US President Joe Biden faces backlash for referring to undocumented individuals as ‘illegals’ during a State of the Union address, contradicting his administration’s guidance on inclusive language.
During a recent State of the Union address, US President Joe Biden faced criticism for referring to undocumented individuals as “illegals,” a term deemed dehumanizing and discouraged by his administration. This comment occurred in response to heckling from Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene concerning a case in which a Georgia nursing student was allegedly killed by an undocumented person. The usage of such language contradicted previous guidance from the Biden administration to immigration agencies, which advocated for more inclusive terminology. Critics, including Democrats and immigration rights groups, denounced the term, emphasizing that it is inaccurate and fosters discrimination. Despite this, Biden’s campaign communications director underscored the President’s dedication to overhauling the immigration system and renouncing hateful extremism. Biden’s choice of words has reignited debates around the depiction and treatment of undocumented people in the US.
