USA Today Rethinks ‘Illegal Immigration’

USA Today joins the likes of the Associated Press by changing their use of the word "illegal immigration," according to a memorandum post by the media blog JimRomenesko.com. 

The memorandum was sent Wednesday to USA Today staff members in Virginia by William Coon, reports JimRomenesko.com

The change “is not exactly the same as AP’s,” says the memo, “but the upshot is that we will no longer use the term illegal immigrant outside of direct quotes.”

Last week the the Associated Press Stylebook said that they will no longer sanction the term ‘illegal immigrant’ or the use of ‘illegal’ to describe a person.

According to the memo posted online:

" The term illegal immigration is acceptable, but do not label people as illegal immigrants, except in direct quotes. Undocumented immigrant, undocumented worker and unauthorized immigrant are acceptable terms — depending on accuracy, clarity and context — for foreign nationals who are in the country illegally. An alternative is to use a phrase such as “people who entered the U.S. illegally” or “living in the country without legal permission.” 

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