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This is a common debate in my profession. The consensus is clear. The term alien is correct. The term undocumented is more appropriate than illegal because our laws typically reserved illegal for criminal law. The lack of documents upon entry falls with civil law. This the appropriate term would be undocumented aliens. However, aliens is no more or less correct than other terms like immigrants , migrants, etc.
The term citizen does not work at all.
"Undocumented is not more appropriate than illegal, as many have stolen the identities of Americans, and are also "documented" but in their mother country!
"The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA), enacted on September 30, 1996, added a new 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(3)(A) which makes it an offense for any person, during any 12-month period, to knowingly hire at least 10 individuals with actual knowledge that these individuals are unauthorized aliens. See this Manual at 1908 (unlawful employment of aliens)."
At the very least, they should be called "unauthorized aliens" or "illegally present aliens".
They are not a non-citizen, as they are a citizen, just not a US citizen.
"Undocumented is not more appropriate than illegal, as many have stolen the identities of Americans, and are also "documented" but in their mother country!
"The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA), enacted on September 30, 1996, added a new 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(3)(A) which makes it an offense for any person, during any 12-month period, to knowingly hire at least 10 individuals with actual knowledge that these individuals are unauthorized aliens. See this Manual at 1908 (unlawful employment of aliens)."
At the very least, they should be called "unauthorized aliens" or "illegally present aliens".
They are not a non-citizen, as they are a citizen, just not a US citizen.
The post I was quoting was referring to US Code and terminology. Your first link is simply the dictionary definition so it doesn't apply to this conversation.
You're right in pointing out that someone who hires a person unauthorized to work is committing a crime and thus can technically be called an illegal employer.
As per my point, "illegal" is used when representing those who broke criminal law. So per standard terminology as used in our courts, undocumented alien/immigrant would be more appropriate.
Those who have been convicted of stealing identities or committing any actual crime (even reentry upon deportation) would be appropriately illegal. But for obvious reasons, when discussing the entire group of immigrants without proper method of entry, you can't assume they have all broken such laws.
It's similar to why "illegal U-turn" is not appropriate and courts typically refer to it as "improper turn" or similar. While in common language, illegal is used quite often, it's not in line with our codes (at least at a federal level).
Legal Aliens are really Legal Immigrants, which can be temporary visa holders, or permanent residents, or naturalized citizens. Undocumented citizens is nonsense. Those that skirt the system are illegal aliens like the U.S. Code and INA desribe and show in law codes.
The US needs more people and families- purely economic reasons GDP and ultimately growth of the economy. No we don’t want reject criminals- we need hardworking, motivated families who want to share in the “American Dream” - yeah last time I checked; a lot of the world population still wants to get into our country - the dream is alive.
There were refugees seeking asylum from Syria, Iraq and other countries that have no passports, ID's or other documentation, that doesn't make them illegal.
It makes them terrifying! We have no idea who they are! Oh, refugees, those that cost taxpayers $45,000 each.
We should call legal aliens "honest people who deserve to be here".
It makes them terrifying! We have no idea who they are! Oh, refugees, those that cost taxpayers $45,000 each.
We should call legal aliens "honest people who deserve to be here".
Refugees are not people who walk across the border as refugees should file at the nearest embassy to wherhey come from.
Thanks for calling legal aliens honest people. I’m a legal alien who became a citizen and it almost sounds like legal aliens are now the ones that don’t exist and have to go to he back of the line to let the border walkers get in first.
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