A new campaign demanding that the news media stop referring to immigrants as “illegals” was endorsed this week by the New York Immigration Coalition.
Drop The I-Word is a campaign that focuses on the dehumanization of millions of people by the media and politicians who routinely describe undocumented immigrants as “illegals”. This term is then used more broadly by the public to label 
all Latino immigrant, documented or undocumented, and place them beyond the pale of protection and concern.
The term “illegals” was initially used only by racist and extremist groups, but now it has crept into the mainstream media and it is used by many politicians.
As the campaign website says:
You wouldn’t call someone a w*tback. Saying “illegals” is just as bad.
The I-Word creates an environment of hate by exploiting racial fear and economic anxiety, creating an easy scapegoat for complex issues, and OK-ing violence against those labeled with the word.
