Thread: News roundtable: How we refer to immigrants

News roundtable: How we refer to immigrants

Updated 10 m ago

In the debate over illegal immigration, language has become charged and politicized. Most journalists think very carefully about which terms to use, but as you'll find, there's little agreement.

Join us Monday, July 13, at 3:45 p.m. ET for a live discussion on the language of immigration. We will talk about the words journalists use to describe illegal immigrants, and why they use them. The panel discussion, hosted by the International Center for Journalists in Washington, D.C., will be led by USA TODAY immigration reporter Emily Bazar.

It will include journalists and experts from around the country. You can participate by submitting questions ahead of time or by asking live questions during the discussion.

At USA TODAY, reporters use the term "illegal immigrants" to describe foreign nationals who are in the country illegally. They do not use the words "illegal" or "illegals" as a noun, and avoid using the term "alien" to refer to immigrants, except in direct quotes.

The National Council of La Raza, which advocates for civil rights for Hispanics, encourages use of the term "undocumented immigrant" or "undocumented worker" to describe people in the USA without legal status, says vice president Lisa Navarrete. "We especially object to the use of the term 'illegals' as a noun," she says. "This is strictly pejorative, not to mention grammatically incorrect."

NumbersUSA, an organization that calls for reduced immigration, believes "illegal alien" is the most accurate term, says Rosemary Jenks, director of government relations.

Under immigration law, an "alien" is anyone who is not a U.S. citizen. Therefore, Jenks says, people who enter the USA without inspection and "non-immigrants who overstay or otherwise violate the terms of their visas are 'illegal aliens'."

Leave your questions for the roundtable in the comments section below, or send them to newscall@usatoday.com. In your e-mail, please include a username or full name, and contact information. Then return to this page on July 13 to get answers and participate in a live conversation on immigration terminology.
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How bout Illegal Invaders? Tax Burdens? Intelopers? Criminals? Users? Anchor producers? Arrogant Third World Thugs? No matter what they are called the fact remains that they are in our country illegally and we don't want to pay for them or their extended familes anymore. Time for them all to leave OUR country.

Our own federal government still refers to them as "illegal aliens" That is until some of our government officials try to change things.

She may not like the term ,BUT ,many of us do not like the illegal aliens presence in our country.

She is talking about a word and we are talking about an invasion of this country!

Originally Posted by ELE

How bout Illegal Invaders? Tax Burdens? Intelopers? Criminals? Users? Anchor producers? Arrogant Third World Thugs? No matter what they are called the fact remains that they are in our country illegally and we don't want to pay for them or their extended familes anymore. Time for them all to leave OUR country.

Don't forget "undocumented Democrats"

Originally Posted by ReggieMay

Originally Posted by ELE

How bout Illegal Invaders? Tax Burdens? Intelopers? Criminals? Users? Anchor producers? Arrogant Third World Thugs? No matter what they are called the fact remains that they are in our country illegally and we don't want to pay for them or their extended familes anymore. Time for them all to leave OUR country.

Don't forget "undocumented Democrats"

That's a good one Reggie!!

That is an exceptional one Reggie!

Leave your questions for the roundtable in the comments section below, or send them to newscall@usatoday.com. In your e-mail, please include a username or full name, and contact information. Then return to this page on July 13 to get answers and participate in a live conversation on immigration terminology.
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The term "illegal immigrant" is an oxymoron - if they're illegal, they aren't immigrants. They are illegal invaders who snuck over the border of a sovereign nation.

Calling them an "undocumented worker" is like calling a burglar who hides out in your basement an "undocumented resident". If anyone in the media calls them "undocumented workers", then they also need to call burglars "undocumented residents".

Originally Posted by builditnow

The term "illegal immigrant" is an oxymoron - if they're illegal, they aren't immigrants. They are illegal invaders who snuck over the border of a sovereign nation.

Calling them an "undocumented worker" is like calling a burglar who hides out in your basement an "undocumented resident". If anyone in the media calls them "undocumented workers", then they also need to call burglars "undocumented residents".

Exactly! I have also heard calling a drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist." These people have NO clue!!

criminaliens works for me.....