Shift in Language:

The term "illegal immigrants" is being moved away from, with a move towards terms like

"irregular migration."

This shift reflects a broader discussion about the language used in migration discourse, with many arguing that "illegal immigrant" is dehumanizing.

"Irregular Migration":

This term is increasingly favored by those working in the migration sector.

It aims to describe the movement of people outside of formal migration systems, while acknowledging that individuals may still have the right to seek asylum.

Changes in Governmental roles:

It has been observed that changes in governmental job titles have also occured, for example the change from "minister for countering illegal migration" to "minister for border security and asylum".

Context:

Political changes have strongly influenced this change in language.

The change in language also reflects a change in policy.

It's important to note that the discussion surrounding migration terminology is ongoing, and there may be variations in how different governments and organizations approach this issue.

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request made at the beginning of the year asked the Government to define "illegal immigrants" and reveal how many people in the UK currently lack legal status. In response, Home Office staff claimed that the term is no longer used following the previous Labour administration, but they refused to disclose the new terminology.

Several FOI requests have led the Home Office to ask for clarification on what "illegal immigrant" means, often linking the term to asylum seekers—who are in the process of obtaining refugee status because they fear returning home. Although a definition distinguishing illegal immigration from asylum seekers was provided to the Home Office, the department requested an explanation of the term again three weeks later. In one response, the Home Office also sought clarification on the term "resources" after being asked about the number of teams and personnel by region responsible for locating these individuals.

After The Mirror reached out for comment, a Home Office spokesman confirmed that the terms "illegal migrants" and "illegal immigrants" are no longer used or recognized by the department. The spokesman explained that this change was made shortly after Labour came to power in the last election. However, the government faced criticism in July when the Home Office referred to the issue as "irregular migration" on X (formerly Twitter).

When pressed for further details on the accepted terminology, the spokesman declined to provide clarification, asserting that it was up to journalists to determine the new term. They also denied that this refusal was intended to obstruct the FOI process.

This lack of clarity has delayed the release of the requested information, which has been pending since January 1. A spokesperson from the Information Commissioner's Office emphasized that the public has a legal right to receive information promptly, and they are committed to taking action when this right is not upheld.

Adding to the confusion, a statement on the Government’s own website still used the term "illegal migrants" in its title, while a later response from the Home Office's FOI team referred to the individuals in question as "irregular migrants," even though that term had not been used in the original request or in any prior clarification.