port of entry

American  

noun

1. port.

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port of entry British  

noun

1. law an airport, harbour, etc, where customs officials are stationed to supervise the entry into and exit from a country of persons and merchandise

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Etymology

Origin of port of entry

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

Kerry Doyle, a deputy general counsel for the Department of Homeland Security in the Biden administration, said she’d never heard of someone being detained at a port of entry on suspicion of voting illegally.

From Salon • May 14, 2026

Then they decided to try a bus from Tapachula to a bus station near a port of entry.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026

Migrants can start that process once they enter the country, either at a port of entry or within one year of entry, regardless of immigration status.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

He had applied for asylum the right way — by scheduling an appointment and presenting himself at a port of entry — and yet was languishing behind bars.

From Salon • Jul. 16, 2025

Starting in 1846, the Chicago harbor was designated by an act of the United States Congress as an official port of entry.

From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield