Terminology: "Undocumented Immigrants," Not "Illegal Immigrants"

The term "illegal immigrant" is inaccurate and dehumanizing. People are not "illegal"; actions can be unauthorized.

Correct Terminology

• Undocumented immigrant / Unauthorized immigrant: Person residing in a country without legal authorization (overstayed visa, entered without inspection).
• Asylum seeker: Person fleeing persecution, legally present while claim is processed.
• Migrant: Neutral term for anyone moving across borders.

At the U.S.–Mexico Border

• Most encounters involve **asylum seekers** (from Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, etc.) presenting at ports of entry or between ports.
• Title 42 (pandemic expulsion) ended May 2023; Title 8 (standard immigration law) applies.
• Demographics shift rapidly; no single group dominates.

**Legal reality:** Crossing without inspection is a civil violation (first offense) / misdemeanor (re-entry), not a crime that makes a *person* "illegal." Courts, AP Stylebook, UN, and major media mandate "undocumented" or "unauthorized."