The Associated Press made a seminal Stylebook decision on April 2, 2013.
The Stylebook no longer sanctions the term [illegal immigrant」or the use of 「illegal」to describe a person. Instead, it tells users that 「illegal」 should describe only an action, such as living in or immigrating to a country illegally.
Many news outlets around the world look to the AP Stylebook for guidance. So finely-threaded was the usage that the Stylebook made a distinction between noun and verb: "Use illegal only to refer to an action, not a person: illegal immigration, but not illegal immigrant."
It was evident that the Stylebook catered only to the elite, many of whom have college degrees and work for the world's news organizations. The guidance mocked what most Americans do in real life: associate action with identity.
A person who drives a bus is a driver; someone who teaches is a teacher; and a person who paints is a painter. Why shouldn't we say that someone who engaged in illegal immigration is an illegal immigrant?
About two months before the AP Stylebook was published, a Hispanic group issued a memo to Republican members of Congress to employ a different, more neutral term: "undocumented immigrant."
The Stylebook did not approve of this term. The description "undocumented," despite ardent support from some quarters, must be rejected because it is not precise. A person may have plenty of documents, just not the ones required for legal residence.
At the time, the United States Senate was debating a Border Security bill that also included changes to the H-1B program. The bill passed the Senate in June 2013. Our columnist and Editorial Board member, Rajkamal Rao, wrote a book, The New H-1B/STEM Provisions: How the US Senate Continues to Undermine American Competitiveness, criticizing the program and the senators' tendency to blur the distinction between legal and illegal immigrants. The House never took up the bill, and thankfully, it never became law.
What has stuck, however, is the term "undocumented" to describe the actions of people who clearly violate the law. It is a travesty of a term because, far from being neutral, it minimizes the act by orders of magnitude.
The Left is fond of reminding us that America is a nation of laws and that no one is above the law.
More than a hundred years ago, America needed people - risk-takers - to build the country. Irish laborers largely built the Union Pacific railroad, while Mexican laborers dominated Southwestern railroad construction. German, Welsh, and Eastern European immigrants fueled industrialization through mining and steel, while Italian and Greek immigrants provided key labor for urban development.
The federal government was small. The idea of regulating immigration was not a priority at all. On the contrary, Washington openly embraced anyone who braved the rough oceans to land on our shores. Ellis Island was built to celebrate these newcomers. One didn't need a passport or need to speak English. In fact, if an immigrant didn't have a name, the authorities processing shiploads of arrivals assigned one. Nothing could be a fresher start in life.
While America has always been a land of immigrants, embracing unlimited immigration couldn't go on forever. Pan Am's inaugural passenger service began (New York to Lisbon) on June 28, 1939, utilizing a Boeing 314 flying boat, so Europeans could easily enter America and settle here.
During the Golden Age of the Eisenhower administration, when America was at the height of power, Congress began to consider limiting immigration. LBJ signed the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 into law on October 3, 1965.
The law is extremely complex and considers various factors before granting someone permission to visit (as a non-immigrant) or to settle in America.
Non-immigrant visas for temporary stays (tourism, work, study) include B-1/B-2 (business/tourism), F-1/M-1/J-1 (students/exchange), H-1B/H-1B1/L-1 (workers/transferees), and O-1/P-1 (extraordinary ability/performers).
Immigrant visas are based on family or employment. Family-based visas are for spouses, children, parents, or siblings of U.S. citizens/legal permanent residents. Employment-based visas include EB-1 (priority workers), EB-2 (professionals with advanced degrees), EB-3 (skilled/professional workers), and EB-5 (investors).
People who want to either visit or immigrate to America must go through a rigorous credentialing process to earn the privilege.
For family visas, for example, for a brother of a U.S. citizen (F4 category), it can take 15 to over 20 years. While the initial I-130 petition approval takes 6–12 months, the massive backlog caused by annual visa caps results in extreme wait times, particularly for applicants from Mexico, India, or the Philippines.
And then, there are fees. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services agency collects nearly 96% of its funding through immigration and naturalization benefit fees rather than congressional appropriations. In Fiscal Year 2024, revenue collections were approximately $6.22 billion, with projections indicating a rise to over $7 billion for FY 2025 due to updated fee structures.
It is easy to see now how the term "undocumented" is so grossly inadequate.
During the Biden administration's open-door policy, no one knows how many people crossed the border illegally or overstayed their visas. It is estimated that up to 19 million people settled in America during his tenure.
These new arrivals did not have valid documents. They had no credentials, weren't vetted, weren't assigned to any visa category, and none of them paid the government a processing fee. How is this fair to the millions of people who are waiting in line legally for their coveted visas to arrive?
That the Democrats are vehemently opposed to immigration enforcement and border protection makes no sense at all. The latest Senate bill funding the Department of Homeland Security, which was adopted by voice vote at 3 AM on March 27, actually reduces funding for these crucial functions to zero.
The Biden administration let in 19 million people illegally. They want all of them to stay back in the country. Democrats support only the deportations of those who have committed a federal crime, under the direction of a federal judge. They want ICE and CBP to practically stop working, opening America to even more illegal immigration.
The liberal media is constantly writing stories that the GOP will lose control of both the House and Senate in the midterms. Not so fast.
When voters begin paying attention to debates over open border policies, the November vote could be dramatically different.
📊 Market Mood — Tuesday, March 31, 2026
🟩 Stocks Rise on Hopes of War Wind-Down
U.S. futures climbed as reports suggested Washington may move to end the Iran conflict soon.
🟧 Oil Stays Elevated Above $110 on Supply Risks
Crude remained high after fresh attacks on energy infrastructure and continued disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.
🟦 Markets Focus on Reality Over Rhetoric
Investors are discounting optimistic headlines as ongoing strikes and shipping disruptions persist.
🟨 Inflation Pressures Build Across Global Economies
Rising energy costs are pushing inflation higher and reviving expectations of tighter monetary policy.
🗓️ Key Economic Events — Tuesday, March 31, 2026
🟧 09:45 ET — Chicago PMI (Mar)
Regional business activity gauge offering insight into manufacturing and economic momentum.
🟧 10:00 ET — CB Consumer Confidence (Mar)
Measures consumer sentiment and spending outlook, a key driver of economic growth.
🟧 10:00 ET — JOLTS Job Openings (Feb)
Tracks labor demand across the economy and provides signals on the strength of the job market.
editor-tippinsights@technometrica.com
