We’ve used the term “illegal immigrant” at Weekly World Central before, and some of those abusive cretins who take the time to comment have informed us that “immigrant” is a joke, and “alien” is best.
This morning, a diversity blog from the Society of Professional Journalists brought it all home for me that the wrong word we’ve used all along isn’t immigrant; perhaps a word is missing before illegal.
When we write about a crime that’s taken place we always use the word suspect. Immigrants arrested because they are undocumented have yet to face a judge, and last time I checked, we still have a Constitution, despite the mob.
Enjoy the read here.
For those newswriters who insist on using the phrase “illegal immigrant” (or perhaps because it is a required, company policy); add the modifying adjective “suspected,” as “pro” journalists do when writing about arrestees or police suspects.
A fundamental legal principle in our American constitutional law is that everyone (including non-citizens) is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Consistent with that basic doctrine of law, journalists are urged to use the phrase “undocumented immigrant,” and avoid the denigrative phrases “illegal immigrant” or “illegal alien.”
This article appears in Sep 23-29, 2010.
Good idea. Plus, all you folks who complain about calling the foreign-born “immigrants”: US law assumes a foreign citizen to be an immigrant until proven otherwise. Therefore, yes, by law, all these border-crossers we are discussing are immigrants by default. I don’t remember what point y’all were trying to make when you objected to the term “immigrant,” but…you’re wrong. Just wrong.
And by the way, here’s your citation to prove what I’m saying above.
8 United States Code s. 1101(a)(15)
“…abusive cretans…”
So are these Cretans also (suspected) illegal immigrants?
Thanks for so charmingly pointing out the typo. It’s been fixed.
We need to emphasize the part about “innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.” Newspapers aren’t printed in a court of law, and most of us don’t function in a court of law. We are allowed to form our opinions entirely separate from the legal requirements in a court of law.
ps “Alien” is not a negative term, despite the insistence of the thought police. My registration card clearly stated that I was an alien. I guess I missed out on feeling sorry for myself, perhaps because I came her legally, making me, you know, a legal alien.
But AZRLS, newspapers don’t report that “Rapist John Smith will be held until his trial,” do they? No. They report that “Suspected rapist John Smith will be held until his trial.”
Also, the legal definition of “alien” is not derogatory, this is true. But “alien” has other meanings that, in context, make it offensive. For example, before you naturalized: did you ever refer to yourself as an “alien” to anyone but the government?