ICE Returns to Calling Immigrants “Aliens”

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) leadership has directed employees to refer to foreign nationals as “aliens” in all “internal and external communications,” according to an internal memo obtained by Axios.

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• Immigration advocates criticize the term for being offensive, while immigration restrictionists defend using “alien” because it’s what’s used in the Immigration and Nationality Act.
• Shortly after taking office, former President Biden’s team moved away from the statutory language, pushing for more “more inclusive” words instead.

Driving the news: Acting ICE director Caleb Vitello is reverting the language guidance back, according to a memo dated Tuesday and addressed to agency leadership.

• The directive rescinds the memo from 2021, which had changed the official terminology from “alien” to “noncitizen.”

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