You are reading

City Council Axes Terms ‘Alien’ and ‘Illegal Immigrant’ on Official Documents

Council Member Francisco Moya at the virtual city council hearing (Twitter)

May 29, 2020 By Allie Griffin

The City Council voted to axe the terms “alien” and “illegal immigrant” from all official city documents, laws and rules Thursday.

The terms are offensive and discriminatory toward undocumented immigrants, said Elmhurst Council Member Francisco Moya, who introduced the bill in January.

The term to replace the phrases will now be “noncitizen.”

“No human being is illegal,” Moya said. “‘Illegal immigrant’ and ‘alien’ are dehumanizing and divisive and they don’t belong our city’s guiding documents.”

Council Speaker Corey Johnson praised the bill’s 46-4 vote. He said New York City is the first city to end the use of the terms in their official documents.

Four council members voted against the bill, including Glendale Council Member Robert Holden.

“It’s like the speech police is out again,” Holden told the New York Post. “Alien is a term used for someone who is from another area, another land. That’s a term used in Congress and in the government.”

email the author: news@queenspost.com

2 Comments

Click for Comments 
Jasmine Perez

What a crock. If you are here illegally you are an ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT. Don’t like the term/name? Become a citizen. Very simple.

14
Reply

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

A slice of legacy: Carlo’s Pizzeria keeps Sicilian tradition alive in Middle Village

Jul. 18, 2025 By Christy Hinko

On Metropolitan Avenue, between 74th and 75th streets in Middle Village, Carlo’s Pizzeria isn’t just a place to grab a slice — it’s a place where history is folded into every piece of dough, sauce and cheese. The beloved neighborhood pizzeria has been serving Queens for nearly 60 years, now led by third-generation owner Anthony Caruana, who proudly carries forward the dream his grandfather brought from Sicily.

Ridgewood mother and daughter arrested for attacking woman over parking spot: NYPD

A Ridgewood mother and daughter were arrested Monday after they ambushed a young Black woman who tried to park her car in a spot in front of their apartment building that they frequently cordon off with garbage cans and traffic cones.

A family friend was standing at the northeast corner of Onderdonk Avenue and Putnam Avenue at around 7:30 p.m. when the 21-year-old Jada McPherson tried to park her car in the spot. The man placed a garbage can in her way. She drove off and circled the block multiple times. She tried to pull into the same spot one more time, but the man tried to stop her again. McPherson got out of her car to confront him, and an argument ensued.