Newsom signs bill replacing the word ‘alien’ in California legal code

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a Democratic-backed bill on Friday that removed the use of the term “foreigner” to describe migrants from state law.

The bill was introduced by Luz Rivas, a member of the California Democratic State Assembly, and replaces “foreigner” with terms such as “non-citizen” and “immigrant” throughout federal law. The term “alien” has been used in California since 1937 and by the federal government since at least 1798.

“As the most diverse state in the nation, we are stronger and more vibrant because of our immigrant communities,” Newsom said in a statement. “This important piece of legislation removes the word ‘alien’ which is not only an offensive term to a human but has fueled a divisive and hurtful narrative for far too long. By changing this term, we are ensuring that California laws reflect the values ​​of our state. “.”

Immigration activists have long argued that the term “alien” is outdated and dehumanizing. California has the largest population of undocumented immigrants in the United States.

The Newsom office said in a press release that “Alien” was used as “a political dog whistle to express bigotry and hatred without using traditionally racist language” from the 1990s onwards.

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The governor also signed a law identifying attacks on migrants based on their immigration status as hate crimes and reaffirming protection for unaccompanied undocumented migrant children.

Approval of the bill followed a similar move by the Biden government earlier this year. In April, President Biden ordered Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs to replace the word “foreigner” with “non-citizen” or “migrant”.