Join us today, at 3:45 p.m. ET for a live video discussion on the language of immigration. We will talk about the words journalists use to describe illegal immigrants, and why they use them.

The panel discussion, hosted by the International Center for Journalists in Washington, D.C., will be led by USA TODAY immigration reporter Emily Bazar. It will include journalists and experts from around the country. The event will stream into the video player, and you can participate by posting or e-mailing questions ahead of time, or by clicking on the Chat button during the discussion.

At USA TODAY, reporters use the term "illegal immigrants" to describe foreign nationals who are in the country illegally. They do not use the words "illegal" or "illegals" as a noun, and avoid using the term "alien" to refer to immigrants, except in direct quotes.

The National Council of La Raza, which advocates for civil rights for Hispanics, encourages use of the term "undocumented immigrant" or "undocumented worker" to describe people in the USA without legal status, says vice president Lisa Navarrete. "We especially object to the use of the term 'illegals' as a noun," she says. "This is strictly pejorative, not to mention grammatically incorrect."

NumbersUSA, an organization that calls for reduced immigration, believes "illegal alien" is the most accurate term, says Rosemary Jenks, director of government relations.

Under immigration law, an "alien" is anyone who is not a U.S. citizen. Therefore, Jenks says, people who enter the USA without inspection and "non-immigrants who overstay or otherwise violate the terms of their visas are 'illegal aliens'."

Leave questions for the upcoming roundtable in the comment section below, or send them to newscall@usatoday.com. Please include a username or full name, and contact information in your e-mail. Then return to this page at 3:45 p.m. ET to get answers and participate in the conversation.