Colorlines.com took a look at what our existing elected officials are saying about some crucial racial justice issues—or, more specifically, how they’re saying it.

In the decade since the September 11 attacks, there has been a steady increase in language that frames unauthorized immigrants as a criminal problem. References to “illegals,” “illegal immigrants” and their rhetorical variants now dominate the speech of both major political parties, as well as news media coverage of immigration.