President Donald Trump is poised to reverse a Biden-Harris administration directive that had banned the use of the legal term “illegal alien.”
Advisers to Trump’s transition team are currently in discussions about reinstating the term “illegal alien” in official communications.
The move would see the ban lifted starting January 20, 2025, when Trump is sworn into office.
Reversing the Biden policy would be one of Trump’s initial actions after his inauguration.
It would signal a significant shift in immigration terminology policy, the Washington Examiner reports.
The Biden administration had previously replaced the term “illegal alien” with “undocumented immigrants.”
Democrats claim that the term is a slur and inhumane.
However, “illegal alien” is a legal term that has been used for decades to refer to a foreign national who entered the country illegally.
A former high-ranking immigration official advising Trump’s team indicated:
“In this [present] administration, we used ‘undocumented immigrants,’ right?
“Expect all of that to change.”
During Biden’s presidency, instructions were given to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel to cease the use of the term along with others like “alien” and “assimilation.”
Instead, they were directed to use “noncitizen” or “migrant.”
This change was mandated by Troy Miller in April 2021.
Rodney Scott, the then-head of the U.S. Border Patrol, resisted these changes.
He expressed his dissent in an internal document, stating, “This memorandum serves as my official nonconcurrence to the proposed updated terminology for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) communications and materials…
“I will not undermine this effort; however, I cannot endorse it.”
The discussions about reverting to the old terminology are also supported by John Fabbricatore.
Fabbricatore is a retired ICE field office director and a potential candidate to lead ICE.
Fabbricatore argues for the neutrality of the term “illegal alien,” asserting:
“What is wrong with ‘illegal alien’?
“It connotes no race, religion, or culture…
“It is a purely legal term that was hijacked in an Orwellian attempt to control the messaging about illegal immigration.”
These changes have not gone unchallenged in Congress. Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) introduced a bill aiming to prohibit the federal use of “alien” in reference to non-U.S. citizens.
Although, the bill has not yet been passed.
Conversely, Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) expressed disagreement with the removal of the term “alien” as long as it remains in legal statutes.
Even President Biden has waded into the debate inadvertently.
During a State of the Union address, he used the term “illegal” in reference to an undocumented individual involved in a crime.
Biden later expressed regret for the comment following a backlash from Democrats, stating:
“I shouldn’t have used illegal, it’s undocumented.”
These varied perspectives highlight the contentious nature of language used in the context of immigration.
The second official added, “I don’t see anyone at [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] or [U.S. Customs and Border Protection] using any euphemisms for illegal aliens after Jan. 20.”
The potential policy reversal by the incoming Trump administration reflects broader political and ideological shifts that often accompany changes in governance.
Language in immigration policy can influence public perception and policy interpretation, serving as a tool for broader political messaging.
As the January 20 inauguration date approaches, the impact of this shift in terminology will likely be scrutinized both domestically and internationally.
Observers will be watching to see how this change fits into the larger immigration policy framework that President Trump plans to implement during his term.
With these changes, the Trump administration aims to restore what it views as a straightforward approach to immigration terminology, challenging what it perceives as a shift toward political correctness under the Biden administration.
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