restrictionist

American  

[ri-strik-shuhn-ist] / rɪˈstrɪk ʃən ɪst /

noun

restrictionists plural

1. a person who supports or advocates for the addition of restrictions on a policy or practice, especially on the amount of immigration or imported goods allowed into a country.

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adjective

1. of or relating to restrictionism.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• restrictionism
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• restrictionists
  plural

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

restrictionist restrictionists

All the other states, who controlled international and interstate migration, were restrictionist.

From Slate ● Mar. 16, 2026

In meetings, he sometimes clashed heatedly with Gene Hamilton, an attorney working on security issues at DHS who is now at the Justice Department, and had a reputation as an immigration restrictionist.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 30, 2020

But immigrant crime would be a running theme in Mr. Miller’s career, and his emphasis on the issue borrowed from the broader restrictionist movement.

From New York Times ● Aug. 17, 2019

While the restrictionist movement had long taken that principle to heart, he said, “Stephen understood how to operationalize it.”

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 17, 2019

This delimitation of the immigration problem to its economic aspects led the Immigration Commission to recommend a somewhat restrictionist policy.

From The Unpopular Review, Volume II Number 3 by Various

What new immigrants might inflict on this country is the perpetual worry of immigration restrictionists — and yet history keeps proving them wrong.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026

Muzaffar Chishti, head of the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute’s New York office, called this question an “equal opportunity challenge” for its potential effects on immigration challenges brought by immigrant advocates and restrictionists alike.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 28, 2022

More importantly, though, if these restrictionists are really so concerned about all the immigrants slipping in through the back door, the best solution is a more accessible, clearly monitored front door.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 15, 2021

Speaking of restrictionists, the White House released its own statement opposing the deal later.

From Slate ● Feb. 15, 2018

Thus, while the southern phalanx in opposition remained firm, enough members were won over from the northern ranks to defeat the restrictionists.

From Rise of the New West, 1819-1829 by Turner, Frederick Jackson