Borders and Populations

“Developing” or “developed countries” are vague terms used to classify countries via various measures, including income levels and mortality rates. “First World” and “Third World” are now seen by many groups as offensive. “Global North” and “Global South” refer primarily to economic conditions rather than geography. More precise phrasing, where possible, would be to specify countries and metrics, and include income levels. Whichever term is used, it’s helpful to explain to the audience how it’s defined.

A “diaspora” refers to the movement of migrants or descendants of migrants who identify with a homeland but currently live outside of it. A diaspora is not a monolith, so clarifying who you are including in a description (for example: “members of,” “some of,” etc.) will help to avoid overly broad generalizations.

A “displaced person” or “internally displaced person” is someone who is forced to leave their home or place of residence. The latter term is somewhat formal; it may be clearer to the reader to mention that the individual is displaced within their home country.

The diversity immigrant visa program, a.k.a. “green card lottery,” is a US government program for receiving lawful permanent residence in the United States. If the origins of a migrant’s lawful permanent residence are important to a story, the formal term “diversity immigrant visa” is more accurate than “green card lottery,” though it’s helpful to consider the relevance of including someone’s method of entry in an unrelated story.

The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act is a bill that aims to create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children. Someone who qualifies for the DREAM Act is called a “DREAMer” or “Dreamer.” DREAMer and DACA recipient are not interchangeable terms — DREAMer refers to the wider population of undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children, not all of whom are eligible for DACA, so only DREAMers who have received DACA status are DACA recipients.

“Expulsion” refers to legal orders to leave the territory of a state. “Deportation” refers to the implementation of those orders. Be mindful when reporting on undocumented immigration of anything that could put a source at risk of legal action, and make sure to clearly explain how the information they are giving you would be used and any potential risks for them.

Family separation refers to the forcible separation of migrant children and families. In recent years, it has become associated with a particular period of government action in 2017-2018. When using the term, for clarity it’s helpful to distinguish between “forcible separation” or “separation by US Customs and Border Protection” and separation occurring through other circumstances, for instance accidental separation.

The term “family-based immigration” refers to a type of immigration that is based on family ties. It is also sometimes called “chain migration,” though this term is often used in coded racist ways and thus may be best restricted to direct quotes, with some explanation given.

A green card allows a person to live and work in the United States, conferring the status of lawful permanent residence. Terms such as “green card marriage” are vague, contain assumptions about an individual’s situation, and can reinforce negative stereotypes.