The word is "illegal;" don't be afraid to use it

The word is "illegal."
In all the discussion about immigration that is going on these days, what with all the attention focused on these "tough" immigration laws being passed by Arizona, Alabama, and Georgia, that one word seems to be forgotten.
I've read that getting tough on immigration goes against the teaching of the Bible, and I understand that. One of the tenants of the Old Testament is to not mistreat "the aliens in your midst."
I even read one columnist argue that the new tough immigration laws are just new "Jim Crow" laws, designed to discriminate against a certain group of people the way black Americans were legally discriminated against after the Civil War.
Of course, the difference is that black Americans were citizens and supposed to have full rights and privileges of that citizenship. Even though they were denied that, and there were people who said, "Let's send back where they came from,'' the truth is that those black Americans had been born here, that their parents had been born here, and that in many cases their grandparents or great-grandparents didn't come here by choice but by force.
I appreciate all the arguments. I have an opinion.  I could be wrong.
Here's the thing, though: I'd feel a lot better about the people who are arguing on behalf of the immigrants if they'd remember to insert the word "illegal'' in their arguments.
They never do.
Oh, sometimes they like to say "undocumented."
Yes, and "documented" immigrants are legal.
Even those countries that have said they are going to sue the state of Georgia over Georgia's immigration law - the point is that the people who the law is aimed at are already breaking the law by being here illegally.
 I admit, I'm moved when someone worries that we're going to deny educational opportunities to immigrants, or deny jobs to immigrant, or deny any number of certain rights the rest of us enjoy to immigrants.
But these laws aren't going to do any of those things.
The laws might deny educational opportunities to illegal immigrants. These laws might deny any number of benefits to illegal immigrants.
I don't know about you, but the addition of that one word - illegal - has a rather chilling effect on the argument.
Honestly, I don't know what the answer is.
I'd just feel a lot better if the other side would just recognize the word "illegal.''
Take any opinion you want, the most eloquent columnist or pundit, and read their argument with the word "illegal'' in front of every reference to these "undocumented" immigrants.
Every time I do that, no matter how persuasive the argument - and I have read some very persuasive arguments - the effect changes because of the word "illegal."
My family came here from somewhere else. But they came off a boat at a port in broad daylight, not hiding or sneaking. Legend has it that one of my grand-mothers or great-grandmothers wasn't going to be allowed off the boat because she was unmarried, so right there in port she married her brothers' best friend  who was also on board. That's what it took to be legal, so she did it because it meant that much to her (and the marriage lasted, by the way).
I don't know the answer. Except that I do know I believe in the difference between "legal'' and "illegal."
And we won't get a good answer until we're willing to frame the argument honestly.