A PERSON IS NOT “ILLEGAL”

Let's talk about it: what our community said

Printed replies from readers on our page-2 conversation.

• “Under federal law (such as in the U.S.), unlawful presence in the country, such as overstaying a visa, is generally treated as a civil violation subject to deportation rather than a criminal offense. However, the act of crossing the border without inspection by immigration authorities is considered illegal entry, which is a prosecutable criminal misdemeanor.”

  Mary Svetlik Watkins

• “Making EVERYONE in that situation ILLEGAL immigrants or alien, *Ex-democrat”

  Kenneth Smith

• “An "illegal person" (legally referred to as an "unauthorized" or "undocumented" immigrant) is any foreign national who lives in the United States without federal government authorization. This classification applies to individuals who entered the country without inspection, or those who entered legally but violated the terms of their admission, such as by overstaying a visa. Federal law defines any person who is not a U.S. citizen or national as an alien. The term "illegal alien" is used in the text of the Immigration and Nationality Act to describe those who reside unlawfully, though advocacy groups and government entities increasingly prefer the terms "undocumented immigrant" or "unauthorized immigrant Nothing personal, zero narrative, it's the law. Now to the word illegal and I know a lot of individuals who think the dictionary is incorrect. Illegal describes actions, items, or processes that are forbidden by law or contrary to official rules. It signifies a violation of legal statutes, common-law principles, or recognized regulatory guidelines Meaning, if jumped that fence across the border, it is illegal.  If you came on a boat, plane from any other country illegally, yes that too is illegal. The definition applies to all ethnicities.”

  Robert Christina

• “A person is Illegal if they came here Illegally. “But why didn't they ever fix their paper's so to speak if they truly wanted to become an American citizen something doesn't fit right in in that respect just cheat their way in naw I'm not buying it, and yes we are all God's children but he gave the 10 Commandments which are Laws to live by and each country on earth has their Laws which should be obeyed in every instance or there will be lawlessness and that's what's happened since bozo Biden and the cackling hyena Harris did by letting the United States of America 🇺🇸 become invaded by people all over the world”

  Richard Cortez

• “If they are in a country that has laws they can be illegal”

  Dave Castaneda

• “A pig doesn’t stop being a pig because you put a dress on it! Illegal Alien means à foreign person not here legally! It’s just that simple!”.”

  Enrique Martin

• “America's North and South makes them Americans”

  Charles Edward Rodriguez

• “Yvette Tello , thanks for the powerful sharing. I'm appalled by the negative, racist and hostile comments here, they don't understand that being a human being is as important as following the law. However, enforcing laws and humiliating and killing people because their "immigration status" is totally unacceptable. I'm against criminals being in the country, they need to be deported but in the process many innocent people, including American citizens and legal foreigners are being dragged out of their cars, beaten, jailed and even killed and the reason is because people like the ones attacking your post believe that they are better than the immigrants that came to this country and are a huge part of the economy and the communities. The lack of tolerance inspired by a fascist government is dividing our country”

  Gustavo Mendoza

• “I see that you “report” with extreme bias. We need less of that, not more. I don’t see hate in these posts. I don’t feel hate. But I do feel that our laws should be enforced, and that previous administrations failed miserably. Under the Biden administration, thousands and thousands of people came into the country without proper documentation. Rather than be turned away, they had a phone number set up for them so that they could go to a certain place and immediately start getting assistance. So, the law is you can’t be here. But since you are, I will help you. That is utterly ridiculous. Anyone who disagrees is just not thinking clearly. And if that had not happened, if the laws had been enforced in those people were turned away and told to go through the legal process if they want to come to the United States, absolutely none of the problems we are seeing today would exist. None. Obama and both Clintons also took a very hard line on this subject. But since the media wants everyone to hate Republicans, they are painting them as the villains. The simple truth is that if the laws were enforced in the first place, none of this would be happening. We never should've had a system for people entering the country illegally to call a phone number and immediately get assistance. If we had maintained our policy that people cannot come into this country illegally, we would not be having this conversation. Anyone who believes otherwise is a victim of media brainwashing.”

  Jim Clark

• “, I agree completely. The MAGA fascists like the pedo Trump, lie their asses off. Vote blue across the board. This is the most truthful Facebook post I have read this year”

  Hubert Hill

• “Voting blue is what got us here cupcakes! You know, like open borders”

  Lonny Bacon

• ““Assuming you've never visited a foreign country, how would you accomplish what you do here? Conversely, if you have, then why purport that there's no wrongdoing in knowingly, and willfully allowing your permissions to lapse without consequences? If you're being vocal about "injustices" of humanity, then be fair and call for that internationally. Or are you just about one race?”

  Joe Morales

• “Es un pinche mojado ILLEGAL. Simple as that. Breaking a law entering is ILLEGAL. Don’t need all that fancy legal terminology law described.”

  Antonio Garcia

• “I personally know people with green cards and have traveled out of the US with no problems. I think illegals are illegals, ... the end. Now the propagandists and the ignorant trying to push a narrative are the ones causing the issue with high visibility.”

  Kenneth Mumm

• “When a person exceeds the speed limit they have violated a law that makes them "illegal.”

  Jeff Mahl

• “No, we do not shoot people for speeding. But if the person that’s pulled over is in the country illegally, he should be deported. And by the way, if you don’t like our country, you can leave. No, their very first act in this country was illegal. They were criminals from the very moment they got to the US. And by the way, we can’t go walking into other countries and just live there without going through the legal process, either. This argument is ridiculous. They have always been called illegal aliens because that’s exactly what they are”

  Jim Clark

• “Go to a foreign country, any country with a visitor Visa let expire and see what happens you get put in jail, processed and put in jail that ship back to your country you came from ..it's the same here but too much leniency on it ... That's not how the USA works though.”

  Oscar Gonzalez

• “Well go tell Mexico that they hate illegal immigration overthere also, ....go argue about it overthere also”

  Jose Martinez

• “it is illegal to stay in the US after your visa expires. Yes, remaining in the U.S. after your authorized period of stay is a violation of immigration law, commonly known as a "visa overstay".”

  Jay Viveiros

• “an illegal alien can be deported and those who commit a crime also are being deported so what is it you don’t understand”

  Maria Mann Curviel

• “Unauthorized entry into the country is ILLEGAL.”

  Jesse Victor Gomez

• “Congratulations on showing everyone the incredible amount of stupidity you possess!”

  Tony Brzozowski

• “The proper term is illegal alien terrorist invader”.”

  Esteban Estrada

• “We know how you vote.”

  Roy Watters