[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

It matters to me, and my family came to this country before proof of intention, proof of citizenship, passports - existed. All they needed was to prove they weren't ill, proof of their name and previous address, and they had an address in the states where they'd be staying.

Currently, under those previous criteria, they would be considered "undocumented immigrants." There are actually hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants that came here from Italy, and families of hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants that came here from Ireland. Millions that came here from various parts of Europe during and immediately following WWII. And some, like my family, who came before WWII but after WWI.

They weren't called illegal aliens then either. Most of them were called refugees. Some were called immigrants. Criminals were called criminals, whether they were refugees, immigrants, or citizens.

"Illegal" isn't a noun. It just isn't. You don't have to like it, and you live in the Free State of Florida so you can use the word however you see fit. But you'd be incorrect, as is everyone else who uses the word as a noun. Illegal is an adjective.

Merriam-Webster believes otherwise.