What's the Best Label for 'Illegal Immigrants'

If a non-citizen lives in the U.S. illegally, what should he or she be called?

Earlier this week, the Associated Press dropped its use of the term "illegal immigrant," setting off a flurry of debate. Even Jay Leno jumped into the fray, telling viewers the preferred new label is "undocumented Democrat."

Newspapers have also wrestled with the terminology. Some use "undocumented immigrant," others prefer "illegal immigrant."

But neither label is quite correct, argues Justin Green, writing in The Daily Beast.

"Staying on an expired visa is a civil, not a criminal, violation, so illegal immigrant is problematic when applied as a blanket term," Green notes.

Likewise, "undocumented" falsely suggests that some immigrants "simply lack the proper paperwork," Green writes. "In many cases, they are actively using false paperwork, such as a fake Social Security number, to gain employment. That's far from 'undocumented.' That's illegal."

Green's solution? "Unauthorized immigrant." The label is "more precise" and doesn't carry the derogatory stigma attached to "illegal immigrant," he argues.

Other proposed substitutes include "out of status" (suggested by a Democratic congressman) and "foreigners in the United States in violation of the law" (coined by AP standards editor Tom Kent).

But as a Baltimore Sun writer noted, "Certainly it's important to find ways to describe ... divisive political issues that [are] both accurate and neutral, but it can also lead to language that is clunky or, worse yet, not easily understood."

What term do you think news organizations should use? Tell us in the comments, but keep it civil.