Biden Forbids Immigration Judges From Using the Term ‘Alien’
Joseph Simonson • July 27, 2021 3:13 pmFederal immigration judges may no longer use the word "alien" in their legal opinions, according to a Department of Justice directive.
Citing an immigration order from President Joe Biden, senior DOJ official Jean King instructed the nation's 539 immigration judges to "use language that is consistent with our character as a nation of opportunity and of welcome." The July 23 memo forbids employees in the Executive Office for Immigration Review from using "‘alien' or ‘illegal alien' to describe migrants."
King suggests judges use "respondent, applicant, petitioner, beneficiary, migrant, noncitizen, or non-U.S. citizen," as a replacement when writing opinions. Instead of "undocumented alien" or "illegal alien," judges should use "undocumented noncitizen, undocumented non-U.S. citizen, or undocumented individual," the document says.
The Immigration and Nationality Act describes an "alien" as "any person not a citizen or national of the United States." A variety of federal laws and regulations use the term "alien" to describe individuals who can be removed from the United States, in contrast to mere nationals, who may be American citizens or residents of territories such as American Samoa.
The Biden administration grounded the policy change in part on journalism standards, rather than federal law. King cited the Associated Press's 2013 decision to eliminate the use of "illegal immigrant" in its reporting to justify the change. The department memo grants the immigration judges an exemption if they are "quoting a statute, regulation, legal opinion, court order, or settlement agreement" but advises them to shy away from other mentions.
Biden has already taken steps to eliminate "alien" and "illegal immigrant" from the lexicon of federal officials through a series of executive orders and policy changes. The White House is looking to go even further through legislation. Biden has asked Congress to pass legislation that would replace such terminology in existing federal statutes. Rep. Joaquin Castro (D., Texas) proposed a similar law in 2015 that would replace the term "illegal alien" in federal law with "undocumented foreign national." Liberal lawmakers have already taken such steps at the local level. Individuals in New York City can face criminal prosecution if they use the terms "illegals" or "illegal alien" to "demean, humiliate, or harass a person."
The policy shift comes as both the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security struggle to process a record number of migrants crossing the southern border. A study from Syracuse University found that deportation orders from immigration judges have plummeted despite the massive uptick in illegal border crossings.
5 Migrants Arrested 70 Miles from Texas Border After Home Burglary
Del Rio Sector Border Patrol agents arrested five migrants near Uvalde, Texas, who wore camouflage gear and attempted to avoid apprehension. Officials said they found property stolen during the burglary of a local ranch house.
Uvalde Station Border Patrol agents encountered a group of five migrants wearing camouflaged clothing near Uvalde. The ranch is located about 70 miles from the Texas-Mexico border.
Uvalde Station agents encountered five undocumented migrants wearing camo, attempting to evade arrest. They possessed clothing, binoculars, and knives they had stolen from a nearby ranch house. All subjects were taken into custody by local law enforcement. pic.twitter.com/w7h9xOStVg
— Chief Patrol Agent Del Rio Texas (@USBPChiefDRT) August 2, 2021
Del Rio Sector officials reported the agents found the migrants carrying clothing, binoculars, and knives from a nearby ranch house they allegedly burgled. Local police responded to a call from the agents and arrested the five migrants under state laws.
In July, Breitbart Texas reported that a group of migrants broke into a house near Sierra Blanca in the Big Bend Sector. Big Bend Sector Chief Patrol Agent Sean McGoffin tweeted photos of three migrants who allegedly broke into the rancher’s home. He said the agents found the migrants in possession of two loaded handguns, ammunition, food, and clothing that were allegedly stolen from the house.
Governor Greg Abbott pledged to arrest migrants who violate Texas laws and put them in jail.
“If you come to Texas, you’re subject to being arrested,” Abbott said in a message to migrants thinking of coming to Texas. “You’re not going to have a pathway to roam the country. You’re going to have a pathway directly into a jail cell.”
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.
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