There are invisible ways in which migrants can be, and are, dignified or denigrated. Language in particular reflects these prejudices. For example, the social categorization of people into: 1. expats, 2. immigrants*, 3. refugees, 4. illegal aliens*. According to the Cambridge dictionary, the term "illegal alien" - which is banned in some places like New York City - describes a person who lives or works in another country even though they do not have the legal right to do so. The lower the classification, the greater the dehumanization of the individual in their new place of residence. Alienation is a common consequence of reducing people to their nationality and legal residency status.
We ask ourselves: If today's society is characterized by migration and intercultural exchange, why is it still such a burden to be a migrant? Are natives and migrants made of different stuff?