zlacker

What the GP appears to be saying is that undocumented (not "illegal" -- people are not illegal) immigrants as a whole are a minority group. This is obviously true if you just look at the world outside.

>>pmille+(OP)
I was using the term "illegal" as an adjective, not a noun, to describe their immigration status, a simple way to say that they are here illegally.

>>TheAda+M7
“Undocumented” is the more correct adjective. “Out of status” if you want 3 words to do the job of 1.

>>pmille+Z8
I know that “undocumented” is preferred by people sympathetic to illegal immigrants, but is it actually more correct?

>>toaste+La
It depends on how you define "correct," I suppose. If you're using it as a term of art, or you're a right wing think tank, then the correct term is "illegal alien." [0] It does not actually appear in Federal law, however. [1]

The IRS uses the term "undocumented alien," which is kind of a weird, mixed construction, referring to people as "aliens" (which I always find weird, but, okay), but not "illegal." [2]

Other government agencies, and, yes, immigration advocates, use the term "undocumented immigrant," which has the virtue of both being accurate, and not referring to individuals as "illegal," when the thing that's actually illegal is the fact that they are in the country without authorization (the "undocumented" part).

In summary, "illegal alien" as a term of art: fine in my book, just weird. "Undocumented alien": sure, if you're the IRS. But, otherwise, "undocumented immigrant" is the most technically accurate, because it's not the person who is illegal, as the word "illegal" modifying "immigrant" in the phrase would indicate, but their presence in the country that is illegal.

[0]: https://www.heritage.org/immigration/commentary/undocumented...

[1]: https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2018/may/09/steve-mccr...

[2]: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/immi...

>>pmille+3m
> Other government agencies, and, yes, immigration advocates, use the term "undocumented immigrant," which has the virtue of both being accurate

“undocumented alien” is arguably more accurate; alien is just a (somewhat dated outside of law) term for a foreigner, “immigrant” has further meaning of seeking to make the country their permanent home, which is not always the case for foreigners present without current documentation of legal presence.

>>pmille+3m
Thanks for the response. I'll dig in when I have a bit more time, but this may change the language I use.