Thread: Aptly called 'illegal', Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas,

Aptly called 'illegal'

Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, Ranking Member, House Judiciary Committee - Washington

I agree with USA TODAY's use of the words "illegal immigrants" to describe foreign nationals in the country illegally. It's right to be precisely accurate ("News roundtable: How we refer to immigrants," USATODAY.com, Monday).

Advocates of the term "undocumented" claim "no one is illegal" and violators of civil immigration laws haven't committed illegal acts.

But Black's Law Dictionary defines illegal as "against or not authorized by law." U.S. Legal Forms' law dictionary defines illegal as "in violation of statute, regulation or ordinance. Illegal does not necessarily mean criminal. Something may be illegal under a statute that doesn't require criminal intent, and is therefore a civil violation subject to civil penalties." Those unlawfully in the country can be called illegal whether they are present in violation of either civil or criminal immigration law.

Neither Black's Law Dictionary nor U.S. Legal Forms' law dictionary lists the term "undocumented." It's easy to see why. It is estimated that close to half of all illegal immigrants arrived on valid visas and simply overstayed. Many of them have passports or consular identification cards from their home countries. When the Immigration and Nationality Act was first implemented in 1952, the term "undocumented" was nowhere to be found. "Undocumented" is clearly not a legally valid term.

Posted at 12:10 AM/ET, July 16, 2009 in Foreign policy general - Letters, Immigration - Letters, Letter to the editor
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They are ILLEGALS!

This is just another example of political correctness which is causing people to be afraid to say anything, don't want to offend anyone nowadays. This trend makes many look weak imo.

Originally Posted by jean

This is just another example of political correctness which is causing people to be afraid to say anything, don't want to offend anyone nowadays. This trend makes many look weak imo.

1984...just 20-25yrs off.

Added to Homepage:
http://www.alipac.us/article-4382--0-0.html

I will stick to calling them what they are...illegal invaders!