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🇦🇹 Austria /Crime & Justice

US government website encourages reporting of 'aliens'

From Der Standard · () German

Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • The US government has launched a new website encouraging citizens to report suspected undocumented immigrants.
  • The website's messaging uses inflammatory language, referring to immigrants as "aliens" who are "among us."
  • This initiative appears to align with rhetoric that frames immigrants as a threat, potentially contributing to a climate of denunciation and devaluation.

The U.S. government has introduced a new website that prompts citizens to report individuals they suspect of being undocumented immigrants. This initiative appears to be part of a broader strategy that employs charged language to characterize immigrants as a threat to society.

The website's presentation is stark, featuring neon green lettering against a black background with cascading dots. It includes phrases such as, "They are among us. Aliens walk among us, live in our neighborhoods and encounter us in everyday life." This framing positions immigrants not just as outsiders but as a hidden presence within communities.

This approach seems to echo rhetoric that demonizes immigrants, potentially fostering an environment where citizens are encouraged to denounce and devalue them. The use of terms like "aliens" and the emphasis on immigrants being "among us" contribute to a narrative that frames undocumented individuals as inherently suspect or dangerous, rather than addressing the complexities of immigration through policy or support systems.

They are among us. Aliens walk among us, live in our neighborhoods and encounter us in everyday life.

— US Government WebsiteThe messaging used on a new U.S. government website encouraging citizens to report suspected undocumented immigrants.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Der Standard in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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