OneWorld.net (U.S.)

FLORENCE, Nov 24 (New America Media) - It sounds fairly benign in English, but in Italian clandestino has become a term of hot debate. Clandestinos are the "illegals" in Italy's immigration debate. It's the word for the country's million-plus immigrants without papers. The word comes loaded with negative connotations. Now, Italian media observers are asking if the word itself is not fanning flames of xenophobia.