illegal alien/illegals/illegal immigrant
undocumented noncitizen (term ordered by the Biden administration to be used by immigration agencies); unauthorized immigrant (used by the U.S. Census Bureau); noncitizen; migrant; unauthorized worker/resident; undocumented immigrant/worker/resident/citizen; not born in the United States. Never use "alien" in this context. The Associated Press’s stylebook replaces "illegal immigrant" with "illegal immigration"; they "allow the use of the word 'illegal' to refer only to an action, not a person." Neither "alien" nor "illegal" can properly be a noun meaning "human being." Note the racism: White immigrants are rarely noticed as such, let alone labeled (e.g., Melania Trump). Immigration is a complex, multifaceted issue with life-and-death consequences for many; their legal status is complex and constantly shifting. Living in the U.S. without legal authorization (unlawful presence) is a civil offense, while improper entry (crossing the border), is a misdemeanor (other misdemeanors do not result in the "illegals" label). Many undocumented immigrants arrived legally, and thus have committed no crime. Some immigrants came here legally and their visa expired. Others are waiting for paperwork to be processed. Still others have been processed in an immigration court and are awaiting a decision on their application for asylum. Surveys of U.S. public opinion as far back as the early 1900s show that while earlier waves of immigrants were assimilated and eventually considered valuable citizens, the current wave is somehow always "less desirable." Especially in today's climate of economic and social concerns, people are buying inaccurate terminology from well-funded anti-immigrant groups that fuels the public perception that the foreign-born are flooding U.S. shores, draining welfare dollars, burdening public services, and taking jobs from citizens. "How you describe people coming to America says more about you than them ... Once you’ve used language to strip away a person’s humanity, you can take whatever else you want" (Jeffrey Barg, "The Angry Grammarian," Philadelphia Inquirer, June 27, 2019). "What you call these women and men shapes public opinion of them, and that in turn frames the debate over how to change immigration laws" (Jean Hopfensperger, Minneapolis' Star Tribune, Aug. 13, 2006). The current posture on immigration resembles the one on prostitution: labeling, vilifying, and punishing certain individuals while their partners in crime are not mentioned. Why aren't companies, industries, corporations, and individuals who hire undocumented workers also described as illegals and required to face consequences? See also human trafficking, immigrant, wetback.
