Loyola newspaper apologizes for calling suspected murderer an ‘illegal immigrant’

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In a lengthy editor’s note that is almost as long as the original article itself, the newspaper apologizes for its transgression:

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On March 23, a post on The Phoenix’s Instagram page carried the following headline: “Immigrant Man Charged in Murder of Sheridan Gorman, DHS Involved.” That headline didn’t reflect the most important elements in the story, and it was taken down minutes later to prevent any further harm to affected community members. Additionally, in the body of the original post, we described the man who was charged as an “illegal immigrant,” using language provided by the Department of Homeland Security. That language does not align with Associated Press style, nor does it align with the values of this newspaper.

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Lest anyone think the newspaper was being insensitive to the suspected murderer, the newspaper added: “No human’s existence is illegal, and we quickly changed our wording to reflect that.” The paper’s “language,” not the murder of an innocent girl, caused “harm.” “We deeply regret these errors, and we’re committed to continuing the high standards we hold for ourselves as journalists and members of the Loyola, Rogers Park and Chicago communities,” the student newspaper reported.

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