The "undocumented vs. illegal" debate has already been brought up here, so I thought you might find it interesting to know that Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor made history earlier this week when she chose the term "undocumented immigrant" over "illegal immigrant" in her first Supreme Court opinion.
According to The New York Times, the term "illegal immigrant" has appeared in a dozen Supreme Court decisions while the term "undocumented immigrant" has never been used. Although the opinion itself had little to do with immigration, Justice Sotomayor's choice of terminology is being applauded by immigration advocates and supporters. It may seem like a small thing--using one word instead of another--but with comprehensive immigration reform on the horizon, the deliberate choice of one word over another in the nation's highest court does not go unnoticed.
Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images
Comments
Oh they have documents alright…just not their own. So to say that they are undocumented would be false. The only correct word is “illegal”.
LegalAmericanFolks.com are Losing More than DOLLARS They Are ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS Period why Wont this Problem Be Fixed???????? Really doesn’t seem OUR ELECTED OFFICALS Care for the Working Man Legal Citizens SHAME
Dishonest words for dishonest people; Latin Americans don’t seem to understand that one of the reasons why their countries are so poor is because their culture is so corrupt and dishonest. Do they think they will get a different result if they bring their dishonesty to our country?
Wow, you guys are so ridiculously intolerant – Latin American cultures are dishonest and corrupt? Isn’t that a BIT of a generalisation? Besides which, how is the US the bastion of honesty and moral upstanding when it comes to government?
“Illegality” suggests that an immigrant, by nature, is without any rights in terms of immigration. It sets up a relationship of “us vs. them”, “them” being the immigrants; it makes it very adversarial and is exactly the same kind of approach used in wartime to justify mistreatment of the opposite side. It dehumanises. “Undocumented”, though, sets them up as welcome, but in need of the appropriate documentation and approval from immigration authorities to stand as fully-included members of the US (or any other place this argument can be brought up in).
Besides which, why is it that so many people (the three above me included) are so dismissive and unwelcoming of other people attempting to gain entry to the US and live there when a) the immigration process is so freakin’ difficult, and b) people such as those above have never had to go through any such thing to be automatically granted rights, as if they’re a better kind of person. The fact is, none of them actually applied for those rights. None fought for them. None did anything but were born into them – and they consider that the “right” thing. How does that make sense? I’m not saying they shouldn’t get rights, but so should immigrants in the face of bad legislation that excludes, not includes, them.
Just be more open and tolerant, people. You didn’t win your rights, you got them gifted; welcome other people who want to share the same lifestyle and be a part of the same country you are.