It seems to pop up in the press a lot: people born outside the US who snuck in, or overstayed their visa, and are now in violation of the law by their very presence get referred to as “undocumented workers,” “unauthorized immigrants,” and various other terms - all of which seem designed to avoid drawing attention to the fact that they are not from here and are breaking the law.
They’re not “unauthorized:” they did not forget to obtain permission from the school principal or their parents. They did not neglect to obtain a building permit.
They’re not “undocumented:” it’s entirely possible they have a passport or other documentation. That doesn’t mean they are here legally.
They’re not “workers:” they may or may not have a job. Maybe they’re students. Maybe they’re thieves. Maybe they’re stay-at-home spouses. Maybe they’re political refugees.
They’re not “immigrants:” “immigrant” is a status on your visa, like “student” or tourist." If you have an expired visa (or none at all), then that status no longer applies.
If your presence in this country is a violation of US immigration law, then you are an illegal alien.
The OP is right, because as we all know the term “illegal aliens” was handed down by God himself on tablets of fire and is written in the stars. It’s an immutable and inarguable law of nature that that’s what these people must be called at all times.
They are “Poopy Pants.” Why libruls insist on calling them anything else is beyond me.
We should ship them all out. Let’s take a cue from Republican-controlled Florida and kick those Poopy Pants out . . . what’s that you say? Strong agricultural/business interests want to have those Poopy Pants out there working the fields at next-to-no income? Ok, I guess we’ll let the Poopy Pants (who make up 5% of the FL population, by the way) stay. But we’ll still call them names. That way we will show that we are true Americans. Not like those libruls!
Gimme a break. Have you ever referred to a bank robber as an “unauthorized borrower?”
If you have a passport from another country but you’ve overstayed your tourist visa, then you are not undocumented. Since someone here illegally may or may not be documented, “undocumented” is not a reliable term. Moreover, documentation (or lack thereof) is not the issue at the heart of the matter.
Since they may or may not be workers, “worker” is not a reliable term. Moreover, their employment status is not the issue at the heart of the matter.
An immigrant is someone who has come here to settle permanently. Someone who has come here illegally may or may not be intending to stay permanently. As such, “immigrant” is not a reliable term.
Not a law of nature, but a law of man. “Alien” is an official legal term defined by The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952. It is more broad than student, worker, immigrant, housewife, or pretty much any other term you can think of, and is therefore most appropriate in general discussions of those who have come here from another country.
Hardly. I married a Japanese woman eight years ago. We did a lot of paperwork together to obtain her green card and then her citizenship, and we both get annoyed when we hear of concessions being made to people who have deliberately sidestepped the whole process.
They rarely come up in discussion as a single group.