The word “alien” is the core of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, which constitutes the comprehensive U.S. immigration law. The law governs which “aliens” may be admitted to, and deported from, the United States. The U.S. Code defines an "alien" as anyone who's "not a citizen or national of the United States” but now President Joe Biden wants to remove the word "alien" from US immigration law as a symbolic gesture to acknowledge the U.S. "as a nation of immigrants."
In a summary of his immigration bill, Biden said he planned to replace the word “alien” with "noncitizen." "The language change on the first day of this administration, with Kamala Harris the daughter of immigrants, to me it's not just symbolic ... it's foundational," said Jose Antonio Vargas, a journalist and ‘undocumented noncitizen’ (formally an ‘illegal alien’). Tracy Renaud, the acting leader of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, has issued a memo that instructs the agency’s leadership to make the following changes: no longer referring to people as “illegal alien,” “alien,” or “undocumented alien” in internal and external communications, but to instead use the terms “noncitizen,” “undocumented noncitizen,” or “undocumented individual.” In addition, USCIS is seeking to no longer use “assimilation,” but instead to use “integration,” as well as to refer to those who apply for benefits like green cards as “customers.” Liberals have taken these name changes to extremes in the past. In 2019, New York City Commission on Human Rights banned the term "illegal alien" or “illegals” when it's used “with intent to demean, humiliate or harass a person” and an offender can face up to $250,000 in fines. Hardly a symbolic gesture! “‘Undocumented immigrant’ is a politically correct, made-up term adopted by pro-illegal alien advocacy groups and liberal media outlets to obscure the fact that such aliens have violated U.S. immigration law and are in the country illegally,” wrote Hans A. von Spakovsky of the right-wing think tank Heritage Foundation. Self-sufficiency is a long-standing principle of immigration & the “Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds Final Rule” has been a part of immigration law. Since 1996, federal laws have stated that aliens seeking to come to or remain in the United States, temporarily or permanently, must be self-sufficient and rely on their own capabilities and the resources of family, friends, and private organizations instead of public benefits. The “Final Rule” defines “Public Charge” as an alien who has received one or more public benefits (as defined in the rule) for more than 12 months, in total, within any 36-month period. In February President Biden signed an executive order directing the Justice, State, and Homeland Security departments to "review all agency actions related to implementation of the public charge ground of inadmissibility" and consult with other departments, including Health and Human Services, when considering the rule. As a result the DHS published a revised "Final Rule" that took effect on March 9, 2021 removing the 2019 public charge regulatory text from their year-end Consolidated Financial Report (CFR). Illegal aliens can now receive benefits that include Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), most forms of Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps, and will not be required to demonstrate self-sufficiency in order to remain in the U.S. In yet another welcoming gesture to these “undocumented noncitizens” the Biden administration is asserting more control over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “Agents will no longer seek to deport immigrants for ‘less serious offenses’ such as drug based crimes, assault, DUI, money laundering, property crimes, fraud, tax crimes, solicitation, or charges without convictions,” acting ICE director Tae Johnson. Agents seeking to arrest fugitives outside of jails and prisons will also need prior approval from the agency’s director in Washington justifying the decision according to a draft memo at the agency. “They’ve abolished ICE without abolishing ICE,” said one distraught official to the Washington Post. “The pendulum swing is so extreme. It literally feels like we’ve gone from the ability to fully enforce our immigration laws to now being told to enforce nothing.” While it is true that immigrants helped build the U.S., these people which include my great grandparents, came here legally in the 1800’s, did not rely on handouts, and were required to obey the laws of this nation. Criminals, people with contagious diseases, polygamists, anarchists, beggars and importers of prostitutes were denied entry. Fast forward to 2021. To sum it all up for our newly christened undocumented noncitizens, violating immigration laws is no longer illegal, they can freely commit drug related crimes, assault, DUI, money laundering, property crimes, fraud, tax crimes, and prostitution without fear of deportation, are “customers” when applying for benefits, and no longer have to demonstrate an ability to work and be self-supportive to remain in the U.S. As Ukrainian-American comedian Yakov Smirnoff exclaimed, “What a Country!”
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AuthorDavid H. Dallas has had a variety of notable careers in his 67 years & been a keen observer of the human condition. Now retired and spending time between his homes in PA & FL, his articles have appeared in numerous publications. BonafidesRegistered Nurse, EMT-Paramedic, ASN, summa cum laude, 2 National Honor Societies, American Heart Association certifications in Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support. Certified Coroner following training at the Pennsylvania State Police Academy and served as the Chief Deputy Coroner for Venango County in Pennsylvania. Archives
May 2021
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