Cheat Sheet Q&A: Alien's vs immigrants:
Today's entry: There are two distinct immigration terms that I don't think the public understands. Legal immigrants are people here who through the process and applied for some type of immigration benefit. They are either legal permanent residents or have current legal immigration status here in the USA. Aliens are individuals who have no legal status at all and basically have snuck into the country. If aliens commit a crime then they are considered criminal aliens. In my view just sneaking into the country is a crime. There are also immigrants who overstay their visas and would be out of status that's where the term illegal immigrant would apply. Therefore I support a temporary ban to assess all immigrants and pursue criminal aliens.
Bottom Line: You're so correct that terms that aren't interchangeable but have seemingly been used as though they are...I don't believe it's in error. The argument is used as a wedge issue to try to convert all immigrants into a particular political constituency. Ironically the people that are most likely to struggle from the impact of illegal immigration are legal immigrants taking work for lower wages. To illustrate the point here's the current breakout by race for a bachelor's degree or higher:
- Asian: 49.8%
- White: 30%
- Black: 17.3%
- Hispanic: 11.4%
The result is that often entry level work is disproportionately needed by legal Hispanic immigrants as a means of obtaining work and skills to advance in their careers. According to the Pew Research Center 8.1 million illegal immigrants are working in the US. That creates wage deflation generally but it creates higher unemployment in addition to wage deflation to those with the least formal education. So not only is your distinction correct but it's with the political narrative that attempts to tie all types of immigrants legal & illegal immigrants together...The dishonest agenda is actively attempting to misinform legal immigrants to vote against their own personal interests and well being. This is all part of creating a dependency class that relies on government programs. If certain politicians create an environment that inhibits job and career opportunities for the most vulnerable, the vulnerable are likely to end up on government assistance programs. Once they're on the government assistance programs they're likely to to continue to vote for the politicians that are the biggest champions of expanding government assistance programs.
This is the big lie...that government assistance programs are not inherently compassionate. Safety nets and assistance for those who can't help themselves is compassionate. Creating a dependence on government assistance is the antithesis of compassion. Creating jobs and opportunities to advance for the capable is the most possible compassionate thing that can be done and illegal immigration is the enemy of those opportunities.
If you have a topic or question you'd like me to address email me: brianmudd@iheartmedia.com