Word Choices

A religious organization to which I belong publishes a quarterly magazine dealing with a variety of religious issues. One of the articles is always about JPIC - Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation. 

The latest issue's JPIC article contains a paragraph that begins, "When our neighbors hear themselves demeaned as 'illegals,' and are unjustly detained and separated from family, ...." 

I have some concerns about the wording.

I completely agree that we should not demean people as "illegals." All people should be treated with respect, including in the language we use.

But in current discussions of the immigration issue other people are all too often subjected to demeaning language: Members of law enforcement and ICE. They are frequently labeled "Nazis," "storm troopers," "thugs," and so on. Even when this aspect is not directly mentioned, the implication is still there that they are acting like such people, and that they lack compassion and care when dealing with the people they are arresting. And these legal authorities have increasingly been physically attacked, and they and their families subjected to threats. 

The majority of the people who are being arrested by immigration authorities did break our immigration laws - they committed a criminal act. In a number of cases, they allegedly committed other criminal acts in their home countries or in the United States. Thus, while we might debate our immigration laws, technically these people did break the law and have been justly detained. 

The phrase "separated from families" is emotionally loaded. Yes, they are being separated from their families, as are all people who are arrested, but this is not done because the legal authorities are acting maliciously, as this wording suggests. The separation is due to choices the arrested individuals made; it is a consequence of their actions.

We need to accompany these arrested individuals and show them the love of God. But we also need to be careful with our language when we are discussing the immigration issue.

Pax et bonum