What does illegal mean to you? There may be some confusion amongst citizens in this country. The answer should be simple: Murder is illegal; rape is illegal; stealing is illegal.

And I’m fairly confident that entering this country without the proper clearance and documentation is illegal. After all, it’s called illegal immigration for a reason.

The immigration problem in this country reached a new level recently, and it’s expected to play a major role in the 2008 presidential election.

Last week, more than 500,000 people participated in protests in Arizona, California, Wisconsin and Georgia to oppose legislation that would stiffen penalties for illegal immigrants, according to www.cnn.com. These demonstrators better be prepared to protest if – God forbid – we want to stiffen punishments for murderers. Illegal is illegal; it’s as simple as that.

It’s not that immigration is wrong, but anyone who does it illegally is breaking the law and undermining our set of rules and justice.

This country exists purely because of immigrants, whether they arrived at Plymouth Rock or Ellis Island, or came across the United States border with Mexico. It’s this diversity that sets America apart from all other nations in the world.

But this is post-9/11 America.

Everything is different.

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free” – it’s an invitation to the world written by poet Emma Lazarus and inscribed on the Statue of Liberty.

They listened.

Immigrants are an indispensable part of this country, as they have been for hundreds of years. Without the jobs and services they provide, The U.S. infrastructure would be crippled. But nowadays, immigrants – especially Mexicans and Latinos – are rising so dramatically in number that they’re becoming political pawns.

Republicans need them here to work. Democrats need them here to votes.

This tug of war makes the immigration problem almost unsolvable.

Those who help to perpetuate the ongoing pillage of honest, hard-working American citizens argue that illegal immigration is OK because America is all about people seeking a better life and realizing it – through any means necessary.

It’s not so simple.

Illegal immigrants are taking away opportunities from the average citizen. Having people here illegally puts everyone in danger. There are currently more than 12 million illegal immigrants in this country, according to the Washington Post. They are putting a strain on the U.S. economy, including the healthcare, educational and criminal justice systems.

Think of it this way: U.S. citizens knew who the 9/11 hijackers were when they were taking flight lessons in the United States and nothing was done to stop them. That’s scary.

Last week, President Bush called on Congress to “tone down the increasingly sharp and divisive rhetoric” regarding immigration. His “guest-worker” plan would allow millions of illegal immigrants to keep working in the United States, according to the Washington Post. Many Republicans, including Senate Majority leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), want tighter restrictions on immigration. In Georgia, State Rep. James Mills (R-District 67) is taking the brave step of moving away from politics and toward common sense. A bill that went through the Georgia House, and is now awaiting Senate approval, mandates that certain state services be denied to adults living here illegally. Immigrant communities have called for work stoppages and protests against this legislation.

Are they crazy?

Now, some might say they have a right to do so, as long as they are here in America to protest against the government. Others would say immigrants should be thankful that there isn’t a mass deportation and should just go back to work.

I’ve never seen car thieves congregate and threaten to stop stealing because the government thinks what they do is wrong. Apparently, when under the banner of the American Dream, committing a crime is just fine.

“I don’t know what part of illegal someone doesn’t understand,” Mills said in a recent interview with the Gainesville Times. “If you are here legally and have proper documentation, then you are welcomed, and we encourage you to become a part of this culture. But if you’re here illegally and have broken laws to get to the position you’re in, then there will be consequences for that illegal action.”

It doesn’t get much simpler than that.

-Ben Shore is a political science sophomore.

-This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec. Send e-mail to letters@thedailyaztec.com. Anonymous letters will not be printed – include your full name, major and year in school.