An Illegal Alien is Not an Immigrant

Today I get to offend people from both ends of the political spectrum and, to my everlasting shame, I welcome the opportunity.  Blame the constant tattoo of articles about sanctuary cities and the constant use of the word “immigrant” when the writer is not talking about immigrants at all.  They are talking about illegal aliens.   

Would you allow a rapist to refer to himself as his victim’s “lover?”  No!  “But,” the criminal might say, “the word ‘rapist’ is too judgmental.  It casts me in a negative light.  I want to be called her lover.”

No sane person would consider this statement to be defensible.  But, let a person violate the country by entering it without permission or consent and there are legions of people who want to throw a gauze of legitimacy over the act through their choice of words.   The term “illegal alien” is not a pejorative; the denotation is specific and unambiguous. 

But, to simplistically say we should find and deport “the lot of them” is as inhumane and unrealistic a position from the right as the manipulative exploitation of illegal aliens is from the left.  The numbers are against us.

Since 1970 the number of all foreigners coming to this country (legal, illegal, permanent and temporary workers included) has risen by a factor of four.  Then their combined numbers were 10 million (about 5% of our total population).  By 2014 those numbers were 42 million people, representing 13% of the population.  About 11 million are illegal aliens.  Of these, 71% are from Mexico or Central America, 14% from Asia, 6% from Europe and Canada, and 2% are from Africa.  To say that most of these people are looking for a better life and are willing to contribute to that life is accurate and justified.  But, that does not change the fact that their entrance is unsupervised, unauthorized and does not show proper respect for real immigrants who are honoring this country by playing by the rules. 

Regular readers know that I do not like to complain without offering a solution and I have one. 

(1)    Children are not capable of opting for a place of residence.  They go where they are taken and are victims of their parent’s choices.  They should not be punished for those choices and I am a strong believer in the “dreamers” legislation.  BUT the country of origin of each of these children should have $250,000 dollars per child subtracted from the foreign aid we send them.  We have taken on the obligation of raising their children and they must pay.

(2)  Six states account for 59% of all illegal aliens: California, Florida, Nevada, New York, New Jersey and Illinois.  Each of these states benefit from the low-cost labor of these people.  If these states choose to defy the laws of the land and create “sanctuary” status they should be fined a percentage of what it costs the federal government to patrol the borders in equal amount to the percentage of aliens in their state.   

(3)  About 66% of all adult illegal aliens have been in this country for over a decade.  That is enough time to evaluate their intentions in coming to this country.  Are they working?  Are they paying taxes?  Are they avoiding criminal activity?  Are they educating their children?  Then find a way to let them stay, but delay their full citizenship (and benefits thereof) until they have worked their way from the end of the line to the front. 

Finally, if you want the legal immigrants and troubled citizens of this country to believe that you take border security seriously, don’t mince words about who and what you are talking about.  Pulling a con with your language is transparently insulting and duplicitous.  It destroys your credibility. 

           

Words count when you keep the faith.