Costume amuses some, offends others

(WTNH) - Halloween costumes can run the gamut from scary to sexy and sometimes political, but when does over-the-top become offensive? This year, the most controversial costume deals with one of the most controversial issues of our day.

The 'illegal alien' costume comes complete with a orange prison jumpsuit with the words 'illegal alien' across the front, an alien mask, and a green card.

"If people are allowed to wear costumes of our presidents, I think it's just okay to wear an illegal alien costume, it's Halloween after all," said Vanessa Zizic of Branford.

Beth Bryan-Almeida laughed it off.

"This is just one of those things, it's Halloween, it's all about the candy, it's not about the scary stuff," she said.

Immigration activists have launched a coordinated campaign against the sale of the costume, garnering enough support to get some national chains, including Target and Walmart, to pull it from their shelves.

"Well, it's certainly a hot topic now with the political debate over illegal immigration so I would probably say, it wouldn't hurt a store's reputation to pull it off the shelves," said Brian Langille of Madison.

"If you find it to be offensive, they you don't have to buy it and you don't have to look at it," said Bryan-Almeida.

The company who makes the costume, Forum Novelties, could not be reached for comment.