ICE and CBP ordered to avoid the words 'alien' and 'assimilation'
In a memo sent out Monday to top officials at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the government ordered that the word ‘alien' be replaced by ‘noncitizen' or ‘immigrant'. Additionally, ‘undocumented' and ‘assimilation' will change to ‘integration'.
"As the nation's premier law enforcement agency, we set a tone and example for our country and our partners across the world," Troy Miller, the head of the CBP, was quoted as saying in the memo by the Washington Post.
"We enforce our nation's laws while also maintaining the dignity of every individual with whom we interact," Miller added. "The words we use matter and will serve to further confer that dignity to those in our custody."
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In a separate memo, Tae Johnson, the acting director of ICE, said that "in response to the vision set by the administration, ICE will ensure agency communications use the preferred terminology and inclusive language."
"ICE will set a tone and example for our country for years," the memo added. "The way that we choose to communicate is critical to enforcing our nation's laws while respecting the humanity and dignity of those individuals with whom we interact."
President Biden originally suggested eliminating the term ‘alien' in federal laws in a citizenship bill he sent to Congress on his first day in office.
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The White House has noted that the change in terms is a key step in recognizing the US as a ‘nation of immigrants' - a term that the previous administration had removed from the mission statement of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
In February, USCIS issued a similar directive regarding language in official documents to its employees.