My argument is, words matter. The previous posts questioned the switch I made from "illegal immigrant" to "undocumented immigrant". I believe it is hurtful and demeaning to refer to any human as "illegal". Human dignity matters, even for those who are lawbreakers.
A thief I would call a "criminal". He is not an "illegal" person.
So, are "illegal immigrants" criminals?
To be perfectly honest, I struggle with that. Strictly speaking, yes, they are. But I happen to live in an area where many have come, by the literal thousands. By and large, they are model citizens. They raise families, their kids go to school, they pay taxes, they support their communities. Some are "bad hombres" as Herr Donald is wont to say, but not as a proportion out of line with any other group.
I don't know. I just can't wrap my head around calling a 5 year old kid who was taken along by her parents across the border as a "criminal". Nor can I wrap my head around calling her parents "criminals", after hearing what they escaped and seeing how they are integrating into society.
Border control and immigration control are obviously essential. But brutal methods such as building a wall, and threatening deportation of millions, I don't think is the answer.