Why the Associated Press Dropped the Phrase 'Illegal Immigrant'
Something great has happened in the world of journalism: The Associated Press has decided to finally drop "illegal immigrant" from its stylebook. Rightfully so, the AP realized that using "illegal" to describe a person is wrong and carries many implications.
In a blog post, the organization's executive editor, Kathleen Carroll, admitted the need for change. "The Stylebook no longer sanctions the term 'illegal immigrant' or the use of 'illegal' to describe a person. Instead, it tells users that 'illegal' should describe only an action, such as living in or immigrating to a country illegally. 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."
The move is a win not only for immigrants, but for anyone who makes a living writing. The grassroots campaign to get the AP to drop the phrase — Drop The I Word — recognized this when it launched back in 2010. By allowing journalists and others to use "illegal immigrant" in their reporting, the campaign argued, the AP was reinforcing negative stereotypes. In a recent letter to Margaret Sullivan, The New York Times' public editor, the campaign's backers gave some evidence in the hopes that the Times would cut the phrase.
"Words matter,” the letter states and then goes on to explain how a study released by the Center for American Progress found that children today are beginning to associate the concept of immigration as being illegal. One child, when asked what “immigrant” meant responded by saying “it is when someone is illegal in this country, and police-ICE come to look for them to send them back to their country.'” The letter also points out a report by the National Hispanic Media Council from September 2012 that uncovered a strong bias by non-Latinos, “no matter what media format,” towards Latinos that equated them as “illegal immigrants.”
To the Times' credit, Sullivan acknowledged in a blog post that the paper "has been discussing" changing the term for months. The Times' editor for standards told Sullivan that the paper's changes will “provide more nuance and options” for what Times staffers should use, and that alone is yet another victory.
It's sad that getting "illegal immigrant" banned from the AP stylebook has taken this long, but at least things have changed for the better. Over time, maybe no one will even remember the term was once used by journalists. That is something we can all look forward to.
[Pic via Flickr - Alby Hendrick]
