On illegal immigration and illegal alien
Hello! Today, we’ll be deconstructing a particularly contentious term, using nothing but language analysis. I’ll state the conclusion first: there’s no such thing as an illegal alien, even in the face of aliens breaking immigration law. Interested as to how I arrived to this conclusion? Then keep reading to find out why.
Legality is a property of acts, not of people, just as much as moisture level is a property of objects, not of ideas. This isn’t exactly rocket science, and most dictionaries will support this plain understanding of the word legal, not to mention attorneys themselves.
Thus, by definition:
- unauthorized acts, such as crossing a border in a manner not permitted by law, may be illegal acts, and even crimes; but
- people cannot be ilegal
In other words, the phenomenon we refer to as illegal immigration can definitely be called “illegal immigration”, because it’s immigration and it’s illegal. But extending those words to label people who commit illegal immigration “illegal aliens” is not, I think, even a “feature” supported by the English language. It’s a perversion of concept.
Even if you’re breaking 25 laws at the same time, that doesn’t make you an “illegal” whatever, it just makes you a federal criminal, felon, or trespasser. Not illegal.
I also want to make two small (and politically biased) contributions here:
- The compound term “illegal alien” most definitely exists and was invented to promote hatred and fear of foreigners (xenophobia). Anyone who disagrees is freely welcome to disagree with me — just leave it as a comment. But, if you think I’m wrong, that I already think you live in la-la-land, so you better make sure to write up a knowledgeable response.
- A similar perversion of concepts happens in the domain of ideas: It’s just the same when interested parties equate “downloading MP3″ with “robbing”. No matter how much information monopolists would want us to believe that copying music is robbing, it just will never be, because for a robbery to take place, the original owner of the property must no longer have it in his possession.
October 29th, 2006 at 9:19
To those of you who oppose immigration control and baulk at the correct term illigal alien, if a person enters your house with intent to rape and murder your fammily is he alien to your house and is he illegal? you bet your political correct ass he is. I am now a legal resident in America after 15 years of legal costs and many many visits to INS offices what gives illegals the right to jump the que and lets be honest here we all know we are talking about hispanic illeagals the rest of the world has no choice but to wait in line, give me a break. My country the UK no longer resembles the country that I was born and raised in leagaly, it has been handed over to people who have no idea who Churchill was or even care, by socialists or if you insist on true deffinitions, communist wannabees
October 29th, 2006 at 10:13
Bob, don’t embarrass yourself. First, it’s illegal, not illigal, which makes me think you aren’t exactly the right person to be bragging about your command of the English language.
Second, you clearly seem not to be arguing about anything I disagree with. Queues (not “ques”) should be respected. Quotas should be respected. Immigrants should really try to go at it the legal route. You don’t need to tell me about this, since I myself am about to start paperwork to go live and work in Germany. But fact is fact: those people aren’t illegal, because no person can be illegal. Sure, they can be crooks, but that doesn’t make them “illegal”.
Third, I hate political correctness. But I also hate people who misuse words to their advantage.
Fourth: if I was in command of the U.S., I’d start by complying with the letter and spirit of the Human Rights Declaration and open the borders, because it’s a human right to be able to choose nationality.
April 20th, 2007 at 15:07
I think that Bob loves the cock.
Objectively speaking of course.
My 2c.