US immigration agencies order to end the terms ‘alien’ and ‘assimilation’

US immigration agencies order to end the terms ‘alien’ and ‘assimilation’

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A few memos issued Monday by Tae Johnson and Troy Miller, the acting heads of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, set out the updated language for all external and internal communications to conform to the guidelines of the Biden- administration regarding immigration terminology.

The terms “alien” will be replaced by “non-citizen” or “migrant”, “illegal alien” with “undocumented non-citizen” or “undocumented individual” and “assimilation” will change to “integration” according to the memoranda.

“We uphold the laws of our country and also uphold the dignity of every individual with whom we associate. The words we use are important and will further enhance the dignity of those in our care,” reads the Miller memo. .

Press releases from the two agencies have previously referred to undocumented immigrants as “foreigners.”

CNN released ICE for comment. The Washington Post first reported on the change.
The formal change in terminology is coming on the heels of the Trump administration’s tough immigration policy. The word “foreigner” was often used by President Donald Trump in speeches, warning of what he saw as the dangers of unmarked illegal immigration.
Immigrant rights advocates have long described the term ‘illegal alien’ as a dehumanizing deception, and it became even more of a lightning rod during the Trump era – with some top federal officials encouraging its use and several states and local governments have taken measures to ban it.

Officials have in the past pointed out the prevalence of the term in U.S. laws to defend their word choices.

President Joe Biden has sought to take deliberate steps to recognize America as a nation of immigrants, including in its proposed immigration overhaul, his government said.

The Biden administration is still struggling with the influx of migrants to the southern border. The number of minor minor children in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, an agency not intended to care for children for long periods, reached dramatic highs during the month of March.

In a notable shift this past weekend, Biden described the influx of migrant children on the southern border as a ‘crisis’ – a term that top government officials refused to use but called the situation a ‘challenge’. has. The White House wanted to return the president’s comments Monday, claiming that Biden was referring to the conditions in the Northern Triangle countries from which migrants come, and not the rise of migrant children in U.S. custody.

The Biden government is not the only one to draw attention to the language that characterizes immigration. Former President George W. Bush on Sunday called on Congress to show “hard rhetoric” about immigration, adding that he hopes it will set a tone that is more respectful of immigrants and leads to reform. .

“I do want to say to Congress: please put aside all the harsh rhetoric about immigration, put it to achieve political points on both sides. I hope I can help set a tone that is more respectful of the immigrant, which leading to system reform, ‘Bush told Norah O’Donnell on CBS Sunday Morning.

This story was updated on Monday with additional details.

CNN’s Betsy Klein, Catherine E. Shoichet, Nicky Robertson and Chandelis Duster contributed to this report.

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