America is a land of freedom, hope, and opportunity. These principles were part of the initial vision for The United States of America, and still ring true presently. Our country has perpetuated an image of itself where anyone is welcome; if they work hard and follow their dreams, anything may be possible.
The phrase “illegal immigrant” originated with the British, as it was the same phrase they used to address Jewish refugees when they had little choice but to flee to Palestine without any papers or documentation. These people simply sought escape and shelter for survival, but with two simple words, they were branded unlawful members of society.
This is why it’s so sad to still see certain actions and words that tarnish all that this country has strived for so long to represent. Even the New York City Bar Association still uses the outdated term "illegal alien." As much as we would wish otherwise, certain practices and words remain in our nation that poorly reflect our advancement in vision and thought, both in law as well as common speech.
While quite a few questionable words and phrases are still in circulation, “alien” and “illegal immigrant" are among the most hateful and degrading words a person could use to address a #noncitizen.
Until recently these words were not just hurtful slurs used on the street. They existed in the constitution of New York City laws. In what was one of the most memorable moments in the city’s history, the City Council passed a bill that removed the degrading words from official city laws.
The bite of these words still lives on today. By addressing people who are away from their native home as “illegal,” you brand not just their actions, but the individual themselves and their presence as an offence. Yet in reality, many non-citizens actually entered the country under legal circumstances, but ended up extending their stay due to understandable circumstances.
Labeling people from other countries living in NYC as “illegals” is a vice that has taken deep roots in the city. It’s worsened to the point that even the media use it almost unthinkingly. One particularly negative effect of this branding is its hindrance to the effort of bridging the racial divide that continues to widen each day.
Expunging derogatory terms like these from the city’s law books is a bold step towards showing the equality that America preaches as a nation. It shows conclusively that we as a society are actually making efforts to move beyond a dark past.
While it doesn’t remove these terms from the street immediately, with time non-citizens will hear them less, and eventually not at all.
