The term "illegal alien" should be stricken from the lexicon...

[cynatnite]

I had federal grand jury duty today and one of the federal attorneys had several cases involving illegal immigration. They didn't call them undocumented workers or even illegal immigrants. They were "illegal aliens".

Every time I heard it today, my stomach knotted up. It was the same feeling I get when someone makes a racist or sexist comment.

[The Northerner]

1. I think alien is a legal term

I'm not so sure, but I think the term has just been used to describe anyone who is an outsider.

I think I saw the DHS as well as immigration services use the term whose use goes back to whenever the Aliens and Seditions Act was passed and used.

[HipChick]

2. define outsider..or is that a legal alien?

[The Northerner]

Here's an IRS link that might be helpful

http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/international/article/0,,id=129236,00.html

[Bluebear]

7. "Also known as an "Undocumented Alien" from your link

I believe the poster said they thought the "illegal alien" nomenclature should be changed, not that it is not a used term.

[LostInAnomie]

3. I'm fine with it.

[Cirque du So-What]

4. Economic immigrants is a more apt term

I reserve the term 'illegals' for the companies that actively recruit & retain undocumented workers - a clear violation of law. Conservatroids never want to face the facts on this issue, which is not a philosophical chicken-or-egg exercise in existentialism; fact is, people wouldn't be pouring into the US unless ILLEGAL corporations were creating an attractive nuisance by hiring economic immigrants at substandard wages - people who are afraid to complain when the companies make them perform unsafe tasks or contribute 'casual overtime.' It's the companies who are the illegals.

[Freddie Stubbs]

8. Many people immigrate for economic reason in a legal manner

Why throw them in with those who do it illegally?

[lumberjack_jeff]

14. What makes you think they want to immigrate?

Noncitizens are aliens. Those here without a visa are illegal ones.

Only the subset seeking permanent legal residency are immigrants.

[Coyote_Bandit]

5. Alien

is a legal description. And a person who is an alien can be described a holding such status either legally or illegally.

Perhaps you should have questioned the judge regarding the use of the term. You just might have found yourself excused from serving on that jury based on the meaning you attach to what should be a legally descriptive term in a courtroom environment.

[Bluebear]

6. The poster explains a visceral reaction to the term. Why would they question the judge?

[cynatnite]

16. This is a fedeal grand jury and we were hearing evidence...

We can choose to indict or not indict. That's it.

[salguine]

9. An alien is someone from outside the country. An illegal alien is someone from

outside the country who is in the country illegally. What's so traumatizing about the term? Is it saying something that isn't true?

[-..__...]

10. So....

does/did that affect your ability to render a fair and unbiased decision?

[ZombieHorde]

11. How about, "people who happen to be illegal aliens?" nt

[Gormy Cuss]

12. Striking it from the legal lexicon wouldn't be that easy.

The courts tend to describe people, status, and actions in terms of how the laws describe them. If it's the alien part that bothered you, remember that the word alien simple means foreigner in that context and that usage has a very long history, even predating the use in science fiction. People who have green cards are called resident aliens,for example.

In your shoes, I would have asked the judge about it. Judges like to know that jurors are paying attention and thinking about the details.

For me, the only reference that gets under my skin is the simple "illegals" because it removes all humanity from people.

[lumberjack_jeff]

13. It is the correct legal terminology.

Non citizens are aliens, those here illegally are...

.. well, not "undocumented".

"Undocumented workers" is gibberish.

[cynatnite]

17. Thank for the explanation. n/t

[ZeitgeistObserver]

15. Illegal immigrants.

They have immigrated, but have not gone through the legal procedures.

They are not from space, however.

[Morning Dew]

18. They might be from space, you never know.

The term "aliens" would cover both Greys and Lebanese.

:)

[ZeitgeistObserver]

19. Seems unlikely, unless it's a News of the World story.

;)

[lumberjack_jeff]

20. Not everyone who is here illegally is an immigrant.

In fact, I suspect that most are only here to send money home.

[KonaKane]

21. "No human is illegal"

Truer words never spoken.