The term "immigrants" should be use only for LEGAL immigrant.  Legal immigrant asked to be here, not sneaked in.  Illegal immigrants cheated their way to be in the U.S.  As a legal immigrant, I'm frustrated to see U.S. laws being broken by my so called "peers".  Make no mistake, they are not my peers, they are criminals.
125988
Thank you. As ridiculuous as that sounds, thank you for taking the time to obey our immigration laws. I agree with you that those that do not follow the laws are crimminals. I do not see you as an uncle tom or back stabber or whatever the others on here have called you. If you and thousands of others have taken the time to follow the correct procedures to obtain citizenship in this country, no matter how hard it was, you deserve to hold your head high. Those that don't, and continue to break our immigration laws should be rounded up and sent back to wherever they came from. I no longer want to support them through my taxes just so they can send the money they make back to their native country.
456736
Only to those who support illegal immigrants think it's a racist term. I think it's a load of BS - I don't care WHERE they're from - I expect anyone who makes the choice to move here to follow our laws. I haven't figured out why that makes me a racist.\n\nAs to your hypothetical question, there are a lot of people who would STILL call you a racist. Personally, if someone breaks into my house, I believe in shoot first, ask later - and I don't care if they're brown, pink, green.....
286368
Legal immigrants = YAY!\n\nIllegal immigrants = BOO!
434286
The specifics are spelled out in the United States Federal Laws they say, there is only the "legal immigrant" and the "illegal aliens".  \n\nThere is no such thing as an undocumented worker or immigrant that is just in the distorted minds of illegal aliens supporters!\n \nFEDERAL LAW:\n\nThe law: US Code Title 8, Chapter 12, subchapter I section 1101 &\nsubchapter II section 1325\n\nImmigrant: an individual who has received permission to enter and\npermanently reside in the US. The written permission document issued\nby the US government to the immigrant after successfully completing\nrequired health tests, financial checks, and criminal investigations\nis called a visa.\n\n\nAlien: an individual in the US who is not a US citizen. After\nentering the US, the "immigrant" becomes an alien.\n\nIllegal alien: Anyone in the US in violation of the law. The illegal\nalien has intentionally chosen to violate the law and lacks the\nevidence VISA that they have observed all US laws in entering and\nremaining in the country.\n\nMost illegal aliens enter via the US-Mexico border, either alone or\nwith a smuggler. Other illegal aliens entered the US legally under a\nstudent, tourist or other temporary visa (promising to leave at the\nend of their "visit") and chose to remain after their visa expired.\nWhen the temporary visitor chose to "overstay" their visa, they\nbecame an illegal alien. Their original "legal" entry doesn't give\nthem upgraded status from the more common illegal border-crosser.\n\nBoth are illegal aliens, both are violating US immigration laws, and\nboth are subject to deportation.
111875
When looking at this issue here in this forum I was beginning to think that all America had gone crazy by only really considering 2 categories.  Citizen or Illegal.  There is a third category and that is Alien Residents who are in the country legally.  There is a large difference and I am glad that you to have noticed it as well.  All of us started out as immigrants at one point of history or another.  Even the Native Americans are said to have come from somewhere else, however as they settled the land centuries before any one else they are the only ones who we can say did not immigrate to this country, or Hemisphere for that matter.  As we are in the middle of trying to hammer out legislation for immigrants while we are doing this we should look at the laws that have been on the books since the 1920s and think about updating them.  I would favor them making it against the Federal Law to be an Illegal, however I would not support housing them in Federal Prison for any time and costing us even more than what we are spending now, deportation should be enough for first offense.  I do not feel that those who have assisted Illegals in a humanitariun sense should not be guilty of any crime, however those that profit from bringing them to the country or taking advantage of them when they are here should be punished.  There need to be many things done to update our system and make it have some teeth.  We also must as a nation realize it is not just a Hispanic problem we have illegals from every country in the world and we need to be aware of it and aknowledge it being that way.
328622
I hear you but "they" wouldn't understand what you're trying to say...maybe because "they" are in denial or simply using the "everyone is an immigrant" to justify their criminal acts.\n\nP.S. i noticed you said the words "illegal mexicans" good your voicing out your opinion just like those ILLEGAL MEXICANS AND THEIR SUPPORTERS!\n\ngirlfriend no matter what you say about mexicans whether good or bad...they'll accuse you of being a racist.
