Joe Biden Takes Heat For Calling Undocumented Immigrants ‘Aliens’ — Before Backtracking
Former Vice President Joe Biden faced criticism Sunday night after he referred to undocumented immigrants in the United States as “undocumented aliens” at CNN’s Democratic debate.
The former vice president made the remark when asked by Univision anchor Ilia Calderon a question about how to ensure undocumented immigrants will feel safe to be tested for the coronavirus.
“Anyone who shows up to be tested for coronavirus, or gets coronavirus and is treated, would be held harmless,” Biden replied. Just like I have argued all along, any woman who crosses the border or being beaten by her husband but she’s an undocumented, she cannot be deported because she reports.”
“There are certain things you can’t deport an undocumented alien for,” he continued, before backtracking: “an undocumented person for, and that would be one of them.”
Progressives on Twitter called out Biden’s use of the word:
He called them “undocumented aliens.” Sheesh.
— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) March 16, 2020
While @JoeBiden has recently made strides to unite the party, including in adopting progressive policies, the term “undocumented alien” should have no place in the Democratic vernacular #DemDebate
— Natalie Montelongo (@natimontelongo) March 16, 2020
Hey @JoeBiden undocumented immigrants are humans not “aliens.”
— Antonio Arellano (@AntonioArellano) March 16, 2020
No malarkey.
Biden just said “undocumented alien.”
This is a term that had been stricken from newsroom style books years ago.— Debra J. Saunders (@debrajsaunders) March 16, 2020
Joe Biden, undocumented people are not aliens. Why are you using the terms that Trump and white nationalists use to talk abt immigrants? Treat undocumented immigrants like the humans that they are. #DemDebate
— Cristina Jiménez (@CrisAlexJimenez) March 16, 2020
Joe Biden, during @CNN debate, briefly forgets he represents the *woke* coalition, as he refers to someone in country illegally as an “undocumented alien,” before quickly correcting himself — “undocumented person.”
— James A. Gagliano (@JamesAGagliano) March 16, 2020
While @JoeBiden has recently made strides to unite the party, including in adopting progressive policies, the term “undocumented alien” should have no place in the Democratic vernacular #DemDebate
— Natalie Montelongo (@natimontelongo) March 16, 2020
Tio Bernie would never call undocumented immigrants “aliens” I’ll tell you that.
— Kai Newkirk #NotMeUs (@kai_newkirk) March 16, 2020
Biden just corrected himself after calling an undocumented person “alien.”
Shout out to all the immigrant organizers who won that messaging fight to humanize immigrants, but good lord it couldn’t be clearer how little Biden cares about people. #DemDebate
— Naomi Dann (@naomi_dann) March 16, 2020
Biden’s arguing for a crisis-based M4A approach… like… this is so ridiculous. And then called folks undocumented “aliens”… I can’t… #DemDebate
— Raquel Willis (@RaquelWillis_) March 16, 2020
He said undocumented alien. Y’all #DemDebate
— Nelini Stamp ?? (@NelStamp) March 16, 2020
“Undocumented alien…”
–@JoeBiden— Randy Bryce (@IronStache) March 16, 2020
.@JoeBiden just referred to undocumented immigrants as “aliens” on a nationally televised #DemDebate.
Yes, we heard that.
Yes, your slip matters.
Yes, our vocabulary is a manifestation of our values.
No, people are not aliens — or ever illegal.
— Ziad Ahmed (@ziadtheactivist) March 16, 2020
Watch above, via CNN.
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