Alienated no more: State strikes ‘alien’ as term used to reference non-citizens

Immigrants and non-citizens will no longer be termed “aliens” in California State code, under legislation signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday.

AB 1096, written by Assemblymember Luz Rivas (D-Arleta), will replace the outdated term “alien” in California law with “noncitizen” or “immigrant.” Since the 1990s, “alien” has been used as a derogatory term in anti-immigrant policy pushes.