Representative Joaquin Castro (D., Texas) has introduced a bill to remove the legal terms “alien” and “illegal alien” and replace them with “foreign national” and “undocumented foreign national.”
“Words matter. It’s vital that we respect the dignity of immigrants fleeing violence and prosecution in our language. The words “alien” and “illegal alien” works to demonize and duhmanize the migrant community. They have no place in our government’s description of human beings,” Castro said in a statement, “Eliminating this language from government expression puts us one step closer to preserving their dignity and ensuring their safety.”
His brother, former Obama administration official and current presidential candidate Julian Castro, backed the measure on Twitter soon after. Julian Castro has called for the decriminalization of border crossings. – READ MORE