Dear Editor,

I’m writing with concerns about the Catalyst’s recent opinion piece, Illegal Immigration Harms Citizens and Immigrants Alike. This article uses harmful language and negative stereotypes to portray undocumented immigrants as threats. It does not give a fair judgment to the circumstances that might lead a person to stay in the US without documentation, dismissing people’s experiences as “cutting the line” and “mak[ing] a mockery of their legal counterparts’ adherence to the rules.” Furthermore, it implies that undocumented immigrants are a danger to America by claiming their lack of documentation is “an indication that they may not abide by its other laws,” then saying that “criminals claim asylum and are able to wreak havoc on American soil.” Characterizing undocumented immigrants as criminals is utilizing a stereotype to induce fear of a marginalized group of people.

The dehumanizing rhetoric and one-sided point of view of this article is alarming. It must be revised to acknowledge the dangers all immigrants are currently facing due to the government’s prosecution of “illegal immigrants.” People are being unlawfully kidnapped and face multiple human rights violations in detention centers. While the article makes a point to highlight the dangers of undocumented immigrants, it pays no attention to the dangers for immigrants. Stereotyping in ways like this article does is what manufactures consent for marginalized groups to be prosecuted. A large responsibility comes with the trust your audience puts in you, and this article needs changes to meet journalistic standards of respect.

Sincerely,

Loki Ingalls ’26