Do illegal immigrants have a right to file suit in U.S. Courts? It sounds awfully far-fetched to me, just as a matter of reason.

Now, I’m on record as opposing immigration laws – but I’ll hand it off to Don Boudreaux at cafehayek, who discussed recently the substantive difference between malum in se and malum prohibitum:

Looked at differently, to call “criminal” those persons whose only offenses are merely malum prohibitum is unfairly and inappropriately to tar them with the scorn and wariness that is deserved only by persons who commit genuine offenses against others.

I don’t think they’ve done anything wrong, per se, and I think they ought to be able to seek damages where appropriate. But I also oppose minimum wage laws and labor restrictions, and furthermore, it’s patently frivolous to seek damages resulting from a voluntary agreement, or to try and use the law to strongarm your position.

The bottom line: I think the whole legal/illegal discussion is absurd to begin with. I think anyone who wants to come here and contribute to society ought to be permitted to do so. But I don’t think they should be able to collect anything for this suit.