The Associated Press announced today that it would no longer sanction the use of "illegal immigrant" to describe someone living in or moving to a country illegally. The action came after years of objections from groups and individuals who said the phrase implied that such immigrants were illegal people.
Senior Vice President and Executive Editor Kathleen Carroll wrote in explaining the change, "We had in other areas been ridding the Stylebook of labels. The new section on mental health issues argues for using credibly sourced diagnoses instead of labels. Saying someone was 'diagnosed with schizophrenia' instead of schizophrenic, for example. And that discussion about labeling people, instead of behavior, led us back to 'illegal immigrant' again. We concluded that to be consistent, we needed to change our guidance."
The AP Stylebook's revised entry on illegal immigration defines it as "entering or residing in a country in violation of civil or criminal law" and advises, "Except in direct quotes essential to the story, use illegal only to refer to an action, not a person: illegal immigration, but not illegal immigrant. Acceptable variations include living in or entering a country illegally or without legal permission. Except in direct quotations, do not use the terms illegal alien, an illegal, illegals or undocumented. Do not describe people as violating immigration laws without attribution. Specify wherever possible how someone entered the country illegally and from where. Crossed the border? Overstayed a visa? What nationality? People who were brought into the country as children should not be described as having immigrated illegally. For people granted a temporary right to remain in the U.S. under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, use temporary resident status, with details on the program lower in the story."
"Will the new guidance make it harder for writers? Perhaps just a bit at first," Carroll writes. "But while labels may be more facile, they are not accurate." For more background, history and reaction, compiled by Andrew Beaujon and Taylor Miller Thomas of The Poynter Institute, click here.
Senior Vice President and Executive Editor Kathleen Carroll wrote in explaining the change, "We had in other areas been ridding the Stylebook of labels. The new section on mental health issues argues for using credibly sourced diagnoses instead of labels. Saying someone was 'diagnosed with schizophrenia' instead of schizophrenic, for example. And that discussion about labeling people, instead of behavior, led us back to 'illegal immigrant' again. We concluded that to be consistent, we needed to change our guidance."
The AP Stylebook's revised entry on illegal immigration defines it as "entering or residing in a country in violation of civil or criminal law" and advises, "Except in direct quotes essential to the story, use illegal only to refer to an action, not a person: illegal immigration, but not illegal immigrant. Acceptable variations include living in or entering a country illegally or without legal permission. Except in direct quotations, do not use the terms illegal alien, an illegal, illegals or undocumented. Do not describe people as violating immigration laws without attribution. Specify wherever possible how someone entered the country illegally and from where. Crossed the border? Overstayed a visa? What nationality? People who were brought into the country as children should not be described as having immigrated illegally. For people granted a temporary right to remain in the U.S. under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, use temporary resident status, with details on the program lower in the story."
"Will the new guidance make it harder for writers? Perhaps just a bit at first," Carroll writes. "But while labels may be more facile, they are not accurate." For more background, history and reaction, compiled by Andrew Beaujon and Taylor Miller Thomas of The Poynter Institute, click here.
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