The Great Smoky Mountain Journal

Staff Reports

Posted: Monday, January 01, 2018 12:43 PM
Weather Local Our View State National World Faith

Justice Department Gets Flack For Calling Illegal Immigrants "Illegal"
The Justice Department began calling illegal immigrants "illegal aliens," breaking from the Obama-era language of "undocumented," "unauthorized," or "migrants."

The change came last month in a press release announcing Attorney General Jeff Sessions' meeting with the families of victims of crimes by illegal immigrants. This week an official statement heralding tougher rules for sanctuary cities also used the term.

"So-called 'sanctuary' policies make all of us less safe because they intentionally undermine our laws and protect illegal aliens who have committed crimes," the document read.

Some were outraged at the language switch, noting that "word choice is important," as Chicago Tribune writer Todd Slowik wrote.

"The phrase “illegal alien” plays into assumptions that immigrants living in this country without proper documentation are criminals," Slowik wrote