illegal immigrants
Unauthorized foreign residents
Illegal immigrants are people residing in a country without legal authorization—either by entering unlawfully or overstaying a visa.
The term is politically charged; critics argue it dehumanizes people by labeling them rather than their status, preferring *undocumented immigrants* or *unauthorized immigrants*.
Supporters consider it plainly descriptive.
The factory employed illegal immigrants at below minimum wage.
- illegalsUnauthorized border crossers
- noncitizenNon-national resident
- overstayerOne remaining past permitted
- undocumentedNot officially recorded
- unauthorizedNot officially permitted
deportation · asylum · stateless persons · push-pull factors · labor exploitation · border · border wall · detention · aliens · family separation · sanctuary cities · human trafficking · climate refugees · unauthorized migrants · smuggling networks · border security · economic migrants · refugee status
- immigrationvisa, refugee, citizenship, asylum, deportation
- migrantsmigrants, arctic tern, monarch butterfly, caribou, humpback whale
- labor migrationguest workers, guest worker, foreign workers, work permit, seasonal workers
illegal immigrantsdocumented immigrants
Authorized foreign nationals with paperwork
green card holders · legal aliens · guest workers · refugees · permanent residents
illegal immigrantscitizens
Members of a nation
naturalized citizens · natives · nationals · indigenous population · locals
illegal, immigrants, legal, illegally, legally, legality, illegality, legalize, illegalize