Back in 2013, the Associated Press Style Guide proudly announced that it was no longer sanctioning the term “illegal immigrant” or the use of “illegal” to describe a person: “Except in direct quotations, do not use the terms illegal alien, an illegal, illegals or undocumented.”

And as far back as 2016, when she was running for Senate, Kamala Harris declared the term “illegal alien” offensive and that “we must stop treating undocumented workers as criminals in this country” — a pretty good sign of where her priorities stand when it comes to illegal immigrants vs. U.S. citizens.

Now the nonpartisan Center for Immigration Studies is complaining that Twitter is not allowing it to promote any tweets which include the hate speech, “illegal alien.”

1/ Twitter is not allowing us to promote any tweets including the phrase "illegal alien(s)", citing it as Hateful Content. However, the phrase "illegal aliens" has been used in both federal law and by the Supreme Court. — Center for Immigration Studies (@CIS_org) September 11, 2018

2/ From Arizona v. United States (2012): "There is no reason Arizona cannot make it a state crime for a removable alien (or any illegal alien, for that matter) to remain present in Arizona."https://t.co/D3MDrD0gGr — Center for Immigration Studies (@CIS_org) September 11, 2018

3/ Title 8 of the United States Code, Section 1365: "The Attorney General shall reimburse a State for the costs incurred by the State for the imprisonment of any illegal alien or Cuban national who is convicted of a felony by such State"https://t.co/2Gz5hGWjDM — Center for Immigration Studies (@CIS_org) September 11, 2018

4/ US District Court Judge Andrew Hanen, 2015: "There is a certain segment of the population that finds the phrase ‘illegal alien’ offensive. The court uses this term because it is the term used by the Supreme Court in its latest pronouncement pertaining to this area of the law." — Center for Immigration Studies (@CIS_org) September 11, 2018

5/ Code of Federal Regulations: "Illegal alien means any person who is not lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States or who has not been authorized by the Attorney General to accept employment in the United States."https://t.co/XUtTarjR7b — Center for Immigration Studies (@CIS_org) September 11, 2018

Whoa … the term “illegal alien” appears in the Code of Federal Regulations? How hateful! No way will President Kamala Harris let that injustice stand.

It's their Legal Status: Illegal Alien. It's a legal term and has zero to do with hate. — BarbieB (@barbiebrox) September 11, 2018

It is still the legal term, even in California. — Queen Buttercup (@SGT_Buttercup) September 11, 2018

The world is upside down. — Raizek (@AggrosRaizek) September 11, 2018

Just call them Invaders, saves characters — Deplorable R_P_Ross (@prestonross53) September 11, 2018

Is this the part where we’re supposed to thank Twitter for protecting us from hateful content?

Twitter is a private company so I think it's up to them to decide what's hateful and what's not. Federal Law and supreme court use of the word is irrelevant. — LinLin (@LinLinThePanda) September 11, 2018

So today you have the left and right complaining about the suppression of ideas/opinions. How about… and stay with me here… we stop demanding people we disagree with be censored by social media companies?!?! https://t.co/QETds2FQD8 — Jason Howerton (@jason_howerton) September 11, 2018

Twitter’s free to be Twitter: a little consistency would be nice, though.

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