# Why do people refer to illegal aliens as Undocumented? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 6, 2009, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-refer-to-illegal-aliens-as-undocumented/495529 "2009-05-06T11:50:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-refer-to-illegal-aliens-as-undocumented/495529/181 "2009-05-23T12:15:16Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > So do the people who use the term “illegal immigrant” tack on the word “illegal” when referencing any criminal? The crime \*is \*relocating to this country without proper documentation, so I’d think the term undocumented immigrant would be sufficient. Would you refer to someone who has stolen a car as an illegal car thief? Perhaps we could say any one who has broken the law is a law breaker, Is that appropiate? Or should we say those here illegally? Would the wording be any different, would it sound kinder? Perhaps it is true that a lot of “undocumented people” are here in this country, but what percent sneaked in and stayed with out documents. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-refer-to-illegal-aliens-as-undocumented/495529/182 "2009-05-23T15:14:02Z")
> [@monavis](#): > > Perhaps it is true that a lot of “undocumented people” are here in this country, but what percent sneaked in and stayed with out documents. The DHS says about a 1/3 are visa overstays, but the General Accounting Office thinks they are underestimating and its than 57%. [http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d0482.pdf](http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d0482.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-refer-to-illegal-aliens-as-undocumented/495529/183 "2009-05-23T17:37:55Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > .. read Luke 10:25-37 and Matthew 25:31-46. Then tell me what you think they have to say on the subject of people south of the border violating our laws in search of work. I don’t see any reference to borders or work. If you believe that Jesus is against immigration laws, I would like to see the passage. Perhaps the most applicable one is Mark 7:26-28. 🙂 Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-refer-to-illegal-aliens-as-undocumented/495529/184 "2009-05-23T18:21:12Z")
Well, the Samaritans were. notoriously, part-Jewish part-Gentile crossbreeds that had settled in the middle of the Holy Land during the exile, and who were not welcomed in Judaea TTBOMK. That’s where I saw relevance. The other half is the question of who is my neighbor. I [ersonally think that Jesus is against seeing people suffer owing to the application of unjust laws – but we can, I suppose, agree to disagree there. Thanks for answering amicably. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-refer-to-illegal-aliens-as-undocumented/495529/185 "2009-05-23T18:53:31Z")
Leviticus 19:34, “The alien who resides among you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.” Replace Egypt with America if you aren’t Christian. Edit: sorry, or Jewish. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-refer-to-illegal-aliens-as-undocumented/495529/186 "2009-05-25T13:46:36Z")
The alien in Israel was expected to keep the law, however - [cite](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=3&chapter=18&verse=26&version=31&context=verse) and [cite](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=4&chapter=15&verse=29&version=8&context=verse). And I assume you are not suggesting that the Old Testament should be adopted as US law. It is probably too late to treat the indigenous tribes of the America Southwest as the Old Testament [commands](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=5&chapter=7&verse=2&version=8&context=verse). Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-refer-to-illegal-aliens-as-undocumented/495529/187 "2009-05-25T16:24:53Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > The alien in Israel was expected to keep the law, however - [cite](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=3&chapter=18&verse=26&version=31&context=verse) and [cite](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=4&chapter=15&verse=29&version=8&context=verse). Yeah, and? I’m not saying they should be allowed to come over here and rip the tags off mattresses and pass bills of attainder. > [@Shodan](#): > > And I assume you are not suggesting that the Old Testament should be adopted as US law. It is probably too late to treat the indigenous tribes of the America Southwest as the Old Testament [commands](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=5&chapter=7&verse=2&version=8&context=verse). > > Regards, > Shodan Christians pick and choose which parts of it they accept, why can’t I? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-refer-to-illegal-aliens-as-undocumented/495529/188 "2009-05-25T19:14:34Z")
You can, but unless you can present some reasonable rationale. you can’t expect to be taken very seriously. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-refer-to-illegal-aliens-as-undocumented/495529/189 "2009-05-25T19:25:18Z")
Cool, then according to you, I’m justified in not taking Christians very seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-refer-to-illegal-aliens-as-undocumented/495529/190 "2009-05-26T14:23:20Z")
Only those who don’t have a rationale. [Cite](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=48&chapter=7&verse=18&end_verse=20&version=8&context=context), [cite](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=51&chapter=11&verse=18&version=8&context=verse), etc., etc. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-refer-to-illegal-aliens-as-undocumented/495529/191 "2009-05-26T21:25:30Z")
This thread is way, way off the rails. If someone says “I am against illegal aliens taking all the jobs,” he is talking about people who are actually guilty of illegal entry. Shockingly, such people do exist. He is not talking about Mr. X, who may or may not actually have broken the law and therefore must be referred to as “undocumented” by the legally sensitive until he is actually convicted of something. Again, using hairsplitting, legalistic terminology to obscure activities that are clearly unlawful (unlawful entry, unlawful work status) is just laughably transparent. It’s like those movies where some mobster is on the witness stand saying “I have no knowledge of how those particular fingerprints that may or may not be mine could have been placed on that metal tubular object this fine gentleman refers to as a firearm.” ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-refer-to-illegal-aliens-as-undocumented/495529/192 "2009-05-26T22:15:57Z")
> [@Hyperelastic](#): > > This thread is way, way off the rails. > > If someone says “I am against illegal aliens taking all the jobs,” he is talking about people who are actually guilty of illegal entry. Ok, so they’re specifically NOT talking about people who did not enter illegally, but are working illegally? Good to know. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-refer-to-illegal-aliens-as-undocumented/495529.md?page=9)