Comments on: Is the Phrase “Illegal Alien” Progressive?

By: Brad

Brad — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:23:18 +0000

“undocumented immigrant”? Talk about bogus framing!

By: J. Hill

J. Hill — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 06:33:07 +0000

I certainly agree, especially that “it’s strange and slow and frustrating.” But that is true of a lot of things, far too many people think laws are just and true simply by virtue of being laws.

By: 5thKolumnisto

5thKolumnisto — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 05:06:31 +0000

Since the issue isn’t, for the most part, people caught sneaking across a border, I don’t think a “law and order” analogy to lighting a joint is best. It’s more like a DUI (of marijuana) for having lit the joint three weeks earlier .

By: 5thKolumnisto

5thKolumnisto — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 05:01:56 +0000

Huh, jwh? One of the more prominent anti-immigration organizations is the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which, “seeks to improve border security, to stop illegal immigration, and to promote immigration levels consistent with the national interest—more traditional rates of about 300,000 a year.” (http://www.fairus.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_aboutmain)

That allows immigration at about the same rate as emigration (zero net migration). FAIR, CIS, NumbersUSA, and some others are all about reducing immigration and population growth. Also, the 300,000/year rate was “traditional” when the country was much smaller.

People don’t have to be racist to want fewer people, of course. I think a lot of people like legal immigrants of any background, but don’t like illegal immigrants or continuing non-”traditional” immigration levels. Such people are still pro-immigrant or pro-immigration (no one’s demanding -1 net migration or anything) in a technical sense.

The issue does draw a lot of attention as the economy goes down. Demand for labor force exclusion of illegals and workplace document verification didn’t even get going until after the “malaise” of the late 70′s.

By: Kerry Howley

Kerry Howley — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:25:38 +0000

According to Pew 40% of Americans think levels of legal immigration are too high.

By: jwh

jwh — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:02:33 +0000

“I do not think most people who want to reduce current levels of immigration are particularly racist…..”

I think I can honestly say that I have NEVER heard anyone argue the point that immigration needs to be reduced (except from various corners from the left who are trying to take arguments from the right against “illegal immigration” out of context). If anything, I’ve heard intelligent arguments about why the levels of “legal immigration” needs to be increased (for immigrants with pre-defined skill sets that we need…..and I’m not talking about female fashion models).

Perhaps the reason no one was calling immigration “illegal” before the 1950′s was because the country (and the world) had truly finally emerged from the depression (and WWII, of course), and the on-going economic growth could easily absorb them………just a thought…..