detainee
noun
de·tain·ee
di-ˌtā-ˈnē 
ˌdē-
: a person held in custody especially for political reasons
Examples of detainee in a Sentence
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Judge Rodriguez’s order came after five other judges hearing challenges of detainees related to the Alien Enemies Act issued temporary orders that blocked deportations for some or all of those held in their districts.
—
Mattathias Schwartz, New York Times, 2 May 2025
Named after Texas's state flower, the facility has housed an average of 846 detainees per day during fiscal year 2025, according to ICE data.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025
The number, as of about two weeks ago, had reached 3,104 detainees.
—Teri Figueroa, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2025
Public records show roughly 600 detainees being housed at Krome — one of four ICE detention centers in Florida — but detainees and their attorneys say the real number is likely much higher, far surpassing the facility’s capacity.
—Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 26 Apr. 2025
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Mattathias Schwartz, New York Times, 2 May 2025
Named after Texas's state flower, the facility has housed an average of 846 detainees per day during fiscal year 2025, according to ICE data.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025
The number, as of about two weeks ago, had reached 3,104 detainees.
—Teri Figueroa, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2025
Public records show roughly 600 detainees being housed at Krome — one of four ICE detention centers in Florida — but detainees and their attorneys say the real number is likely much higher, far surpassing the facility’s capacity.
—Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detainee
Cite this Entry
“Detainee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detainee. Accessed 8 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
detainee
noun
de·tain·ee
di-ˌtā-ˈnē
: a person who is detained
especially
: a person held in custody prior to trial or hearing
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