Two Views of ‘Illegal’

Many Undocumented Immigrants Say They Resent Being Treated Like Criminals, But Some of Their Opponents Say There’s No Gray Area When Laws Are Broken

N.C. Aizenman

To many illegal immigrants, sneaking into the United States is at worst a minor violation — a breach of the rules so small, and so necessary, as to be beyond even mild reproach.

To many Americans, the act of entering the United States without permission taints every aspect of an illegal immigrant’s existence in the country. It points to a disregard for the law, suggests that the government has abdicated responsibility for borders and fuels outrage.

The chasm between the views has created an emotional response to one of the newest hot-button words in the political lexicon: illegal.

Those opposed to illegal immigration insist on using the term instead of the more anodyne “undocumented immigrantâ€