Federal Agencies, Agency Memos & Announcements

CBP Memo Updating Terminology for CBP Communications and Materials

4/21/21 AILA Doc. No. 21042100. Admissions & Border

Troy Miller, senior official performing the duties of the commissioner, issued a memo establishing guidance on the preferred use of immigration terminology within the federal government. The memo provides a table listing prior terminology and the new terminology CBP will use moving forward.

Previous New
Alien Noncitizen or migrant
Alienage Noncitizenship
Unaccompanied alien children Noncitizen unaccompanied children
Undocumented alien Undocumented noncitizen, undocumented individual, migrant
Illegal alien Undocumented noncitizen, undocumented individual, migrant
Assimilation Integration or civic integration
Immigrant assimilation Immigrant integration

According to The Hill, a nearly identical memo was released on April 19, 2021, by the acting head of ICE, Tae Johnson.

Download this Document
Cite as AILA Doc. No. 21042100.

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