The recent Grammy Awards stirred controversy when host Trevor Noah made a joke referencing “20 million illegal immigrants,” sparking widespread backlash and revealing a concerning trend: the rise of anti-immigrant language, even among public figures associated with the political left. This incident, met with an immediate eyeroll from Doechii, highlighted how problematic terminology, once primarily confined to right-wing narratives, is increasingly permeating mainstream discourse and normalizing dehumanizing labels.
This was not an isolated event. Prominent figures, including President Joe Biden, have publicly used the term “illegal immigrant,” with Biden later expressing regret after being challenged by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene during a State of a Union address. Similarly, figures like Kathy Hochul have employed similar rhetoric, such as during a New York mayoral primary debate while discussing city cleaning services, further illustrating the pervasive nature of this evolving political discourse.
Historically, before 2010, the term “illegal” was widely accepted in mainstream news organizations covering immigration. This ubiquitous usage prompted the non-profit Race Forward to launch a significant campaign. They argued strenuously that the term was dehumanizing, inherently biased, and directly contributed to systemic racism, advocating for a more respectful and accurate vocabulary.
A pivotal moment arrived in 2013 when the Associated Press (AP), whose stylebook is an industry standard, updated its guidelines to prohibit the use of “illegal” to describe a person, instead reserving it for actions. Concurrently, the “Drop the I-Word” campaign gained momentum, urging media outlets and public figures to adopt more humane and accurate descriptors like “undocumented immigrants.” These coordinated efforts initially seemed to have a tangible and positive social impact on language norms.
Analysis of national Google Trends data, dating back to 2010, provides a compelling illustration of this shift. While “undocumented” has never surpassed “illegal” as the leading search term, the gap significantly narrowed after the Race Forward campaign and subsequent style guide changes. In 2010, searches for “illegal immigrants” outnumbered “undocumented immigrants” by a staggering 20 to 1, demonstrating the entrenched nature of the problematic term.
By 2013, the year of the AP style guide update, this ratio had dramatically decreased to 8 to 1. The trend continued, even throughout Donald Trump’s first presidential term, reaching an encouraging 3 to 1 by 2020. This data suggested a growing public awareness and a gradual shift towards more precise and respectful immigration policy terminology, indicating the campaigns were indeed fostering a change in public perception.
However, this positive trajectory alarmingly reversed in 2021. The use of anti-immigrant language began to resurface with increased frequency, not only among those on the political right but also surprisingly among individuals expressing opposition to Trump-era policies. Experts note that even well-meaning people can inadvertently fall into the trap of using loaded terms, highlighting a complex interplay of media, political discourse, and societal influence.
According to Melanie Schubiner, “The mainstreaming of anti-immigrant language has escalated at really breakneck speed.” Julie Hollar of FAIR attributes some blame to mainstream outlets, noting their increasing tendency to use the term “illegal” without quotation marks. This normalization leads readers to “just assume that is the standard language, and that it is perfectly acceptable and not loaded,” perpetuating a cycle of dehumanizing language that undermines constructive dialogue on immigration.
This alarming trend underscores a critical challenge in contemporary political discourse, where once-discredited terms are re-entering the lexicon, subtly shaping public opinion and potentially hindering efforts towards a more inclusive society. The normalization of such language, even by those who identify as progressive, demands rigorous attention and a renewed commitment to ethical media ethics and respectful communication regarding immigration policy and social justice.
