--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the United States everyone is an…" description: "\"In the United States everyone is an illegal immigrant - everyone except the people in Indian Reservations. This is an immigrant society.\" — Noam Chomsky" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a8/noam-chomsky-42_illegal_in-the-united-states-everyone-is-an-ille_2488560.jpg" --- # In the United States everyone is an illegal immigrant… ![“In the United States everyone is an illegal immigrant - everyone except the people in Indian Reservations. This is an immigrant society.” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a8/noam-chomsky-42_illegal_in-the-united-states-everyone-is-an-ille_2488560.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a8/noam-chomsky-42_illegal_in-the-united-states-everyone-is-an-ille_2488560.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a8/noam-chomsky-42_illegal_in-the-united-states-everyone-is-an-ille_2488560.jpg) > “In the United States everyone is an illegal immigrant - everyone except the people in Indian Reservations. This is an immigrant society.” [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The US treats most people as illegal immigrants, except those on Indian reservations, highlighting a paradox in its immigration narrative. **In simple terms:** America labels many as illegal while exempting reservation residents. Key Takeaway Question the definition of legality and its social impact. Themes immigration legal status indigenous rights Mood critical reflective Type political social commentary When to use this quote - policy debate - legal reform - public awareness - education campaigns Key Concepts citizenship policy paradox colonial legacy Questions to Reflect On - How does labeling affect societal inclusion? - What alternative frameworks could replace current immigration law? A Different Perspective Legal definitions are socially constructed and can be contested. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Illegal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illegal/) [Illegal Immigrant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illegal-immigrant-939670/) [Illegal immigrants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illegal-immigrants/) [Immigrant People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigrant-people-939672/) [Immigrant Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigrant-society-939671/) [Immigrants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigrants/) [Immigration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigration/) [Indian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indian/) [Indian reservations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indian-reservations-90696/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reservations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reservations/) [Reservations Immigrant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reservations-immigrant-939673/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [United](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) ## Related quotes > [Thus, biologically speaking the American people are literally only half an immigrant people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-p-huntington/thus-biologically-speaking-the-american-people-are-literally-only/) [Samuel P. Huntington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-p-huntington/) > [I was an illegal immigrant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salma-hayek/i-was-an-illegal-immigrant/) [Salma Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salma-hayek/) > [As you know, today was Don't Take Your Illegal Immigrant To Work Day here in Los Angeles. No, all across the nation they had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/as-you-know-today-was-don-t-take-your-illegal-immigrant-to-work-day/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [An estimated 7 million illegal immigrants were residing in the United States in January 2000. This is double the size of the illegal immigrant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-miller/an-estimated-7-million-illegal-immigrants-were-residing-in-the-united/) [Gary Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-miller/) > [If Donald Trump builds the wall the way he builds Trump Towers, he'll be using illegal immigrant labor to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/if-donald-trump-builds-the-wall-the-way-he-builds-trump-towers-he-ll/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [ You are never going to have, in a country as rich as ours \[the USA\], that borders a country as poor as Mexico, an… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-klein/you-are-never-going-to-have-in-a-country-as-rich-as-ours-the-usa-that/) [Ezra Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-klein/) > [Ronald Reagan basically legalized every illegal immigrant in this country. I just like to bring this up because every week I like to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/ronald-reagan-basically-legalized-every-illegal-immigrant-in-this/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Under my plan the undocumented or as you would say illegal immigrant wouldn’t be in the country. They only come in the country legally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/under-my-plan-the-undocumented-or-as-you-would-say-illegal-immigrant/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The DREAM Act was intended to benefit illegal immigrants who were brought here as children, the most sympathetic subset among our large illegal immigrant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-c-ting/the-dream-act-was-intended-to-benefit-illegal-immigrants-who-were/) [Jan C. Ting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-c-ting/) > [I am in favour of the notion of Australia as an immigrant society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/i-am-in-favour-of-the-notion-of-australia-as-an-immigrant-society/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [Ours is the first society in history in which parents expect to learn from their children, rather than the other way around. Such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shana-alexander/ours-is-the-first-society-in-history-in-which-parents-expect-to-learn/) [Shana Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shana-alexander/) > [The Indians, however, could not migrate from one part of the United States to another; neither could they obtain employment as readily as white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-a-miles/the-indians-however-could-not-migrate-from-one-part-of-the-united/) [Nelson A. Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-a-miles/) > [“The steam trains crossed the country, the gleaming tracks clumsy sutures across wounded miles of stolen land.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/the-steam-trains-crossed-the-country-the-gleaming-tracks-clumsy/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [When I go to Indian reservations in the West, and especially to the Pine Ridge Reservation, I sometimes feel unsure where to put my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-frazier/when-i-go-to-indian-reservations-in-the-west-and-especially-to-the/) [Ian Frazier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-frazier/) > [The only good Indian is a dead Indian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/the-only-good-indian-is-a-dead-indian/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) ## More by Noam Chomsky > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are questions as to whether it should even exist. 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Just because I say it doesn't make it true. So check it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-is-verify-what-i-present-just-because/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ I wrote an article about the marine landing \[in Haiti\] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-landing-in-haiti-right-away-but/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [American society is now remarkably atomized. Political organizations have collapsed. In fact, it seems like even bowling leagues are collapsing. The left has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/american-society-is-now-remarkably-atomized-political-organizations/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Discovery is the ability to be puzzled by simple things. Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/discovery-is-the-ability-to-be-puzzled-by-simple-things-noam-chomsky/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [This is class war on an international scale, and power is in the hands of those who control the international economic system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/this-is-class-war-on-an-international-scale-and-power-is-in-the-hands/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are big, extremely irrational parts of the society, and they have now been mobilized politically by the Republican establishment, hoping that these people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-big-extremely-irrational-parts-of-the-society-and-they-have/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's plenty to criticize about the mass media, but they are the source of regular information about a wide range of topics. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-plenty-to-criticize-about-the-mass-media-but-they-are-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The 50,000 Korean mercenaries we had in Vietnam were professional killers and just massacred people outright. And the American army did plenty of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-50-000-korean-mercenaries-we-had-in-vietnam-were-professional/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Explore all 2,129 Noam Chomsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More Illegal quotes > [It might interest you that just as the U.S. was ramping up its involvement in Vietnam, LBJ launched an illegal invasion of the Dominican…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-might-interest-you-that-just-as-the-u-s-was-ramping-up-its/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [I don't think marijuana should be illegal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-don-t-think-marijuana-should-be-illegal/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [ \[Could you show us how Lana Del Rey dances in a club?\] That would be illegal. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana-del-rey/could-you-show-us-how-lana-del-rey-dances-in-a-club-that-would-be/) [Lana Del Rey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana-del-rey/) > [Stupid is not illegal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/stupid-is-not-illegal/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [The Chinese describe themselves as political refugees. 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