Itâ€™s FAIR to label undocumented immigrants as criminals?

mc	simple NO Look at the question we are being asked if it is FAIR to label illegal immigrants as criminals, not are they criminals. yes it is an offense to enter any country without legal documentation, but it is not Fair to label these people as criminals, i would like to say, more desperate, than a criminal. So please does anyone not believe in giving people a chance of freedom and rights, I am sure if the shoe was on the other foot you would re think about what you are all saying. Por favor saque sus cabezas de la arena y despiertese para la causa del dios

Sidwell	under US law - yes

Blimey!	Yeah in the same way we are ALL criminals. We probably break laws everyday without realising...some like parking in the wrong place...to other laws that are eons old and we never knew about.

jamie	well when someone crosses the border secretly they are breaking the law and people who break the law are called criminals

Lily B Talus	Probably not

?	yes! because its what they are. they present a very real threat to the security of this country, and cost the tax payer huge amounts of money. every illegal that enters this country is estimated to cost the tax payer one million pounds in legal charges and costs of keeping them etc from the time of arrival, to the day of deportation. its a very serious problem that the labour party play down because they don't want to have the closed border argument. but an illegal can do as they please. murder rob rape. once here! there is no way of knowing who they are. and our home office is so incompetent and run so badly that an illegal can leave this country as easy as he or she got in.

I Am Legend	Yes, as they are vermin and scroungers who should be round up and hanged with the stray dogs.

Docar	Yes. They violated a federal CRIMINAL statute! That makes them a criminal. That's a no brain-er! It's a civil offense--like driving without a license, raping a child, murdering a policeman, etc. Doing something that may not be lawful does not make it criminal, otherwise speeders would all be arrested and tax cheats would deserve federal prison among other societal offenses. But violating criminal statutes does make you a criminal!

NetImp	Yes, in the same way as anyone who downloads copyrighted material from the internet or breaks the speed limit is also a criminal.

Officer Jeff	Read the Immigration and Naturalization Act. They are not undocumented, they are ILLEGAL ALIENS. According to the Laws of the United States, their presence in the United States is ILLEGAL. Therefore they are criminals.

Micky....the resurrection	Yes, it's fair to label ILLEGAL ALIENS as criminals. They broke the law by coming here and most continue to break the law after arriving.

mikea_va	Absolutely! You brake a law, you're a criminal. End of discussion.

billc4u	Yes for by definition they have knowingly broken the law to get here and therefore just like someone breaking into your home would be labeled a criminal then so are they

ferengifighter4	Absolutely

Dirty Martini	Yes, roflmao~~~~~ It's criminal behavior--they broke the law!! I"Undocumented immigrants"??? Oh that's rich! Isuppose you also think it is OK to call drug pushers "unlicensed pharmacists" too? roflmao.......

ibu guru	Absolutely fair and honest to label any immigration-law violator as a criminal. The definition of "criminal" is someone who violates the laws! And most immigration-law violations are in fact FELONIES! These are not, in fact, mere civil matters equivalent to a parking ticket or minor traffic ticket. Entry without inspection is a felony (class D). Applying for and entering on a tourist visa when one intends to remain is fraud, a major felony. Lying on any immigration-related or visa application, or in any immigration/visa interview is perjury, a major felony. Presenting any document which is false, forged, stolen or fraudulent in support of any immigration or visa application is a major felony. Possession or use of any other person's identity, official identification, SSN, etc is identity theft -- felony. These are just a few examples of the felonies immigration-law violators commit. Upon conviction of any of these, the person would be a mandatory deport and permanent bar to reentry. We just ship them out to save the taxpayers the cost of feeding their worthless hides for months or years in prison. They cost citizens enough already. So yes, it is absolutely fair and honest to call each and every person who is present in a country in violation of any of that country's immigration laws a "criminal." It is even more accurate in most cases to call them "felons."

Paula	There is no such thing as an "undocumented immigrant". They are "illegal aliens".

Aniong	No, because they are victims.

chuck_junior	Let's see. They broke the laws of this nation to get here. YES.

David C	well if they knowingly came into the uk illegally then yes they are criminals.

richrozwalka	Calling them undocumented immigrants is like calling a drug dealer an unlicensed pharmacist. If you stole a penny are you still not a thief? Quit hugging the trees.

Morbius	No, because the word "criminal" suggests someone who committed a felony or even a misdemeanor. An illegal alien is committing a civil crime and offense, legally speaking, that is on a par with a speeding ticket. Other types of offenses may come into play if they are deported and reenter the country or if they fail leave when ordered to do so by a judge or if they use fraudulent documents. Those kind of situations aside, simply being here illegally is not considered to be a serious offense.

elgaby4abril	Not necessarily. As long as they have not done anything wrong, like stealing, killing, or something like that, no If the only thing they have done is enter the USA without the proper documentation, they are not criminals Otherwise you should consider criminals those that cross a street on the wrong place ( jaywalking ) or don't turn on the indicator to make a right or a left, etc In the USA, there are more than 35 million laws, and practically EVERYBODY has broken the law at some point. Therefore everybody are criminals

MR SCEPTICS ALTER EGO	Why do people say these things these poor people have no where else to go surely we need to sit them down and understand them just because they break a law doesn't mean they are going to do it again.Yes we need more understanding in the world.I mean after all they only care about others and not just themselves surely!

Palin 2012	yes because if you can ignore one law, you can ignore others. If everyone did that, the US would be in anarchy.

31Flavors	NO! but you and your klan do it all the time. So I don't know why you are asking? You know what you want to call them, and I bet it's against yahoo's policy....but hey! you guys always break the rules to get your point accross and try to convince others that illegals are the worst thing ever!!!!...LMAO!

James M	Yes, because that is exactly what they are.

zapper23	If I'm not mistaken...if you break a law...then you are a criminal. Unless they changed that with out telling me.

Croxx	Yes as they have broken the law.

Forget War Buy More	It's a civil offense--like driving without a license Doing something that may not be lawful does not make it criminal, otherwise speeders would all be arrested and tax cheats would deserve federal prison among other societal offenses.

Bob	Yes. They broke the law by entering the country in an unlawful manner, so by definition they are criminals.