California is removing the word "alien" from its state laws and replacing it with words such as "noncitizen" and "immigrant," Gov. Gavin Newsom announced.
Why it matters: The word "alien" began to be used in the 1990s "as a political dog whistle to express bigotry and hatred without using traditionally racist language," per a statement from Newsom's office.
- The term was officially replaced with "noncitizen" in 2015, but "alien" has still been widely used in many aspects of California law.
What they're saying: Newsom noted in a statement that the word "alien" is "not only an offensive term for a human being, but for far too long has fueled a divisive and hurtful narrative."
- "By changing this term, we are ensuring California’s laws reflect our state’s values," he added.
The big picture: The term "alien" has been used to identify people born outside the U.S. by the federal government since 1798 and in California since 1937. There's been a nationwide push in recent years to remove the word from legal texts and government documents because of its derogatory connotations.
- President Biden ordered federal immigration agencies in April to stop using terms including "alien," "illegal alien" and "assimilation."
- Newsom signed the bill, authored by California Assemblymember Luz Rivas (D), into law on Friday.
Governor @GavinNewsom just signed my bill, #AB1096 to remove the term "alien" from CA law when referring to immigrants and noncitizens!
— Assemblywoman Luz Rivas (@AsmLuzRivas) September 24, 2021
Today marks a huge step forward in the fight to dismantle institutional racism targeted specifically towards our immigrant communities. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/LvO6kFdL2h
