Is the term "illegal immigrant" a slur?

[Veiled Princess 1]

How bout we call them "pilgrims"?

[Scott & Lai 12]

The person is not illegal, their immigration status is.

I agree that it's dehumanizing, but not that it's racist or whatever Sandoval was trying to argue. I especially hate it when people call them "illegals."

Personally I prefer "undocumented." Probably because it just sounds, really, really weird to say "extranjero ilegal" (illegal alien) in Spanish, and much more logical to say "extranjero indocumentado" (undocumented alien). And that's the population I work with.

Ok....

Driving w/o a license = "undocumented driver"

Robbing a bank = "undocumented withdrawal"

Home invasion = "undocumented guest"

Stowaway = "undocumented passenger"

[minha_raposa 0]

Some folks just need to suck it up and get over these absurd sensitivities about names and labels! Most folks could give a flyin ratz azz about this political correct BS! #### all this Kumbaya shite...they are illegal immigrants/aliens or whatever! All these whiners are a bunch of LIBERAL howler monkeys with no point or valid position on much of anything.

He11, I wish I knew how to become an illegal American so I too could get free health care. Perhaps I should have considered having my wife just slip across the border in Juarez also...sure would have saved a lot of money AND she would get the same priveledge the [b]I L L E G A L S[/b] are becoming entitled to.

[pedroh 21]

ayy los ilegales.. lol indeed.. that guy is ridiculous..

and.. slipping the border.. have u heard how much does a 'pollero' or 'coyote' charges? the good ones are not cheap... the people u see crossing walkin.. those are the ones who get caught.. im sure the paperwork is not as close as $3k or $4k.. at least not mine lawl..

its true that the word by itself is not a slur, but I know sometimes people will try to use it as a slur.. is like the word mexican.. for some people mexican is a slur, instead they should be called latino.. but.. it is not a slur lol

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Most folks could give a flyin ratz azz about this political correct BS! #### all this Kumbaya shite...they are illegal immigrants/aliens or whatever!

I wish you were right but I'm afraid you're not. As we speak, the rats who inhabit the halls of Congress are distancing themselves from the Sensenbrenner bill due to these protests. Spineless bunch of vermin, each and every one of them, of both parties.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

All these whiners are a bunch of LIBERAL howler monkeys with no point or valid position on much of anything.

Careful with the labels now. I'd consider myself a liberal on many issues but I am no supporter of illegals nor would I ever entertain any request to call them anything else. They are here illegally, they're illegals. That's that.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

All these whiners are a bunch of LIBERAL howler monkeys with no point or valid position on much of anything.

Careful with the labels now. I'd consider myself a liberal on many issues but I am no supporter of illegals nor would I ever entertain any request to call them anything else. They are here illegally, they're illegals. That's that.

You're a lib, ET, but you're no howler monkey. minha was referring to the howler monkey libs

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

The person is not illegal, their immigration status is.

I agree that it's dehumanizing, but not that it's racist or whatever Sandoval was trying to argue. I especially hate it when people call them "illegals."

Personally I prefer "undocumented." Probably because it just sounds, really, really weird to say "extranjero ilegal" (illegal alien) in Spanish, and much more logical to say "extranjero indocumentado" (undocumented alien). And that's the population I work with.

Ok....

Driving w/o a license = "undocumented driver"

Robbing a bank = "undocumented withdrawal"

Home invasion = "undocumented guest"

Stowaway = "undocumented passenger"

PWNED!

Shoplifting = undocumented purchase

I wonder when all the shoplifters are going to get marching. I mean, there are millions of them (many of them actually eligible to vote) and they've been shoplifting for years on in. Hundreds of thousands of jobs in "retail asset protection" as well as "surveillance equipment production, sales, installation and service" would disappear overnight if it weren't for the hard work the shoplifters perform every day. It just seems not right to stigmatize them, to force them into the shadows of society. After all, they're humans too...

