AP Stylebook Drops ‘Illegal Immigrant’

The Associated Press Stylebook is getting a 21st-century makeover. The world’s largest news-gathering organization has decided to drop the label from its widely used guide. “The Stylebook no longer sanctions the term ‘illegal immigrant’ or the use of ‘illegal’ to describe a person. Instead, it tells users that ‘illegal’ should describe only an action, such as living in or immigrating to a country illegally,” Executive Editor Kathleen Carroll wrote in a blog post on Tuesday. For their part, ABC, NBC, and CNN previously pledged not to use the degrading term, but one major powerhouse has yet to adjust: The New York Times. The Daily Beast intends to follow the new guidelines.