🔤 Immigration

Mar 25, 2026

Use clear, accurate, and neutral language. Avoid dehumanizing terms and political shorthand.

Terms related to immigration can carry legal and political meaning. Use them carefully and define them when needed.

Illegal immigration refers to entering or living in a country in violation of immigration law. Use to describe an action, not a person.

When to include

Describe a person’s immigration status only when it is relevant and supported by reliable information.

Leave it out when it does not add meaning.

Use:

Specific, accurate terms when known: immigrant, migrant, refugee, asylum-seeker
Clear descriptions when status is uncertain: living in the country without legal permission, entered the country illegally

Avoid:

Decision points

How precise should I be?
Use the most accurate term available:

immigrant: a person who moves to another country to live there, often long-term or permanently
migrant: a person who moves from place to place, often for work or economic reasons, within or across countries
asylum-seeker: A person who has left their country and is seeking protection from persecution, violence, or danger, and whose claim has not yet been decided.
refugee: A person who has been forced to leave their country due to war, persecution, or violence and has been granted legal protection in another country.

What if I don’t know the status?
Do not guess. Use a neutral description or leave it out.

Be aware:

See below: alien, noncitizen; birthright citizenship; immigrant; migrant

Avoid alien except in legal or historical contexts. The term can be dehumanizing.

Use noncitizen or a more specific description when relevant:

Note: Noncitizens does not distinguish between legal and unauthorized status.

Citizenship granted to a person born in a country, regardless of their parents’ citizenship status (in countries where this applies).

Use the term accurately and avoid oversimplification.

A person who moves to another country to live there, often long-term or permanently.

In U.S. contexts, immigrant usually refers to someone living in the United States who was born in another country.

A person who moves from place to place, often for work or economic reasons, within or across countries.

The term is commonly used in contexts such as agriculture, seasonal labor, and temporary or mobile work.

Use more specific terms when relevant:

Avoid using migrant as a vague substitute when a more precise term is known.

Plainly, Garbl