Edited April 12, 2006 by ET-US2004

[minha_raposa 0]

Most folks could give a flyin ratz azz about this political correct BS! #### all this Kumbaya shite...they are illegal immigrants/aliens or whatever!

I wish you were right but I'm afraid you're not. As we speak, the rats who inhabit the halls of Congress are distancing themselves from the Sensenbrenner bill due to these protests. Spineless bunch of vermin, each and every one of them, of both parties.

Yes, I stand correct. I should have said most regular people don't give a ratz azz. Certainly the swine on both sides of the aisle are terribly intimidated by the ILLEGALs and liberal protesters because they are the only ones being vocal. I believe it is the silent majority that is against this non-sense. Besides: the silent majority is too busy working to be in the street protesting.

Pedro: Illegal applies to ANY person who comes to this country ILLEGALLY. Not just specific to Mexico, and certainly not just Mexicans. Furthermore, If you are trying to tell me that the Coyotes are so sucessful in their trade to get 12 million people over the border then I think need to quite me National Laboratory job and become a Coyote me self! The majority cannot afford, nor do they use Coyotes to come here. Everynight there are many, many hundreds attempting to cross the border. Yes some get caught but there are not enough resources to stop MOST. You think Coyotes? NOT!

[almaty 19]

#######??-..this PC bullsh!t gets worse daily.... damn, i afraid to talk without getting called a honkey insensitivity chopf##k

[pedroh 21]

#######??-..this PC bullsh!t gets worse daily.... damn, i afraid to talk without getting called a honkey insensitivity chopf##k

lawl..

u're cool almaty.. and being cool, never a honkey.. lolol

[minha_raposa 0]

#######??-..this PC bullsh!t gets worse daily.... damn, i afraid to talk without getting called a honkey insensitivity chopf##k

Don't feel bad...nothing wrong with being called a honkey insensitive chopf##k. Wear it PROUD...something like an anti-anti-establishment badge of honor.

[sparkofcreation 0]

The person is not illegal, their immigration status is.

I agree that it's dehumanizing, but not that it's racist or whatever Sandoval was trying to argue. I especially hate it when people call them "illegals."

Personally I prefer "undocumented." Probably because it just sounds, really, really weird to say "extranjero ilegal" (illegal alien) in Spanish, and much more logical to say "extranjero indocumentado" (undocumented alien). And that's the population I work with.

Ok....

Driving w/o a license = "undocumented driver"

Robbing a bank = "undocumented withdrawal"

Home invasion = "undocumented guest"

Stowaway = "undocumented passenger"

Do you need government documents to enter the US? Yes. Therefore, undocumented alien.

Do you need government documents to drive a car? Yes. Therefore, undocumented driver. Sure. What's the difference between that and "unlicensed driver"? Which is what they're actually called?

Do you need government documents to withdraw money from a bank? Go to someone's house? Get on a boat or plane?

Don't be an idiot.

[Chicken_Little 0]

An illegal immigrant is someone who did not go through the legal process to immigrate. Therefore, if someone fits the bill, it's not a slur. That's like if I said "I find it offensive to be called an immigrant". Um...I AM an immigrant. If I didnt want to be called that, then I shouldn't have immigrated.

If people were so all-fired concerned about being called "illegal" then they should not have broken the law, and thus MADE themselves illegal.

[sparkofcreation 0]

He11, I wish I knew how to become an illegal American so I too could get free health care. Perhaps I should have considered having my wife just slip across the border in Juarez also...sure would have saved a lot of money AND she would get the same priveledge the [b]I L L E G A L S[/b] are becoming entitled to.

Last I checked, all hospitals in the US )actually, in most civilized countries, I believe) are legally required to give emergency medical care to anyone. even those who can't pay.

The reason your wife doesn't get free health care is that you have a job. For which you should consider yourself lucky. Or maybe you're independently wealthy. Whatever. The point is that people who have no money, regardless of their immigration status, are entitled to health care. There are millions of people who are in this country legally, hell, there are US citizens even, who get free health care because they're dirt poor.

Are you saying you wish you and your wife were included in that group?