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White House 'alien' website sparks backlash
A new White House website is putting immigration enforcement front and center, but the language it uses is causing some serious concerns.
SEATTLE - A White House website referencing undocumented immigrants as "aliens" who "walk among us" has drawn strong pushback from civil rights advocates. Critics argue the platform uses rhetoric that dehumanizes non-citizens and misrepresents regional immigration data.
The site, which details millions of immigration encounters nationwide, features a tracker showing local arrest figures, including 542 in Seattle, 487 in Tukwila, and 716 in Yakima. Though the online interface attributes these statistics directly to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
When FOX 13 Seattle reached out to federal officials regarding the data, they said the inquiries went back to the White House, stating the numbers reflect more than just ICE operations.
Human rights advocates warn that the website's framing ignores the real-world demographics of immigration enforcement and uses rhetoric designed to isolate non-citizens.
Rhetoric and dehumanizing framing
The federal platform frames non-citizen populations as a covert threat, using language that mimics sci-fi tropes. Civil rights groups caution that referring to immigrants in this manner actively feeds public hostility and xenophobia.
"Honestly, it's the same sort of dehumanizing rhetoric that we've seen from this administration over and over again, and it's disgusting and incredibly troubling," said David Montes, staff attorney at the ACLU of Washington. "Immigrants make up an integral part of our community and are important members of the fabric of our society, and they should not be dehumanized by this."
Montes noted that the administration's messaging relies heavily on division.
"They're trying to make it seem like these folks are just totally different than people who are citizens, and it's just not true at all," said Montes. "As I said, immigrants are an important part of our community who have the same values as all of us."
Dissecting criminality and data surges
While the administration's digital site associates localized arrest counts with criminal charges, legal experts and independent studies reveal a vastly different picture.
"We know that 60 or 70% of the people that they have arrested for immigration violations do not have any criminal history," Montes said. He points out that the administration often manufactures arrests by targeting individuals in administrative settings, such as immigration court hallways.
Recent findings support these concerns. According to data analyzed by the University of Washington Center for Human Rights, immigration enforcement in the Pacific Northwest experienced a sharp surge, recording nearly 2,250 arrests in the final three months of the year. The research indicates that the majority of those targeted during this enforcement spike had no prior criminal records.
Concerns over hotline and vigilantism
The website encourages members of the public to report "suspicious aliens" and features closing remarks assuring readers that apprehending non-citizens ensures they are in "good hands" before deportation.
Legal defenders argue these statements obscure documented mistreatment inside detention centers and promote dangerous racial profiling.
"They're trying to reach an arbitrary quota, and this is a piece of, frankly, propaganda that's meant to make that more palatable to people," Montes said. He warned that soliciting public tips encourages vigilantism, retaliation, and aggressive tactics that endanger both citizens and non-citizens alike.
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The Source: Information in this story comes from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle reporter Alejandra Guzman.