/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We should encourage people who have lived here peacefully for years to earn legal status over time.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Luis Gutierrez" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-gutierrez/we-should-encourage-people-who-have-lived-here-peacefully-for-years/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Immigration" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-gutierrez/we-should-encourage-people-who-have-lived-here-peacefully-for-years/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/380/luis-gutierrez-8772_immigration_we-should-encourage-people-who-have-live_2192527.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/380/luis-gutierrez-8772_immigration_we-should-encourage-people-who-have-live_2192527.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/380/luis-gutierrez-8772_immigration_we-should-encourage-people-who-have-live_2192527.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We should encourage people who have lived here peacefully for years to earn legal status over time.” — Luis Gutierrez", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Luis Gutierrez", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-gutierrez/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We should encourage people who have...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-gutierrez/we-should-encourage-people-who-have-lived-here-peacefully-for-years/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-gutierrez/we-should-encourage-people-who-have-lived-here-peacefully-for-years/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```