Which of the following situations is worse?

1. A woman and her child cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, and as a result the mother is separated from her child.

2. A man enters the country illegally and remains in the U.S. for several years, and then kills an American citizen.

Undeniably, the first situation is unpleasant and unfortunate for the mother and her child, but the mother created that situation herself by entering the country illegally.

However, her situation is not even on the same planet as that of the mother of a young woman citizen who is senselessly murdered by an illegal alien who has been in the country for years. He also fathered a child, an “anchor baby,” with one of the dead woman’s schoolmates.

Someone trying to paint a picture of the horrors of illegal entry to our country due to a hopelessly inadequate border-security system would face a stiff challenge to create one more horrific than the recent murder of Iowa college student Mollie Tibbetts, or the similarly brutal killing of Kate Steinle in 2015.

But some prominent Democrats and liberals do not see it that way. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) was not able to say that a murdered citizen is far worse than a child temporarily separated from his or her mother. After saying she was “so sorry” for the family, she opined, “One of the things we have to remember is we need an immigration system that is effective, that focuses on where real problems are.” She added, “Last month, I went down to the border and I saw where children had been taken away from their mothers.” Warren went on to describe how horrible that situation is.

She did not comment on Mollie Tibbetts being permanently taken from her family by her killer.

Then came a comment from the former spokeswoman for the Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) campaign. Symone Sanders tweeted: “Mollie Tibbetts was murdered b/c she told a man to leave her alone while she was jogging. Her murderer happens to be undocumented. This isn’t about border security. This is about toxic masculinity. Mollie Tibbetts lost her life b/c a man couldn’t take her saying no. Full stop.”

Leftist political pundit Sally Kohn also complained — not about the crime and the tragedy for the family but about the fact that Fox News was covering it: “#1 story is about undocumented immigrant who is SUSPECT for murder of a white girl,” she tweeted. “Way to stay predictable, Fox.”

An MSNBC guest, Fordham University professor Christina Greer, also criticized Fox rather than condemn the circumstances that made this murder possible. “Fox News is talking about, you know, a girl in Iowa,” she said on MSNBC.

And no crazy story would be complete without the Hollywood crowd weighing in. Author Stephen King tweeted: “Mollie Tibbetts may well have been killed by an undocumented alien, and that’s a terrible thing. But we might remember that Stephen Craig Paddock was an American citizen. He killed 58.” So, it’s a shame that an illegal alien has been charged with murdering an American citizen, but that’s not important because a white guy killed even more people?

And, of course, others had to criticize those who denounced this incomprehensibly horrible act. They are using the murder of a citizen for political purposes because the suspected killer is an illegal alien.

There is great confusion among Democrats/liberals/socialists about immigration in general and about the terminology for those who are in the country illegally.

Merriam-webster.com defines an “immigrant” as “a person who comes to a country to take up permanent residence.” In the United States, there is a process to immigrate. Those who do so by that process are “immigrants.”

The dictionary defines an “alien” as one “relating, belonging, or owing allegiance to another country or government.” An alien in the country without following the process is not here legally and therefore is an “illegal alien.”

Those in the country illegally are not “immigrants.” And while they possess no documentation, they are not “undocumented”; they are “illegal aliens.”

Playing word games for any reason only complicates things. Honesty is best, however cruel or inhumane it may seem to some. Those who like to twist words so that the message sounds better are doing harm by masking reality.

It is generally agreed that most of these illegal aliens come here to find a better life. If so, they can find that better life by following the rules for entering the country and by becoming a true American after they are granted legal status.

We must not forget or ignore that tens of thousands of Americans have been robbed, assaulted, and murdered by illegal aliens over many years. This must stop. Our borders must be made secure, for the protection of all Americans, including those who illogically prefer open borders, citizenship for all, and other ideas that are dangerous and poorly thought out.

America is at its best when it sets and observes standards, and that includes controlling who enters our country.