Source
Define American
Telling Authentic Immigrant Stories: Media Reference Guide (3rd ed.)
Access posture
About
Define American is an immigration-narrative nonprofit founded in 2011 by Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas. Its mission is “humanizing the immigrant narrative, one story at a time,” working “across mediums and industries through research, partnerships, and storyteller engagement.” Its Telling Authentic Immigrant Stories: Media Reference Guide (3rd ed., 2024) gives journalists concrete guidance on covering immigrants and immigration.
In the commons it is a primary source for much of the Immigration & Citizenship chapter, behind terms such as immigrant, undocumented immigrant, and illegal alien.
Access
Host posture is private-mirror-link-out: the guide is published on Define American’s journalist-resources page (linked) and was live at the last check. The commons keeps a private preservation copy for citation verification and links out to the authoritative version. Quotes are held within fair-use limits.
Publication details
Terms citing this source
- Alien Avoid
““Alien” is also dehumanizing. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has removed this term from its guidelines and the Biden administration has issued guidance changing its vocabulary throughout various government agencies.”
— p. 6, Problematic Terms / Preferred Terms
- Dreamer / DACA Recipient Use with care
“The term “Dreamer” has often been used when referring to undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. Some entered the country without authorization, while others entered lawfully and became undocumented after their status lapsed.”
— p. 9, Define “Immigrant” → Dreamer
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“A subset of “Dreamers,'' or undocumented youth who applied and received temporary protection from deportation through President Obama’s 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy.”
— p. 9, Define “Immigrant” → DACA Recipient
- Illegal Alien Avoid
“Problematic Terms: illegals, illegal immigrant, alien, illegal alien. Preferred Terms: undocumented immigrant, unauthorized immigrant, immigrant without legal status. The bottom line: The term "illegal" is dehumanizing and unfairly replaces complex legal circumstances with an assumption of guilt.”
— Stereotypes and Language to Avoid, "Problematic Terms" table, p. 6
- Illegal Immigrant Avoid
“Problematic Terms: illegals, illegal immigrant, alien, illegal alien… The bottom line: The term “illegal” is dehumanizing and unfairly replaces complex legal circumstances with an assumption of guilt.”
— p. 6, Problematic Terms / Preferred Terms
- Immigrant Use
“Immigrant: A person who migrates to another country, usually for permanent residence. The United States is home to more than 45 million immigrants, roughly 14 percent of its population. (U.S. Census)”
— p. 9, Define “Immigrant” → Immigrant
- Refugees Use
“Refugee: An individual who has been forced to flee their home country because of a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.”
— p. 10, Define “Immigrant” → Refugee
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“Problematic Terms: illegals, illegal immigrant, alien, illegal alien. Preferred Terms: undocumented immigrant, unauthorized immigrant, immigrant without legal status. The bottom line: The term “illegal” is dehumanizing and unfairly replaces complex legal circumstances with an assumption of guilt.”
— p. 6, Problematic Terms / Preferred Terms