Just when we thought Republicans could not stoop any lower, today House Republicans are following Donald Trump’s discriminatory mantra and defending language that forces the Library of Congress to continue using the derogatory term: “illegal alien,” by voting to block a bill that removes the language from federal law. For years now, Republicans have used this term as a dog whistle to motivate their Tea Party followers. Almost half of Latinos find “illegal alien” offensive when describing undocumented immigrants.
“Speaker Paul Ryan unveiled Congress’ true colors when he endorsed Donald Trump. By voting to bully and force the Library of Congress to continue using the derogatory and offensive term: “illegal alien,” House Republicans continue to demonstrate why their legislative agenda falls right in line with Donald Trump and his racist positions,” said Javier Gamboa of the DCCC.
BACKGROUND ON THE DEROGATORY TERM “ILLEGAL ALIEN”:
LA Times: Gov. Brown doesn’t want California to use this word for immigrants
The bill banning “alien” is needed to modernize state labor law, in the same way many newspapers have stopped using the term “illegal alien,” said state Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia), author of the bill. “Alien is now commonly considered a derogatory term for a foreign-born person and has very negative connotations,” Mendoza said.
CNN: Why ‘illegal immigrant’ is a slur
The term “illegal immigrant” was first used in 1939 as a slur by the British toward Jews who were fleeing the Nazis and entering Palestine without authorization. Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel aptly said that “no human being is illegal.”