Rostam Blog
Don’t Call Me an ‘Illegal Alien’
The term “illegal alien” has long given pause to many proponents oflegal immigration and those who advocate for migrants that find themselves in the United States. To refer to another individual as an “illegal” often conjures undertones of hate, xenophobia and dehumanization. In an effort to ameliorate the now contentious term, The Library of Congress has announced a historic change. The bibliographical term Illegal Aliens will now be changed to noncitizen or unauthorized immigrant when referring to a human being.
The Rationale Behind The Library of Congress’ Name Change
The term “Aliens” first appeared as a subject heading in the Library of Congress (TLOC) in the early 1900’s. To differentiate betweenthe definition of extraterrestrials, TLOC established the header “Illegal Alien” inthe 1980’s as a descriptor of persons living in the country illegally. Due to the recent derogatory tone of the once widely used phrase, TLOC has decided to end its use as a header, and they are not alone.
Major media outlets have also dropped the term. In 2014, The premier style and usage guide created for journalists, The Associated Press Stylebook, disavowed the use of the term illegal immigrant or illegal when describing a human being. Citing that the term illegal should refer to an action and not a person, AP Stylebook believes that stylistically this shift in word usage is simply the result in the evolution of the English language. Considering that the Associated Press is the primary news agency in the United States, this linguistic shift is unparalleled.
The shift in headings by TLOC comes after bequest of the Dartmouth Coalition For Immigration Reform, Equality and Dreamers (CoFired). Finding the term offensive, the Dartmouth College organization assisted by theAmerican Library Association, appealed to TLOCfor a change; and change itthey did.
In a historic meeting attended by the Law Library of Congress, The Congressional Research Service, The Cooperative and Instructional Programs Division, the official revision was made. The revision will take place no earlier than May 2016 and changes will be made in the existing bibliographic records as quickly as possible. TLOC is not alone in its historic shift. In the landmark recent Arizona immigration case, The Supreme Court omitted the use of the term “illegal immigrants” and “illegal aliens” citing that in general it is not a crime to be removable. As deportation remains a civil offense, to call a human illegalsimply because they are unauthorized is inaccurate and a misnomer at best. Considering the current political climate and the proposals for massive immigration reform, this change comes at a time when many are refining their views on immigration in the United States.
Contact An Immigration Lawyer
While the term Illegal Alien still refers to a legal term, that may soon change. If you or anyone you know faces challenges of immigration, please contact an experienced immigration lawyer at Mundo Immigration. When attempting to navigate the always changing US immigration law system, the lawyers at Mundo Immigration can best assist you with your goals.