Illegal immigration. How about economic refugee?
Whenever discussion begins with Republicans have you noticed that your are ready on the defensive? Usually that is because you’re using their terminology which helps them win their argument. The phrase “illegal alien” or “illegal immigration” these are all Republican phrases. How can you argue for something that is illegal? How can you argue for something that is alien?
The term that I’m going to use from now on is “economic refugee.” This term, in my opinion, truly describes what is going on. It clearly describes the desperate situation that people feel that they are in when they make a decision to come to the United States. Economic refugee. These are people who tried local solutions have found no answers, or at least, no answers suitable to them. They come here looking to make a better life — like a refugee.
Economic refugee. This term also points out how we can really fix the problem. The problem cannot be fixed by building walls. The problem cannot be fixed by putting more people at the border (although that is necessary). The problem can be fixed by improving the economic conditions in their home country. If there are adequate jobs in Mexico, El Salvador, Peru, Costa Rica and other Latin American and South American countries, there is little or no reason for these economic refugees to come here. Now, this is a solution you will not see from the Bush administration.
