immigration

American  

[im-i-grey-shuhn] / ˌɪm ɪˈgreɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of immigrating.

2. a group or number of immigrants.

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immigration British  

/ ˌɪmɪˈɡreɪʃən /

noun

1. the movement of non-native people into a country in order to settle there

2. the part of a port, airport, etc where government employees examine the passports, visas, etc of foreign nationals entering the country

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Other Word Forms

• anti-immigration adjective
• immigrational adjective
• immigratory adjective
• nonimmigration noun
• preimmigration noun
• proimmigration adjective

Etymology

Origin of immigration

First recorded in 1650–60; im- ¹ + migration

Example Sentences

It began when video footage of a confrontation between a man in a frog suit and immigration enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, went viral.

From BBC

Across the country, citizens have created “rapid response networks” that track ICE’s movements and alert communities about immigration enforcement.

From Salon

The posada was a moment of hope and happiness amid turmoil, and a reminder that not all law enforcement officers see immigration status as a measure of worth.

From Los Angeles Times

“The immigration process doesn’t look at who I am or what I bring to the table. It just sees me as a case number,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal

In Texas, undocumented immigrants have reported staying home as much as possible to avoid being targeted by immigration officers or police, and only going out for essential trips like going to work or buying groceries.

From Salon

Related Words

• exodus
• migration
• travel