repatriation

noun

re·​pa·​tri·​a·​tion (ˌ)rē-ˌpā-trē-ˈā-shən 

-ˌpa-

plural repatriations

: the act or process of restoring or returning someone or something to the country of origin, allegiance, or citizenship : the act of repatriating or the state of being repatriated

While officials privately acknowledge there is scant legal basis for repatriation, their public statements suggest that they would use lawsuits, diplomatic pressure and shame to bring home looted objects—not unlike Italy, Greece and Egypt, which have sought, with some success, to recover antiquities in European and American museums.

—Andrew Jacobs

They say they have that right under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, which requires that human remains and artifacts be returned to Indian tribes that can show a cultural link.

—Timothy Egan

This left him an illegal immigrant in Hong Kong, subject to arrest and repatriation at any time.

—Nicholas D. Kristof

Examples of repatriation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

So far in fiscal year 2024, which started in October, the Coast Guard has carried out 118 repatriations to Haiti, according to agency data. —Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2024

The changes arrive amid similar repatriation efforts nationwide. —Ellen Wexler, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Feb. 2024

While tribal leaders have pushed for the repatriation of artifacts and remains to take place respectfully and quickly, some expressed concerns that the process of identifying the items could create an overwhelming burden for tribes, according to The New York Times. —Isabela Espadas Barros Leal, NBC News, 26 Jan. 2024

The situation reflects broader challenges institutions face in addressing historical injustices, respecting communities affected by such practices, and balancing conservation and repatriation considerations. —Melissa Noel, Essence, 5 Feb. 2024

Although the American Museum of Natural History banned destructive research on human remains in 2020, ProPublica reported last year that long repatriation delays before then ultimately led to more federal funding for scientists to research the museum’s collections. —Logan Jaffe, ProPublica, 26 Jan. 2024

Still, critics argue that the museum has been moving too slowly through the repatriation process. —Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Dec. 2023

Venezuela and Mexico’s foreign affairs ministers also signed a migration agreement before President Maduro, including points on repatriations. —Elias Ferrer, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024

The government has given institutions a deadline, giving them until 2029 to prepare human remains and their burial belongings for repatriation. —Zachary Small, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1592, in the meaning defined above