Thread: Star-Ledger policy for using 'illegal' in immigration stories

Star-Ledger policy for using 'illegal' in immigration stories


By Enrique Lavin/
The Star-Ledger
on March 17, 2014

Many readers have asked why The Star-Ledger uses "unauthorized" immigrant and not "illegal."

In April 2013, the Associated Press updated its Stylebook entry for "illegal immigration" — dropping "illegal immigrant," unless used in a direct quotation. The Star-Ledger follows AP on most style points, and after an internal discussion we made the change shortly afterward. The AP Stylebook is the definitive guide to usage for consistency in language, and it's the most widely used stylebook by newsrooms in America.

The discussion over how to describe people living in the country without legal permission has been ongoing for more than a decade. After mounting pressure from the public on newsrooms and the AP to change the use of "illegal immigrant" in articles, AP Stylebook editors reviewed its guidelines.

"Change is a part of AP Style because the English language is constantly evolving, enriched by new words, phrases and uses. Our goal always is to use the most precise and accurate words so that the meaning is clear to any reader anywhere," Senior Vice President and Executive Editor Kathleen Carroll stated, when the Stylebook was changed.

In 2004, the Stylebook adopted the term "illegal immigrant" following post-9/11 discussions about border security. In 2009, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists published guidelines for journalists to use, asking the AP to follow suit. It also explained how the government use of "illegal alien" had been dehumanizing, and the term "illegal" bunched violent criminals with border crossers.

NAHJ preferred the use of "undocumented immigrant" to describe the status of people who do not have federal documentation to show they can work legally. The Star-Ledger had been using "undocumented," but has been phasing it out. The AP had argued that it was also an inaccurate term.

"Undocumented might imply that illegal immigration is simply a matter of not having one's papers in order," an AP Stylebook editor stated in 2011. "It may be used to minimize what could be a violation of the law — evading controls at a border or living in a country without legal permission."

The Stylebook advises to avoid alternative short-hand descriptors, but didn't offer a replacement term. Instead it asks writers to fully describe a person's immigration status. The Star-Ledger has been less strict. It uses the term "unauthorized," particularly with online headlines. It clearly means "not authorized" and it cannot be misconstrued.

Here is AP's 2013 entry:

illegal immigration

Entering or residing in a country in violation of civil or criminal law. 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.

If you're not familiar with the Associated Press, click here for an FAQ on the news organization.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/201...n_stories.html

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.

They are still illegal and should not have special privileges. If they didn't come through the proper channels, they are illegal. The only reason they call them undocumented is so we don't hurt their feelings. We don't call any other law-breaker by any other name than what they are. A bank robber is not called financially challenged.

Originally Posted by Newmexican

Star-Ledger policy for using 'illegal' in immigration stories


By Enrique Lavin/
The Star-Ledger
on March 17, 2014

Many readers have asked why The Star-Ledger uses "unauthorized" immigrant and not "illegal."

In April 2013, the Associated Press updated its Stylebook entry for "illegal immigration" — dropping "illegal immigrant," unless used in a direct quotation. The Star-Ledger follows AP on most style points, and after an internal discussion we made the change shortly afterward. The AP Stylebook is the definitive guide to usage for consistency in language, and it's the most widely used stylebook by newsrooms in America.

The discussion over how to describe people living in the country without legal permission has been ongoing for more than a decade. After mounting pressure from the public on newsrooms and the AP to change the use of "illegal immigrant" in articles, AP Stylebook editors reviewed its guidelines.

"Change is a part of AP Style because the English language is constantly evolving, enriched by new words, phrases and uses. Our goal always is to use the most precise and accurate words so that the meaning is clear to any reader anywhere," Senior Vice President and Executive Editor Kathleen Carroll stated, when the Stylebook was changed.

In 2004, the Stylebook adopted the term "illegal immigrant" following post-9/11 discussions about border security. In 2009, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists published guidelines for journalists to use, asking the AP to follow suit. It also explained how the government use of "illegal alien" had been dehumanizing, and the term "illegal" bunched violent criminals with border crossers.

NAHJ preferred the use of "undocumented immigrant" to describe the status of people who do not have federal documentation to show they can work legally. The Star-Ledger had been using "undocumented," but has been phasing it out. The AP had argued that it was also an inaccurate term.

"Undocumented might imply that illegal immigration is simply a matter of not having one's papers in order," an AP Stylebook editor stated in 2011. "It may be used to minimize what could be a violation of the law — evading controls at a border or living in a country without legal permission."

The Stylebook advises to avoid alternative short-hand descriptors, but didn't offer a replacement term. Instead it asks writers to fully describe a person's immigration status. The Star-Ledger has been less strict. It uses the term "unauthorized," particularly with online headlines. It clearly means "not authorized" and it cannot be misconstrued.

Here is AP's 2013 entry:

illegal immigration

Entering or residing in a country in violation of civil or criminal law. 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.

If you're not familiar with the Associated Press, click here for an FAQ on the news organization.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/201...n_stories.html

AS I SAID BE FOR THE PARENT KNOW JUST WHAT THEY ARE DOING NO TWO WAY'S ABOUT THEY COME OVER & STAY & FOR GET TO GO BACK
THEY ARE IN OUR COUNTRY ILLEGAL IT NOT ONLY MEXICO IT ALL OF THE OTHER COUNTRY AS WELL . YOU COME TO THIS COUNTRY
YOU DON'T SAY ANYTHING IN ENGLISH & YOU SAY YOU USA CITIZEN I DON'T THINK SO YOU & ALL,OF THE OTHER COUNTRY HAVE OUR LAND A SB MESS ( IS THIS HOW YOU LIVE IN YOUR COUNTRY & SHITE HOUSE .) WELL I DONT' THINK WE WILL PUT UP WITH IT
THIS IS ALL OBAMA DOING HE HAS TO GO) GET SOME ONE IN THAT CARE ABOUT OUR COUNTRY & FAST