EXTRA CREDIT #1 "Illegal Immigrant, A Crime, Not a Race"

This is one of the most horrific articles I have read at UCLA. I dislike the term "illegal" because I believe it is dehumanizing and problematic. I work for an immigration law office and I take my work very seriously. I see my clients as family. Many of them are in immigration proceedings because of policies like secure communities. To consider them "illegal" makes it seem as though they are criminals when in fact they are not. Sure some have committed crimes that one would not agree with but nonetheless, it does not give anyone the right to dehumanize them. The only people our office does not defend are those who commit sexual crimes or sexual violence towards other folks. Even them, I would not consider them illegal, rather not documented. This article is also criminalized all undocumented folks without taking into account their experiences such as those learned throughout the course. Many U.S. citizens commit crimes against undocumented folks and therefore they should be considered criminals. Our own government is involved with causing these crimes, like those happening along the border (deaths along the border, women of Juarez murders and so on).