Is 'undocumented worker' an accurate term?

Question

Undocumented workers is a politically correct term but inaccurate to define illegal aliens. An American teen can be a baby sitter and that is undocumented. Some Americans mow someone's lawn for them once a week, gets paid, and is undocumented. There are many other examples.

Keeping this in mind, should we be using the term 'undocumented worker' to define illegal aliens?

Mendi8a
You have to make a certain amount of money to pay taxes. They don't make enough.

Answer 1

Hmmm .... I think both Coragryph and Barbara are barking up the wrong tree here ... eventhough it at the heel of the hunt doesn't matter much what they are called, it's a fact that most liberals prefer to talk about "immigrants", without making the distinction who came here illegally and who didn't ... which puts paid to Barbara's rather high and mighty opinion about "babble about what we call them" ... those who entered the United States illegally are "illegal" ... no matter what sugarcoating Barbara wants to put on it ... it's also a fact that those who came here illegally are in the main undocumented according to Coragryphs definition ... it is also true that people who are not United States citizens are "aliens" ... so, in order to distinguish "undocumented workers", who could indeed be both Americans and "illegals", from illegal aliens, who can be nothing but aliens, I suppose we can break it down and call them "undocumented illegal aliens" ... if we want to be picky ... either way, Coragryph's and Barbara's patronizing answers on this site do nothing to further any meaningful discussion .. semantics is one thing, and can be fun to play with, but the term "illegal alien" is a perfectly valid term to describe the people who have entered our country illegally ... I have yet to see someone prove me wrong on that one ...

Answer 2

ILLEGAL! The truth hurts huh? That's why they made a new word undocumented. But no matter what word they come up with they can't hide from the truth.

Answer 3

Wow, I'm really trying to decipher Sashie's answer!

I actually understand the answer by both of the people she criticizes a lot easier. Yes, at the end of the day they simply are illegal immigrants. It would be interesting to know why it matters to you and Sashie so much, lol.

Answer 4

We often wonder why people in this forum worry so much about labels.

By definition, the term 'undocumented worker' tells the story. Combined with Coragryph answer, which you probably did not like, what else is there... but, we have a question for you.

What causes people in this forum to focus on a label just for the sake of asking a question here? Does it fix or make worse the problem of immigration in the United States? Aren't you really spinning your wheels with mindless babble about what to call illegal immigrants?

At the end of the day, who cares what they are called if it doesn't stop being illegal? What exactly do you hope to accomplish by asking a question such as this?

hmmmm, come again, Sashie. What????

Answer 5

undocumented is a play on words a ploy to try to get people to forget they are breaking the law

Answer 6

Undocumented worker means what it says. Someone who is working, and being paid under the table (without proper docs). That person may or may not be an alien, and may or may not be an immigrant, and the transaction may or may not be illegal.

But your use of the term "alien" to mean "immigrant" is also incorrect. By both dictionary usage and as defined under federal law, an "alien" is anyone in the country who is not a citizen. Every tourist, every foreign worker, every ambassador, everyone passing through on a connecting flight, every foreign military solider on detached duty, anyone who is not a citizen.

So, if you want to use proper terminology, you should use the words that actually apply based on the legal definitions.

"Undocumented worker" is the correct term when dealing with the problem of someone evading taxes by being paid under the table, regardless of their immigration status. And since that appears to be the major complaint, that would be the proper term.

"Undocumented immigrant" would also be appropriate when discussing someone who lives in the US, was not born here, and who did not fill out the proper immigration documents upon entry. Because again, the issue is that the person immigrated without proper legal documentation.

A tourist who briefly stops over in New York on a connecting flight from Canada to Arruba, and who doesn't follow all the local ordinances at the airport while there, is an "illegal alien" by definition of the words. But that's not what people are complaining about.

The fact that people keep refusing to use the correct terminology, and mindlessly just yammering about "illegal aliens" is part of the reason we have such a problem. If US citizens actually started paying attention to what the laws say, rather than just making blatant (and incorrect) assumptions, or throwing terms around carelessly intead of using their proper meaning, maybe others would to.

Answer 7

Considering that the 'undocumented worker' has legal rights under the law, in states like California, what is wrong with calling them this? You want to call them illegal? Go ahead, its only legal jargon anyways. Its a free country, call them what you like. They are still people, regardless of what you or anyone else thinks.....

Answer 8

You can cal them what you want:
criminal invaders
illegal invaders<--what I generally call them
illegal aliens
criminal aliens
illegal criminal aliens
illegal criminal invaders
law evading entrants

it all comes down to one word..LEECHES!!

Answer 9

You made an excellent point. Illegal alien is the most accurate description.

Answer 10

1, not all work
2. many have documents, Mexican drivers licence, fake green cards, and the such, so many have documents, althought they can be fake