Governor of California Prohibits Use of the Term “Alien”
On Monday, Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill deleting the term “alien” from the California labor code as a definition of foreign-born workers and immigrant individuals. This term is considered derogatory and offensive.
This bill was presented to the Senate in February of this year by Senator Tony Mendoza , Chair of the Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee , and would modify sections 1725 and 2015 of the labor code. This new law will take effect in 2016.
“I applaud Gov. Brown for signing SB 432. This bill modernizes the Labor Code and removes the term “alien” to describe a person who is not born in or a fully naturalized citizen of the United States,” said Senator Tony Mendoza. “Alien is now commonly considered a derogatory term for a foreign-born person and has very negative connotations.”
In 1937, the Legislature enacted various provisions regarding the employment of “aliens”, who are defined as any person who is not a born or fully naturalized citizen of the United State, and a provision which prescribes an order for the issuance of employment under specified public works contracts – first to citizens of the United States, second to citizens of other States in the United States, and third to aliens.
In 1970, the Legislature repealed the labor code that discriminated against immigrant workers but still stipulated that citizens be given preferential treatment for employment. Governor Brown also signed SB554 allowing high school students who were legal residents, to work as poll workers in the California elections Up until then this option was only open to U.S. citizens.
This initiative will put an end to blocking entrance to these procedures for many students who are bilingual and can contribute by facilitating electoral participation in California, a State with such a diverse cultural and ethnic population.
Always consult with an experienced immigration attorney who is a law graduate and certified in the United States of America by the Board of Immigration Appeals Federal Department of Justice.
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