immigration

noun

im·​mi·​gra·​tion ˌi-mə-ˈgrā-shən 

plural immigrations

: an act or instance of immigrating

specifically : travel into a country for the purpose of permanent residence there

Especially during these months when there has been constant talk of immigration and its myriad challenges, both here and on European national borders …

—Bob Greene

illegal/legal immigration

immigration reform/policy/law

Drawing historical comparisons is always a fraught process, especially when the subject is as contentious as immigration.

—James Hannan

There is only a passing comment on Chinese and Japanese immigration in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, plus a short section on the truly global wave of immigrants that swept into America after the Second World War …

—Nicholas Guyatt

The Middle Ages is the story of successive migrations and immigrations …

—Janet L. Nelson

immigrational

ˌi-mə-ˈgrā-sh(ə-)nəl 

adjective

studied the region's immigrational history

Examples of immigration in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Republican governor of Texas has been sending them by the busload to highlight his grievances with the Biden administration’s immigration policy. —Matt Brown, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2024

Republicans across the nation and in Missouri have made immigration issues at the southern border with Mexico a key issue ahead of the 2024 elections. —Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 19 Apr. 2024

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas faced an icy reception from Senate Republicans on Thursday, one day after the swift dismissal of the GOP impeachment case brought against him over his handling of immigration policy and the southern border. —Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 18 Apr. 2024

Having Susana on our staff was a privilege, and her impact on our community through her immigration work — both at AI Justice and on the editorial board of the Miami Herald — was substantial. —Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2024

In what appears to be a move to placate his right flank, Johnson announced the House will also vote on a separate bill that resembles Republicans’ sweeping, hardline immigration and border legislation known as H.R. 2. —USA TODAY, 17 Apr. 2024

The Biden Administration has made similar calls for months, requesting Congress approve more funding to hire Border Patrol agents and immigration officers. —Nik Popli, TIME, 17 Apr. 2024

The state accuses the Biden administration of failing to enforce immigration laws and is sparring with the federal government in court. —Arelis R. Hernández, Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2024

Most rally attendees interviewed at Tuesday's event told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel the issue key to their support is immigration. —Lawrence Andrea, Journal Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1625, in the meaning defined above