California to remove word "alien" from state laws

• The term was officially replaced with "noncitizen" in 2015, but "alien" has still been widely used in many aspects of California law.

What they're saying: Newsom noted in a statement that the word "alien" is "not only an offensive term for a human being, but for far too long has fueled a divisive and hurtful narrative."

• "By changing this term, we are ensuring California’s laws reflect our state’s values," he added.

The big picture: The term "alien" has been used to identify people born outside the U.S. by the federal government since 1798 and in California since 1937. There's been a nationwide push in recent years to remove the word from legal texts and government documents because of its derogatory connotations.

• President Biden ordered federal immigration agencies in April to stop using terms including "alien," "illegal alien" and "assimilation."
• Newsom signed the bill, authored by California Assemblymember Luz Rivas (D), into law on Friday.