The San Francisco Chronicle is the latest news outlet to update its style entry on “illegal immigrant,” Poynter reported.
Like the Associated Press, the Chronicle won’t use the term “illegal immigrant” unless it’s in quotes and recommends its journalists using “illegal alien, an illegal, illegals or undocumented immigrant.”
The Chronicle’s copy desk chief David Steinberg told Poynter that it intended its entry to “essentially match” the AP’s updated guidelines, which advise describing “an action, not a person” as illegal.
Other news outlets that have updated guidelines on the term include USA Today, the Los Angeles Times, and the New York Times.
Check out iMediaEthics latest PollCheck, which fact checks major media polls on immigration reform.