No one is illegal. You might hear this statement and automatically think, what about the people in the United States living here without citizenship? I’m hear to tell you that no they are not illegal. I say this because people cannot be illegal, only actions can be. By calling other people “illegals” you are dehumanizing them. Saying that they are less of a person for breaking a law. But we all break laws all the time. Going over the speed limit, you are breaking the law. Playing poker for money that is not authorized by the state is breaking the law. Peeing outside is breaking the law. Underage drinking is breaking the law. Now I know these are just small things that most people brush aside and think it’s not that big of a deal. However, for many of those that live in the United States without legal citizenship, breaking any law is a big deal. The large majority of undocumented immigrants live in such fear of breaking the law and being discovered, that they do whatever possible to avoid this. Besides the fact that they don’t have the papers to legally live in the United States, they are for the most part, model citizens.
I think it is important to really look at how we treat immigrants. The United States claims to be the land of the free and the land of opportunities but yet many people say cruel things about those who are trying to do just that. This I view as very hypocritical because unless you are Native American, your families and mine were once immigrants to this country. Everyone’s great great great grandparents, were once immigrants trying to make a better life for themselves. Trying to survive and provide for their families. It is unfair to call them illegals as if they are only what the government describes their citizen status as. Think twice before you call someone illegal because in reality no one is illegal.