Why Is ‘Illegal’ So Hard to Define?

Re “Activists Walk 4 Days for Right to Drive,” Dec. 8: “Immigrants are the backbone of our labor, the backbone of our society ... immigrants are demanding certain basic human rights,” says Julie Rodriguez, an organizer with the Cesar Chavez Foundation in Glendale. Who is denying legal immigrants their rights? This country is made up of immigrants. My parents were immigrants -- legal immigrants -- and they were accorded the rights of legal immigrants until they became citizens. Why is it so difficult to understand the difference between a legal immigrant and an illegal immigrant? A legal immigrant can get a driver’s license and an illegal immigrant should not get one. Illegal is what it is -- not legal and not entitled to the rights accorded those who have entered the country legally. End of the discussion for me.

Rhoda Friedman

Newport Beach

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Should illegal immigrants be issued driver’s licenses? Wrong question. We should be asking why there is such a phenomenon as “illegal” immigrants. Why should citizens of Mexico, seeking work in California, have to subject themselves to the dangers of illegal entry into the U.S.? These “illegals” are, after all, invited -- invited by our agricultural industry, clothing manufacturers, restaurants, hotels, all kinds of retailers and by hundreds of thousands of householders who need domestic help. They aren’t sneaking into someplace where they aren’t wanted.

So why do we wink at the laws they violate and subject them to the indignity of being illegal? Why is California not pressing the president and Congress to create legislation and procedures to enable Mexican nationals to obtain work visas at our consulates in Mexico so they can pass through the border crossings like every lawful traveler -- so they can present their documents at the Department of Motor Vehicles and obtain driver’s licenses lawfully?

Don Bustany

Los Angeles