Over the past week, I’ve picked up the newspaper and every time, in the letters to the editor, I see another letter stating that the article on border patrol was offensive. The author states that the term “illegal alien” is offensive and the term “undocumented immigrant” should instead be used. Was someone truly offended by this term? Webster’s Dictionary defines the terms below:

Main entry: illegal
1a: not according to or authorized by law.

Main entry: alien
1b: relating, belonging or owing allegiance to another country or government.

Main entry: illegal alien
1: a foreigner who has entered or resides in a country unlawfully or without the country’s authorization.

Illegal alien is not a term meant to offend. Regardless of motive or reason, undocumented is still illegal. We need to get off our high horse of political correctness and realize that you can call it an upside-down heart with a tail that is devoid of all color, but, in the end, a spade is still a spade.

Jason Pittenger
junior electrical engineering major

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