I just have to get this off my chest. It's been bugging me for years.
A retired Associate Director for Immigration & Refugee Services, and a USCIS board-certified Immigration Counselor for 22 years, from the beginning of the open-borders debate I've been annoyed by the widespread muddling of the textbook meaning of the term immigrant.
For the most part, this muddling has been intentional and has been perpetuated by the Left for the sole purpose of advancing its open-border political agenda. There is no other reasonable explanation.
Not surprisingly, the MSM and many clueless folks on the Right as well have either deliberately or unwittingly adopted the paradoxical and corrupted term "illegal immigrant" which both adds to the confusion and serves to unfairly legitimize the status of an "illegal alien", aka "undocumented alien" and to de-legitimize a legal immigrant.
The short of it is this: by definition an immigrant is a legal entrant. He or she was properly inspected and entered the country legally; thus, from a legal standpoint, describing a person as an "illegal immigrant" is self-contradictory for it erroneously describes an immigrant as illegal. To be clear, an entrant is either legal or illegal--an illegal alien/undocumented alien OR an immigrant. It is impossible to be both illegal AND an immigrant.
FYI: Those formally granted refugee or asylee status, a non-immigrant visa (tourist, working, etc), or immigrant status (family reunification case) are, of course, legal entrants. They were inspected by US authorities (i.e. documented), granted that legal status and permitted to enter the country legally. And only if a refugee, asylee, non-immigrant (visa holder) or immigrant violates the terms of his/her admission, e.g. overstaying one's visa or committing a serious crime, will his/her status revert to that of illegal/removable/deportable.
And this: from a sociological standpoint, all persons who enter the country may be correctly described as "migrants". Just as all citizens are not natural-born citizens, not all migrants are legal entrants.
Obviously, the use of term "illegal immigrant" merely adds a patina of legitimacy to an illegal alien's/illegal entrant's/undocumented alien's status. And, of course, that is the tendentious political purpose of many dishonest political hacks and word police on the Left, many of whom should know better.
So, please keep this differentiation in mind the next time you hear someone using the asinine term "illegal immigrant". Call 'em on it.
We are a proud nation of immigrants--NOT illegal aliens, overstayers, undocumented aliens, illegal entrants. Pass it on!
And to Justice Sonia Sotomayor who said she was "insulted" by the term "illegal immigrant", here are your choices when describing an entrant into this country: illegal entrant/illegal alien/undocumented alien OR legal entrant, refugee, asylee, non-immigrant, immigrant. Confusingly mixing and matching terms to accommodate your "feelings" or political predisposition is both irresponsible and ignorant. As a jurist, the LAW must trump your sensitivities.
That's it! Gee, I feel better already...
Comments
Where was this guy when those with tourist visas were refused entrance simply because they were married to Americans. 1000's were refused and none did anything illegal. Their respective Amerrican Embassy gave them the tourist visa and some were good for 10 years. But the powers that be decided that married to American aliens are more likely to vote for keeping our rights here when they are legal immigrants and become citizens! Yes, unlike illegal aliens who probably cannot read or speak english would be more likely to vote for a Socialist state!