The 1920s term "undesirable" was replaced with "illegal alien" in the 1980s to describe persons without legal status in the United States.

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The term "illegal alien" has been used in United States legal and governmental documents since at least the early 20th century, well before the 1980s, to describe individuals who are in the country without legal authorization. The shift in terminology reflects changes in legal and political discourse rather than a direct replacement of the term "undesirable."

The 1920s Term "Undesirable" Was Replaced with "Illegal Alien" in the 1980s