What's the difference between an "illegal alien" and an "illegal immigrant"?

Answer 1

Illegal alien is the correct term.

Illegal Immigrant is a PC way of saying someone came here without permission.

And if you want to get way over the rainbow into PC-LAND, you can call them undocumented immigrants or undocumented workers.

Answer 2

"Legal" means you have gone through one of the predefined paths to citizenship. "Illegal" means you have not. The reasons the legal paths are there are many, but include: - Safety of the citizenry (countries usually frown on allowing known criminals to become citizens of their country) - Proper Access to Government or "Entitlement" Programs (Again, it is nearly universally frowned upon by countries for non-citizens to take unfair advantage of taxpayer funded programs. In the U.S., this includes WIC, various state and federal health care benefits, and food stamp programs. Most of which are obtained with further illegal activity such as identity theft.) - A legal electorate (many "Illegal" immigrants participate or attempt to participate in local, county, state, and federal elections, thereby skewing the election. What if they were voting against your candidate? How would that make you feel?) - Protection of the "Illegal" immigrant (in many cases, illegals will take jobs at far less than the minimum wage, which is form of Slavery. Additionally, they have no legal way to complain about a careless or dangerous employer). This last point is probably the most important. At one time in U.S. history, there was a group of "employers" that fought against allowing their "employees" to be paid a fair wage (if any) or to complain about their work conditions. The way this issue was resolved was when brother turned against brother and fought the U.S. Civil War. Would you defend slavery or abuse? I know you wouldn't, but this is one side of the debate that frequently is overlooked. EDIT: @Proudly Atheist: Illegal vs. Legal adoption??? I think illegal adoption is considered kidnapping is a lot of cases.

Answer 3

Illegal alien sounds worse

Answer 4

there is no difference, one is just a pc way of saying something to make it sound less dangerous and less harmful to this nation. Illegals are just that, harmful. It does not matter who you try and blame for this issue, lazy whites(not taking the jobs illegals will), the government(not stopping the illegals at the border), corporate america(for hiring cheap illegal laborers), the fact remains that they are criminals and that the choice to cross illegally into this nation is their choice alone. The other people are another issue entirely, for if you insist on ignorantly tying them as one you merely make the problem insurmountable. Our government,like ourselves, is better suited and more able to handle any issue when it is treated on the basis of being a stand alone issue. This is for the best and is also the way our laws are legally required to be written, but often are not with disastrous results.

Answer 5

No difference at all. Those terms refer to one and the same person - a foreigner who enters the US without going through the procedure and requirements laid down by our immigration laws.

Answer 6

Illegal Alien is the term that even the Federal law uses.

Answer 7

They are the same sh-t!! Illegal alien is the person and illegal immigration is the illegal action that is taken..

Answer 8

Nothing,their illegals.They have but a short time left.The process of elimination by discrimination and intimidation will soon begin and all illegals will leave in fear of their lives!

Answer 9

One is a PC way to justify the criminal acts of a certain group and try and twist it into something good and wholesome. They try and link Illegal with immigrant to imply that they are the same as the millions who waited at ellis island, wait today at embassies throughout the world, pay their dues and come to make america and themselves better by becoming one with us, legally. As opposed to sneaking accross a river in the middle of nowhere and sucking this country dry. I prfer criminal. Thats what they are. I don't care if they are white, black, asian, middle eastern or from the planet Quazzar.

Answer 10

WELL TO ME THE TERM ILLEGAL ALIEN MEANS SOMEONE WHO IS NOT HUMAN THAT CAME HERE ILLEGALLY THIS IS HOW RACIST PEOPLE TRY TO JUSTIFY THEIR HATRED ACTIONS TOWARDS IMMIGRANT BY SAYING THEY ARE NOT HUMAN.