Trump’s DHS compares term ‘undocumented immigrant’ to ‘they/them’ pronouns, defends ‘alien’
The Department of Homeland Security tweeted on Wednesday that the term “undocumented immigrant” is the political equivalent of “they/them” pronouns.
“DHS has no interest in the left’s open borders pronouns,” the department said in its statement.
DHS said “alien” is the technical and legal term for what are also called illegal immigrants in the press. “Illegal” is the only way to correctly describe lawbreakers, the agency added.
“Next thing you know you will be calling burglars ‘undocumented houseguests,’” said the statement.
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Federal law includes multiple references to the term “illegal alien” or “alien” in describing persons who incur into the U.S. illegally or without proper documentation.
In 8 U.S.C (U.S. Code) 1182 and 1227 – provisions dealing with admission and removal of foreign nationals – the terms “inadmissible aliens” and “deportable aliens” are used.
In federal statute delineating employment and public benefits, 8 U.S.C. 1324(a) and 8 U.S.C. 1611 describe the “unlawful employment of aliens” and “aliens ineligible for federal public benefits.”
In criminal law, 8 U.S.C. 1324 describes the transgression of “bringing in and harboring certain aliens.” The statute was often referred to by right-wing commentators during the Biden administration to highlight the textual precedent for using the term “illegal aliens.”
Another reference occurs in 8 U.S.C. 1325: regarding “improper entry by [an] alien.”
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“‘Alien’ is the technical legal term, and that is what DHS will use,” the department said in its statement.
DHS cited three recent media stories using the term undocumented immigrant, including in Indiana, Texas and New Jersey press outlets.
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In June, a high school student in Davidson County, N.C., won a $20,000 payday and apology after he was suspended from class over use of the term “alien” to refer to wrongfully present foreign nationals.
The 16-year-old had asked his English teacher if the term “alien” meant “space aliens or illegal aliens who need green cards.”
Administrators ruled the comment racially insensitive and suspended the boy, whose family then sued, claiming mischaracterization of racial bias and First Amendment violations.
Fox News Digital’s Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.
