ICE officials are directing employees to use the term “alien” instead of “immigrant,” a new memo distributed across the enforcement agency details.
Immigrant rights groups consider the term derogatory and dehumanizing because of the way they’ve been used by conservative pundits and politicians.
The term will be used in all “internal and external communications,” the Axios reported. The Independent has asked ICE for comment.
The directive made by the new Acting ICE director, Caleb Vitello, was enacted Tuesday and sent to agency leaders. Previously, the agency had chosen to use the term “noncitizen” after a memo was distributed in 2021 changing the official terminology from “alien.” Additionally, the word “noncitizenship” will be changed to “alienage.”
The action is part of President Donald Trump’s broader immigration crackdown. He vowed to deport 11 million migrants currently in the US shortly after taking office. So far, he’s signed executive orders to end birthright citizenship, declare a national emergency at the border, halt refugee resettlement admissions and reestablish his Remain in Mexico policy.
On Wednesday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the agency arrested 308 migrants a day after Trump was sworn into office. That figure, however, is similar to Former President Biden’s daily average.
Some of the migrants detained had a final order of removal. Some of those detained from jails had been arrested for major crimes, including murder, sexual assault, and sexual assault involving minors. No minors were arrested, a person with knowledge of the matter told The Independent.
Asylum operations at the border have come to a near standstill after Trump shut down the US Customs and Border Protection app migrants used to schedule asylum applications.
Mexico is building facilities to house people located in Matamoros and Ciudad Juárez and the thousands Trump is expected to return as part of his mass deportations.
Federal agencies are taking drastic measures to ensure Trump’s agenda is enforced. The Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday it would allow ICE agents to arrest undocumented people at or near houses of worship, schools and hospitals.
The Department of Justice has directed federal prosecutors to investigate and bring criminal charges against state and local officials who don’t cooperate.
It’s unclear how successful Trump will be in implementing his immigration orders. Even during his first term, he managed to deport roughly 1.2 million unauthorized immigrants. Former President Barack Obama deported about 2.9 million migrants during his first term and 1.9 million in his second.
The figures from the US Department of Homeland Security include people who were deported more than once.
Trump’s actions have drawn criticism from faith leaders, including Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, who spoke directly to the president while delivering remarks at the National Cathedral Tuesday. She asked him to “have mercy” on immigrants and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
