I know this is kind of a fine point, but it has bothered me for some time.

A while back the supporters of illegal aliens starting calling them illegal immigrants. From a technical standpoint I don't think there is any such thing as illegal immigrant. How can you be illegal and an immigrant at the same time? I noticed that Secretary Michael Chertoff used the term illegal aliens in his new conference. Also, the INS does not have an official category of illegal immigrant on their papers that charge violation of immigrantion laws. When the INS returns illegals they are returned as illegal aliens.

So, for me this is just a legal definition, and illegal alien is the correct term.


Of course all legal immigrants that pursue citizenship by the correct path are welcome additions to this great country.