New Government Website Employs Extraterrestrial Language for Immigrant Portrayal
Washington D.C. – A newly launched government website, operating under the official White House domain, has adopted a distinctive theme that refers to immigrants using language and imagery typically associated with extraterrestrial beings. The site utilizes elements such as green font and depictions of flying saucers to frame the presence of undocumented migrants as an “invasion.”
Dehumanizing Language and Imagery
The website states, “Aliens have been walking among us, living in our neighbourhoods and interacting with us in our daily lives.” It continues, “They’ve shopped in the same stores, attended the same classes as our children, and lived seemingly normal human existences. With one exception – they do not belong here.”
Administration officials contend that millions of undocumented immigrants “arrived under the cover of darkness and embedded themselves directly into our society,” while criticizing elected officials for inaction. The site claims that instead of protecting American citizens, these officials “chose to cover it up and even accelerate the invasion.”
In references to arrests made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, the website employs the term “it” rather than “they,” a choice that has been described as dehumanizing. A passage reads, “If you’ve witnessed an Alien abduction, do not be alarmed. The Alien is in good hands. We will take care of it … and return it safely to its place of origin.”
Interactive Data Tool and Arrest Statistics
The website also features an interactive tool allowing users to search their city or town to find data on migrant arrests, including associated criminal charges and countries of origin. For instance, in Washington D.C., records indicate 1,827 arrests between January 29, 2025, and May 20, 2026. Among those arrested were individuals from Australia, with Australians also listed among arrests in cities such as Orlando, Houston, Oklahoma City, New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas, and Omaha.
Crucially, the website does not appear to distinguish between arrests of individuals who were present in the country legally, such as those on visas, and those who were not.
Expert Analysis on Dehumanization
David Bier, director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, characterized the website’s messaging as a continuation of the Trump administration’s efforts to demonize immigrants, encompassing both legal and undocumented individuals. “The whole point of it is dehumanisation of the immigrant population – that they’re not human,” Bier stated. “It’s explicitly in there. They’re literally dehumanising them in order to justify what they’re doing.”
Bier further commented, “This is the most explicit that they’ve gotten in that regard – that these people are subhuman, and should be treated as such.”
Broader Immigration Policy Context
This initiative, with its focus on “aliens” engaging in everyday activities, signals a return to overt demonization following a period where such rhetoric was reportedly less emphasized. This shift occurs amidst other policy changes, including new requirements from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for green card applicants to apply from overseas, thereby complicating the path to permanent residency. Approximately one million individuals typically obtain permanent residency annually, with over 600,000 doing so from within the U.S. in 2023, according to the American Immigration Council.
Doug Rand, a former senior adviser at USCIS, indicated that the administration’s objective is to reduce the number of individuals obtaining permanent residency, as it serves as a pathway to citizenship. “They want fewer people to get permanent residency because permanent residency is a path to citizenship, and they want to block that path for as many people as possible.”
Bier also noted that while the legal term “alien” applies to all non-citizens, the website’s presentation conveys a clear opposition to immigrants. “What this is expressing to people is that they are opposed to immigrants, full stop.”
Website Features and Crime Statistics
The website includes a counter that purportedly tracks the number of “encounters” with “alien” immigrants, which had surpassed 3.13 million as of Friday afternoon, Washington time. A social media post from the White House featured a video depicting a flying saucer collecting a human-like “alien” and placing it beyond a fence.
The administration has recently increased its focus on immigration and crime statistics. The Council on Criminal Justice reported that the homicide rate in 2025 was projected to be the lowest in 125 years of record-keeping. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller described this as “the steepest reduction in violent crime ever recorded.”
