Source

Immigrant Defense Project

About

The Immigrant Defense Project (IDP) is a U.S. legal-advocacy organization working at the intersection of the immigration and criminal legal systems: defending the rights of immigrants facing detention and deportation, especially where policing and incarceration co-mingle with immigration enforcement. (This description draws on IDP’s own website rather than an independent encyclopedic source: see data note below.)

The commons cites IDP’s journalist guidance in two editions, both “Prepared by the Comm/Unity Network”: the July 2020 first edition, Journalist Style Guide: Covering Immigrants with Convictions, and the expanded Comm/Unity Style Guide that succeeded it. They are primary sources for the Immigration & Citizenship chapter, behind terms such as undocumented immigrant, illegal immigrant, and illegal alien.

Access

The two editions have different access status. This later Comm/Unity Style Guide remains live on IDP’s site, linked above. The 2020 first edition’s original URL now 404s, and the commons holds a private preservation copy of it for citation verification; the full PDF is not publicly redistributed from this site. IDP is active and holds copyright, and no reuse permission has been granted. Quotes are held within fair-use limits.

Works reviewed

Journalist Style Guide: Reporting at the intersection of immigration, policing, and incarceration (Third Edition)

Reference copy held

Published: 2022
Format: PDF
Length: 13 pages
Copyright: © Immigrant Defense Project / Comm/Unity Network: © Immigrant Defense Project. Excerpted under fair use; original linked, not republished.
Original: Open source
Added: May 2026

Journalist Style Guide

Reference copy held

Published: 2020
Format: PDF
Length: 12 pages
Copyright: © Immigrant Defense Project / Comm/Unity Network: © Immigrant Defense Project / Comm/Unity Network. Original URL now 404s; private preservation copy held with attribution, not republished.
Original: Open source
Added: May 2026

Terms citing this source

AlienAvoid
“PROBLEMATIC TERM: “Criminal alien.” “Alien” is an offensive term; and together, these two words risk sensationalizing the issue. ALTERNATIVES: Formerly incarcerated immigrant, Person with a criminal record.”
: Problematic Terms to Reconsider chart, p. 6
AlienAvoid
“PROBLEMATIC TERM: “Criminal alien.” “Alien” is an offensive term; and together, these two words risk sensationalizing the issue. ALTERNATIVES: Formerly incarcerated immigrant, Person with a criminal record.”
: Problematic Terms to Reconsider chart, Comm/Unity Style Guide R4
ConvictAvoid
““Felon;” “convict;” “ex-con;” “offender” … As health experts have noted, this carries a significant amount of stigma. These terms may paint an overly simplistic picture to readers. … Alternatives: Person with a felony conviction.”
: Problematic Terms to Reconsider chart, IDP Journalist Style Guide (2020)
ConvictAvoid
““Felon;” “convict;” “ex-con;” “offender” … As health experts have noted, this carries a significant amount of stigma. These terms may paint an overly simplistic picture to readers. … Alternatives: Person with a felony conviction.”
: Problematic Terms to Reconsider chart, Comm/Unity Style Guide R4 (2021)
FelonAvoid
““Felon;” “convict;” “ex-con;” “offender” … As health experts have noted, this carries a significant amount of stigma. These terms may paint an overly simplistic picture to readers. … Alternatives: Person with a felony conviction.”
: Problematic Terms to Reconsider chart, IDP Journalist Style Guide (2020)
FelonAvoid
““Felon;” “convict;” “ex-con;” “offender” … As health experts have noted, this carries a significant amount of stigma. These terms may paint an overly simplistic picture to readers. … Alternatives: Person with a felony conviction.”
: Problematic Terms to Reconsider chart, Comm/Unity Style Guide R4 (2021)
Illegal ImmigrantAvoid
“PROBLEMATIC TERM: “Illegal immigrant.” This term ignores the complexities of immigration status and has been widely rejected by news organizations over the last several years. ALTERNATIVES: Undocumented immigrant, Immigrant without current status.”
: Problematic Terms to Reconsider chart, p. 6
Illegal ImmigrantAvoid
“PROBLEMATIC TERM: “Illegal immigrant.” This term ignores the complexities of immigration status and has been widely rejected by news organizations over the last several years.”
: Problematic Terms to Reconsider chart, Comm/Unity Style Guide R4
OffenderAvoid
““Felon;” “convict;” “ex-con;” “offender” … As health experts have noted, this carries a significant amount of stigma. These terms may paint an overly simplistic picture to readers. … Alternatives: Person with a felony conviction.”
: Problematic Terms to Reconsider chart, IDP Journalist Style Guide (2020)
OffenderAvoid
““Felon;” “convict;” “ex-con;” “offender” … As health experts have noted, this carries a significant amount of stigma. These terms may paint an overly simplistic picture to readers. … Alternatives: Person with a felony conviction.”
: Problematic Terms to Reconsider chart, Journalist Style Guide, Third Edition (2022)
StereotypesAvoid
“A racial double-standard clearly exists in news coverage of high-profile shootings, with shooters who are white men often portrayed as "lone wolves" suffering from mental health issues, while coverage of people of color … frequently perpetuates harmful stereotypes and demonizes the entire community to which the person belongs.”
: Comm/Unity Style Guide, crime-coverage section
Undocumented ImmigrantUse
“PROBLEMATIC TERM: “Illegal immigrant.” … ALTERNATIVES: Undocumented immigrant, Immigrant without current status.”
: Problematic Terms to Reconsider chart, p. 6
Undocumented ImmigrantUse
“PROBLEMATIC TERM: “Illegal immigrant.” This term ignores the complexities of immigration status and has been widely rejected by news organizations over the last several years. ALTERNATIVES: Undocumented immigrant, Immigrant without current status.”
: Problematic Terms to Reconsider chart, Comm/Unity Style Guide R4