Following the lead of the Associated Press, The New York Times today announced it has changed its policy on the use of the term “illegal immigrant” in news stories.

“[We] will continue to allow the phrase to be used for ‘someone who enters, lives in or works in the United States without proper legal authorization.’ But [we] encourage reporters and editors to “consider alternatives when appropriate to explain the specific circumstances of the person in question, or to focus on actions,” the newspaper reported.

In still permitting the use of the term in some instances, nation’s “newspaper of record” did not go as far as AP, which announced earlier this month it would no longer sanction the use of the term “illegal” to describe a person. Other newspapers such as the Los Angeles Times are also reconsidering their policies on it.