There are no illegal immigrants in America

[glatt]

Legal briefs and judicial rulings put definitions of key terms and phrases in the front of them all the time.

[Radar]

Originally Posted by Flint

No document should have to bear the burden of settling disputes over definitions of words in the way you are suggesting.

Let me explain: If I have a contract stating that I will be paid $100 dollars to paint a fence, I can't turn around and claim that I should be paid $100 because I pissed on the fence. I can't say that the contract has to specify that painting the fence means painting it and not pissing on it, shitting on it, sneezing on it, etc.

I'm not being sneaky by signing this contract, then pissing on the fence and demanding payment. Because that's stupid.

Words mean things. Invasion means invasion.

Exactly. An invasion means an invading armies and has never ever been used to describe peaceful immigrants regardless of their number. This includes the Irish, Dutch, German, English, etc.

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by Flint

...Words mean things. Invasion means invasion.

Like someone's house being invaded by roaches or the "British invasion"? What does the word "arms" mean, as in "the right to bear arms"?

[Radar]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Nothing in the Constitution about a law dictionary being the arbiter.

Nothing in the Constitution about using the (highly subjective) inner thinking of the founders (which ones??) when trying to decide how the Constitution should be applied.

And so the question remains: If we disagree over what invasion means, does the Constitution say anything about who decides whose meaning is the correct one?

The widely accepted meaning of the word "invasion" pertains to invading armies and does not apply to a flow of peaceful immigrants. I reject any claim that the term invasion can be applied toward peaceful immigrants coming to America to build a better life for themselves and their families as so many other generations of immigrants have done in the past.

We don't need to read the writings of the founders when they discussed this. We don't need to look it up in a law dictionary. Invasion means armed military forces and that's it.

[busterb]

You should be so lucky to live in California.

In case I did, the first thing I'd do is move. I've worked there. No thanks.

My dictionary lists the first definition of invasion as...

You need a new one! Radar. At one time I kinda liked you, the hotdog deal, BUT HELLO?

[busterb]

Addendum! If my life's ambitions were to sell hot dogs and run for public office in the Great state of CA. Think I'd ask Mike for a ride on the anvil!
VERY humbly yours. bb

[Radar]

Originally Posted by busterb

Addendum! If my life's ambitions were to sell hot dogs and run for public office in the Great state of CA. Think I'd ask Mike for a ride on the anvil!
VERY humbly yours. bb

First opening a hotdog stand isn't my "life's ambition" but there's certainly nothing wrong with that or with running for political office. I guess you are more satisfied with your job blowing truckers for speed at rest stops.

[piercehawkeye45]

First, what type of immigration laws are we talking about? Are we saying that we can limit a certain number of people coming into the country, talking about limiting certain ethnicities coming into the country, or something different?

Now I will agree that immigration laws such as the ones in the late 1800s and early 1900s where they limit immigration to proportions that favor a particular ethnicity are unconstitutional but I disagree that limiting the number of people coming into the country is unconstitutional in every situation. I am pro-immigration but if a billion people start immigrating into the US, that will not help us at all because our economy will probably collapse.

But can we explain what types of immigration laws we are dealing with?

[classicman]

Ok, so I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer or the brightest bulb. What is it I am missing here - I've been liooking for about an hour found a lot of interesting reading and came to the conclusion that I really don't know what I'm looking for. What am I missing here? (Other than the Elephant right in front of me)

Federal Immigration Law Enforcement

immigration law: an overview

Immigration Act of 1924

[xoxoxoBruce]

It means deporting Roman Moroni to Sweden, might have been unconstitutional.

[Radar]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

It means deporting Roman Moroni to Sweden, might have been unconstitutional.

Nice Johnny Dangerously reference.

[Flint]

Could my employer claim that "dollars" refers to "pennies" and pay me $1, because they feel like it and the contract didn't specifically say "dollars means dollars"?

Or they could just say that "pay" means "not pay" and not pay me at all.

[Aliantha]

Most painting contracts will stipulate what sort of paint will be used during the process.

I understand your point Flint and I agree with it in theory, but this whole debate is ridiculous just like comparing pissing on a fence to painting it. I'm sure you agree.

In the explicit meaning of the word 'invade', it refers to anyone entering anywhere without permission however, the implied meaning of the word invasion is to enter a place with malicious intent. Very few immigrants enter anywhere with malicious intent. Usually they're trying to escape from somewhere worse.

[Flint]

Of course, as the proper definition is provided here:

[Aliantha]

Oooh Mr Norris, what a big 'gun' you have there!