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Alien
Also written: Alien, Criminal alien, Resident alien
dehumanizing-termlegal-term-of-artpolitically-contested
At a glance
Source-by-source
“Terms avoided/questioned by immigrants rights activists: alien, an illegal, anchor baby, ex-pat, failed asylum seeker, illegal alien, illegal asylum seeker, illegal immigrant, legal alien, legal citizen, legal resident, legalized … resident alien …”
SumOfUs lists 'alien,' 'illegal alien,' 'legal alien,' and 'resident alien' among the terms avoided or questioned by immigrant-rights activists, opposite an approved column that includes 'person,' 'foreign national,' and 'undocumented immigrant.' The guide's presumption-of-innocence critique is aimed at the 'illegal' compounds ('illegal immigrant' / 'illegal alien'), which it says skip the trial and brand the person as criminality itself.
“PROBLEMATIC TERM: “Criminal alien.” “Alien” is an offensive term; and together, these two words risk sensationalizing the issue. ALTERNATIVES: Formerly incarcerated immigrant, Person with a criminal record.”
IDP states plainly that 'alien' is an offensive term, and that pairing it with 'criminal' ('criminal alien') risks sensationalizing immigration coverage. It directs writers to person-centered alternatives such as 'formerly incarcerated immigrant' or 'person with a criminal record.'
“PROBLEMATIC TERM: “Criminal alien.” “Alien” is an offensive term; and together, these two words risk sensationalizing the issue. ALTERNATIVES: Formerly incarcerated immigrant, Person with a criminal record.”
The Comm/Unity edition of IDP's chart repeats this position verbatim: 'alien' is offensive, 'criminal alien' sensationalizes, and writers should describe people by circumstance instead.
“Terms and Phrases to Avoid: alien, an illegal, anchor baby, ex-pat, failed asylum seeker, illegal alien, illegal asylum seeker, illegal immigrant, legal alien, legal citizen, legal resident, legalized, migrant, natural, naturalized, resident alien.”
Sierra Club places 'alien,' 'illegal alien,' 'legal alien,' and 'resident alien' on its 'Terms and Phrases to Avoid' list, opposite an appropriate-terms list led by 'person,' 'foreign national,' and 'undocumented immigrant.' The avoidance is part of its rule never to use 'illegal' or dehumanizing legal-jargon labels for people.
“A word [previously] used by the U.S. government to describe a foreign-born person who is not a citizen… In modern times, with science-fiction growing in popularity, alien has come to mean a creature from outer space, and is considered pejorative by most immigrants.”
The Diversity Style Guide records 'alien' as a former U.S. government term for a non-citizen that most immigrants now consider pejorative, partly because of its science-fiction connotation of a creature from outer space. It notes that in February 2021 USCIS instructed staff to stop using 'illegal alien,' 'alien,' or 'undocumented alien' and switch to 'noncitizen,' 'undocumented noncitizen,' or 'undocumented individual.'
““Alien” is also dehumanizing. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has removed this term from its guidelines and the Biden administration has issued guidance changing its vocabulary throughout various government agencies.”
Define American lists 'alien' and 'illegal alien' among its problematic terms and calls 'alien' dehumanizing, noting that USCIS removed the term from its guidelines and that the Biden administration changed agency vocabulary away from it. Preferred alternatives are 'undocumented immigrant,' 'unauthorized immigrant,' or 'immigrant without legal status.'
Synthesis
Every source says avoid “alien,” and collectively they reject its compounds — illegal alien, criminal alien, legal alien, resident alien (no single guide enumerates all four: SumOfUs and Sierra Club list the legal/resident/illegal forms, IDP targets “criminal alien,” and Define American and DSG name “alien” and “illegal alien”). The objection is dehumanization. The Diversity Style Guide records that, with science fiction’s rise, “alien” came to mean a creature from outer space and is now “considered pejorative by most immigrants.” The Immigrant Defense Project states flatly that “‘alien’ is an offensive term” and that pairing it with “criminal” sensationalizes coverage. Define American calls it “dehumanizing.” SumOfUs and Sierra Club both place the whole family of “alien” terms on their avoid lists, opposite approved columns led by “person,” “foreign national,” and “undocumented immigrant.”
What sets this term apart from “illegal immigrant” is that the U.S. government itself retired it. The Diversity Style Guide cites the February 2021 USCIS instruction to drop “alien,” “illegal alien,” and “undocumented alien” in favor of “noncitizen,” “undocumented noncitizen,” or “undocumented individual.” Define American notes that USCIS removed the term from its guidelines and that the Biden administration changed agency vocabulary away from it.
“Alien” began as government and legal vocabulary. The guides describe its slide into pejorative usage and, by 2021, its retirement from federal immigration language. The prescribed alternatives are “undocumented immigrant,” “noncitizen,” or a description of the person’s circumstance.
Audience notes
- Journalists and editors. Avoid “alien,” “illegal alien,” “criminal alien,” and “resident alien.” Use “undocumented immigrant,” “noncitizen,” or describe the person’s situation. This matched USCIS practice after its 2021 update, though a later administration reinstated “alien” in 2025.
- Advocates and internal comms. “Alien” and especially “criminal alien” are sensationalizing labels; describe people by circumstance — for example, “formerly incarcerated immigrant” or “person with a criminal record” (Immigrant Defense Project).
- Legal and technical writing. Where a statute uses “alien” as a defined legal term, quote or cite it precisely, but don’t carry the word into your own narration.
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