Discontinuing Use of the Subject Headings “Aliens” and “Illegal Aliens”

  • Last Updated: December 13, 2021
  • Published: December 13, 2021

The Program for Cooperative Cataloging’s Subject Authority Cooperative Program (SACO) recently confirmed replacement of Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) containing the terms “aliens” and “illegal aliens.” This change is the result of years-long advocacy by libraries and other communities to eliminate dehumanizing and outdated language from the LCSH vocabulary.

The official LCSH have been changed as follows:

  • Aliens has been replaced by Noncitizens.
  • Illegal aliens has been replaced by a combination of two headings, Noncitizens and Illegal immigration.
  • All other LCSH containing the term “aliens” have been updated accordingly.

As a SACO member, GPO’s Library Services and Content Management will catalog newly-acquired Government information products using the new authorized headings, moving forward. The existing subject headings in bibliographic records will be retroactively replaced in the near future.

Examples of replaced subject headings in the CGP:

  • Immigration detention: ICE efforts to address COVID-19 in detention facilities : report to congressional committees
    Class: GA 1.13:GAO-21-414
    Item Number: 0546-D (online)
    PURL
    CGP System Number: 1159625
    Former Subject:
                  Alien detention centers -- Health aspects -- United States.
    Subject:
                  Noncitizen detention centers -- Health aspects -- United States
     
  • Estimating the legal status of foreign-born people
    Class: Y 10.11:2021-02
    Item Number: 1005-D (online)
    PURL
    CGP System Number: 1162707
    Former Subject:
             Illegal aliens -- United States -- Statistics.
    New Subjects:
            Noncitizens -- United States -- Statistics.
            Illegal immigration -- United States -- Statistics.
     
  • ICE guidance needs improvement to deter illegal employment
    Class: HS 1.22:21-15
    Item Number: 0520-B-32 (online)
    PURL
    CGP System Number: 1135762
    Former Subject:
                 Illegal aliens -- Employment -- Government policy -- United States.
    New Subjects:
                 Foreign workers -- Government policy -- United States.*
                 Illegal immigration -- United States.
    *Note: “Foreign workers” is the authorized heading for “Noncitizens -- Employment”

For questions, contact us via askGPO, and use the category, Cataloging/Metadata (Policy and Records).