356509
They are criminals. They violated our laws on Imigration. They break the law to gain employment. THEY ARE CRIMINALS. IF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE ARRESTED THEM FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE. THEY WOULD GO TO JAIL AND BE RETURNED TO THEIR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN.THIS MAKES THEM ILLEGAL (UN LAWFUL)
496437
It's just rhetoric.  While I don't agree with the open borders crowd, I think that what they're trying to say with that kind of rhetoric is that a person's immigration status doesn't define his or her essence as a human being.  That is, instead of being called "lawbreakers," they would rather be labeled "people who have broken a law."\n\nPersonally I wish that we could start calling such people "unauthorized immigrants," as a middle ground.
42595
The correct term and description is ILLEGAL Immigrant. The option to enter any country is always opened and available.But for some reasons best known to these people, they always seek for illegal ways to enter the country they desire. If u refer to them as UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTs, u make it look as if the government is relunctant, or inefficient at documenting immigrants.The Posts are there for them to be checked and documented but they always avoid the legal means. That makes both the act, and the actor ILLEGAL. For example, a visitor has the privilege to knock at your door and seek for entry, and you can allow him if he has  genuine reasons, but if he choses to come in through the window, then he is a burglar, and NEVER an undocumented visitor.
214128
Does your friend have legal or illegal status? If she is legal, she has nothing to worry about. If she is illegal, she should do whatever is necessary to gain legal status before she does have to go.\n\nThe United States is a nation of laws. We cannot pick and choose which laws we follow, or the very fabric which holds our country together will begin to unravel.\n\nTo those who say we should "overlook" this law because so many have been here so long, I ask these questions:\n\nWhat if an illegal immigrant (NOT undocumented worker) is hungry? Is it alright to allow him to steal to fill his belly?\n\nWhat if an illegal immigrant has to get to work? Is it alright for him to steal a car to get there?\n\nWhat if an illegal immigrant is missing the señora and feeling a little randy? Is it okay for him to commit rape to satisfy those urges?\n\nWhy is it different, then, when it comes to breaking immigration laws? A law is a law is a law. We cannot pick and choose which laws we allow to be broken vs. those ones we follow.\n\nIf you do not like the immigration laws, elect someone who will change them. Until then, every illegal immigrant in this country is a slap in the face to those who immigrate legally. Immigration to the United States is not easy - it is not supposed to be.\n\nThere is no "right" to be able to immigrate here. You have to earn it. As with anything, that which is worth having is worth working for.
670629
I think all legal residents should be against illegal immigration, because it it bad for our society, particularly as it affects our public education and the ability for workers of whatever ethnicity to make a decent wage.  \n\nHowever, I am not too keen on your screen name, to tell you the truth.
166926
ricardocobar, I think this issue is really being muddy up by both the media and the protest groups. By what you have stated you came to this country and began obtaining legal status for immigration. This Issue is not about you, and I wish the media would stop grouping together immigrants with people that come to this country and don't do it in any legal fashion. \nYes I feel that some of the immigration rules make it easier to make people chose to come here Illegally.
582561
Why don't we just call them illegal migrants as President Fox calls them migrants?\n\nWe call them colonizers and for a good reason, for La Reconquista.\n\nNo matter what you call them it doesn't change the fact that my country expects and demands that I follow the law and pay taxes for those who are illegal citizens who don't have to do any of that.
619235
hide behind words like illegal ?  wtf  its a word to describe breaking the law i don't care if your purple its still the word used for breaking the law  try to come up with something new besides the race card  its old and its not working
476565
Your problem is you are focusing on the "immigrant" part rather than the "illegal" part. For a majority of us fighting illegal immigration, all we are saying is "follow the legal procedures for immigrating here and pay into our system as we do to support your benefits you gain while here!" \n\nIf they did that, they'd be LEGAL immigrants and be entitled to at least minimum wage rather than the "I can get away with paying you pennies" wage because they can't get protection from the law.
260556
Immigrants and Emigrants are both defined as people who left one country to settle in another, especially if it is a permanent move.\n\nAn emigre' is from the French and orginally referred to people who left France because they disagreed with the revolution. It later came to mean someone who left a country for political reasons. Now the meaning is more diluted and is often used the same way as immigrant or emigrant. \n\nIf someone is known to have entered the country illegally I believe they are usually called illegals or illegal immigrants, but are not usually referred to as just immigrants.
252698
illegal is illegal...no matter how we sugar coat it...it's still illegal.  if we're going to change the terminology "criminal" is appropriate.