When the Star Tribune announced in 2006 that it was modifying its stylebook to direct reporters on how to identify people who are in this country to work without proper immigration paperwork, it got a fair bit of ink, including from the Harvard Nieman Report. But two years after the National Association of Hispanic Journalists called for reporters to stop using the noun-form “illegals,” the Star Tribune is still doing it. An online poll posted July 28 includes an answer about readers’ attitudes about immigration: “‘Illegal’ means illegal: we need strong enforcement of the law.” The AP Stylebook says “illegal immigrant” is preferred, but that the noun-form “illegals” shouldn’t be used.
But there’s something more blatant that could suggest either a bias against — or at least carelessness about — immigrants: While the question the paper asks is “What’s your attitude toward immigration?” the only possible answers given to readers involve illegal immigration.
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