The Antelope Valley Times

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CA Assembly bill seeks to remove “alien” from state law

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A California assemblywoman introduced a bill this week to replace the term “alien,” which is used to describe foreign-born individuals, with terms that are “more reflective of today’s legal terminology.” The term “alien” has been used by the federal government since 1798 and in California since 1937.

“The term, ‘alien’ is an archaic and dehumanizing term used for decades to isolate the undocumented community and diminish their rights,” said Assemblywoman Luz Rivas (D-Arleta), who introduced Assembly Bill (AB) 1096 on Thursday, Feb. 18.

“As the state with the largest undocumented population in our nation, we all know someone, have a friend, a colleague, or a neighbor, who is a noncitizen. However, that does not make them any less human or American. It’s time we that brought our laws into the 21st century and remove outdated terminology that no longer reflects the diverse population that makes up this great state,” Rivas continued.

The term “alien” was first introduced into California’s Legislature in 1937 to refer to people who were not born in the United States or a fully naturalized U.S. citizen.  But in the 1990s, “alien” became a term for people to express bigotry without using explicit racist language, according to Rivas.

In 2015, California eliminated and replaced the term “alien” with “noncitizen” in the California Labor Code, however, the term still exists throughout other sections of state law, according to Rivas.

AB 1096 is supported by Senator Maria Elena Durazo, Chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus, Assemblymember Robert Rivas, Vice-Chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus, Assemblymember Evan Low, Vice-Chair of the Asian and Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus, and Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, Chair of California Legislative Jewish Caucus.

“Using the antiquated, xenophobic term ‘alien’ to refer to an immigrant has no place in California… It’s time we get rid of this dehumanizing, alienating language in California Code, and replace it with a term that gives the dignity to our immigrant population that they deserve,” said Senator Maria Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles).

The Biden White House is proposing a similar change. Biden’s “U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021” aims to recognize “America as a nation of immigrants by changing the word ‘alien’ to ‘noncitizen’ in our immigration laws,” according to a White House news release.

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30 comments for "CA Assembly bill seeks to remove “alien” from state law"

  1. Just like Trump said Democrats will be a Disaster. Only a few weeks and hes destroying the Country. JOE BIDEN PUTS AMERICANS LAST!!!!

    • Thank you for being ignorant and racist “Ron”. Now here’s your sticker. Now run along now the other kids are waiting for you.

    • Oh, Ron poor Ron

      Obama cleaned up the big mess that Bush left and spent 8 years recovering the economy despite Republican obstruction.

      Now, Biden has to do clean up on the mess Trump left again with Republican obsturction.

      Why, oh why is that so hard for you and others to get?

      Republicans leave behind disasters and Democrats repair and restore the country.

      Don’t ever ever forget that Ron. Got it? Ever.

    • Just as my God predicted. Man, I had to look outside and make sure the sky wasnt falling. Tell me, in what ways has your life been negatively impacted in these last few weeks?

  2. No worries… The Men In Black are here to protect us from them and them from us!
    Now look into my nebulizer…

  3. “Alien” and “noncitizen” can be equally “explicit racist language” if you want it to. Maria Elena Durazo is a sensitive moron that can’t tell people what to say or think. She’s just another lazy looking political yapper that needs to get a real job and a treadmill. Many of these “aliens”seem like innocent hard working landscapers, but people fail to realize that these illegal aliens are puppets of the mexican cartel and they fear them over ahering to American rule of law. Many Americans keep their mouths shut because the drugs are good and they’re happy. Before you know it every home will have its own landscaper, every American will be indoors drugged and ignorantly content. And all of the sudden, America is gonna foolishly hand the keys over to El Chapos successors and then we gotta become landscapers anyways. The Moral of the story is landscape your own damn property or hire legally domunented people that understands the American language or hire preferably Americans that appreciate hard work which brings good pay. Aliens dont put their country first nor make anything out of themselves yet they hop the border and expect everything to be put in place for them because they think they are apart of the illusion of affirmative action. They all need to go back and Make The Other Side of the Border Great Again. Yes, I’m talking about Mexeeco. That place has no accountability yet the people keep expecting from America and in many cases, they’re demanding. In conclusion, Maria is a lazy moron, we can call illegal aliens whatever we want, and foreign influence isnt gonna condition Americans how to think or speak or see.

    • Unsurprisingly, I don’t agree with most of you said (especially when you went into conspiracy land), but you did make a few valid points on how Mexico really does need to fix enough of their problems for their own citizens to want to stay in their own country. No, I’m not getting down on the immigrants, themselves, I might do the same thing when faced with a country that can’t – or won’t – fix their problems for their own population versus taking a risk in America. But the governmental systems in Mexico are truly in need of reform and our problems with illegal immigration from that nation will not abate until those reforms happen.

      Kinda joking here, but, at this point, since we seem to be getting so many of their citizens over here, we might want to consider just adopting them as states and fix it ourselves.

    • Well say or think what ever you want no-one cares what you like or dislike. They aren’t asking you for a dime so shut your big mouth up and go get a job not just sit on your ass and wait for your assistance

      • Ya ok I’m sitting on my ass and waiting for assistance. Any? Ill sit here and wait while my tax dollar is being sucked dry on your behalf.

    • Dear “Alby”
      I had started reading your comment up until you mentioned cartel. That when I knew the rest would also be b.s. Just like i told “Ron”, here’s your sticker and juice box for your effort. “Ron” didn’t get a juice box.

    • As unworkable as our immigration system is, it’s not as big and harmful a problem as the Trump/white supremist/Proud Boy/Qanon phenom.

      Immigrants didn’t storm the Capital to overthrow the government. Trumpers did.

  4. Any educated Republican would understand that most undocumented immigrants are a valuable asset to California. The IRS issues ITINS to these immigrants, so they pay billions into Social Security and Medicare. Undocumented immigrants are hired because hiring U.S. citizens didn’t work out; they were too lazy.

  6. But in the 1990s, “alien” became a term for people to express bigotry without using explicit racist language, according to Rivas.

    I wonder where she got this idea from? I guess just any random decade will work when you are making *##! up to push another goofy agenda.

    I guess we are still good with illegal immigrant, maybe? At least until the mass amnesty in the next few months. Then they all become legal democrat voters. Now to move them all to red states to dilute the conservative votes.

    • That’s been democrats plan all along.

      The United States and the Antelope Valley is a lost cause. I dump my trash in the streets as a form of protest. screw it.

      • “Bob M” wow. You’re so cool and smart for dumping your trash on the streets. In the words of worst president in history “If you dont like it here, you can leave!” Your body, your choice sweetheart. Here you get half a sticker. For some effort.

      • There you go , make our streets look like Mexico and make them feel like they are back at home. And it doesn’t matter they are still “illegals”

      • BobM
        Republicans stormed and trashed the Capitol not Democrats.

        Republicans/Trumpers planned to kidnap the Michigan governor not Biden supporters.

        You have everything upside down and backward. Why don’t you turn yourself around and stand on your head so you can see the world as it is not your imagination?

        Let us know how that works out for you, BobM.

      • We prey upon people like you. Hoping you dump your trash in front of a camera, waiting for you to be exploited, and laughed at, and persecuted and prosecuted. It all comes back one way or another. Keep up the work. You are what you throw away.