Απλώς, διεθνώς, (και σε επίπεδο Ε.Ε., ΟΗΕ κλπ), ο ορολογικός, και όχι μόνο, καβγάς, είναι μεταξύ επιλογής του όρου illegal migration (παράνομη μετανάστευση/λαθρομετανάστευση) και irregular migration (παράτυπη μετανάστευση). Π.χ. εδώ, στην Έκθεση του ειδικού εισηγητή του ΟΗΕ για τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα (24/4/2013) διαβάζουμε
https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/755587:
34. While welcoming the Commission’s commitment to use the term “irregular” migrants, the Special Rapporteur notes that numerous European Union migration policy documents, and especially Council conclusions and legislative acts, also continue to use the expressions “illegal migration” and “illegal migrants”. Even the Stockholm programme emphasizes that the European Union “must continue to facilitate legal access to the territory of its Member States while in parallel taking measures to counteract illegal immigration and cross-border crime and maintaining a high level of security.”
35.The Special Rapporteur regrets this terminology, and laments the linking of irregular migration with crime and security concerns. Using incorrect terminology that negatively depicts individuals as “illegal” contributes to the negative discourses on migration, and further reinforces negative stereotypes of irregular migrants as criminals. Moreover, such language legitimates the discourse of criminalization of migration, which in turn, contributes to the further alienation, discrimination and marginalization of irregular migrants, and may even encourage verbal and physical violence against them. This is further exacerbated by European Union legislation such as the Facilitation Directive, which, although not explicitly criminalizing irregular migration, may discourage the provision of assistance to irregular migrants, due to potential criminal sanctions. .