deportation

de·por·ta·tion | \ ˌdē-ˌpȯr-ˈtā-shən

How to pronounce deportation (audio)

, -pər- \

Definition of deportation

1 : an act or instance of deporting

2 : the removal from a country of an alien whose presence is unlawful or prejudicial

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Examples of deportation in a Sentence

the deportation of the Jews from Spain in 1492

Recent Examples on the Web The councilman also pointed to labor trafficking, where immigrants are particularly vulnerable with the threat of deportation used to keep them working under hard conditions. — Fox News, "Baltimore mayor warns of white van trying to 'snatch up young girls'; police say no reports," 5 Dec. 2019 The Cabreras are protective of one another even before the specter of deportation is formally introduced, in contrast to the selfish Thrombeys. — Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, "The Unlikely Hero of Rian Johnson’s Knives Out," 29 Nov. 2019 Today the Supreme Court heard arguments on the fate of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which protects thousands of young immigrants from fear of deportation. — NBC News, "Daniela Pierre-Bravo: This is what a Dreamer looks like," 12 Nov. 2019 But the absence of comprehensive immigration reform from Congress is what prompted Obama to create DACA in 2012, giving people two-year renewable reprieves from the threat of deportation while also allowing them to work. — Mark Sherman, Anchorage Daily News, "Supreme Court’s conservatives seem to back Trump administration on DACA program," 12 Nov. 2019 Counting actress-singer Selena Gomez among its producers, the six-part documentary series tells the stories of multiple families, each facing the threat of deportation for one or more of its members. — Brian Lowry, CNN, "'Living Undocumented' puts faces on families grappling with immigration system," 2 Oct. 2019 During that lengthy wait, Alec endured the risk of Mexican criminals targeting him and faced the threat of deportation from Mexican officials. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Feds appeal asylum decision for first ‘Remain in Mexico’ migrant to win his case," 6 Sep. 2019 As early as this upcoming spring, Dreamers could lose their legal status and be at risk of deportation. — Dp Opinion, The Denver Post, "Letters: Red flag laws make sense; It’s all about how U.S. immigration laws are enforced; Pass the Dreamer’s act (8/20/19)," 20 Aug. 2019 Their objective was both to tighten restriction controls and to spare destination states the costs of deportation by preempting migration near its source. — Paul A. Kramer, The New Republic, "The Harsh World of Offshore Borders," 8 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'deportation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

15 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Deportation.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deportation. Accessed 16 December 2019.

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