alienage

[ eyl-yuh-nij, ey-lee-uh- ]

noun

, Law.

1. the state of being an alien.
2. the legal status of an alien:

   birthright citizenship for all children born inside the territory, without regard for the alienage of their parents.

Word History and Origins

Origin of alienage¹

First recorded in 1800–10; alien + -age

Example Sentences

It said the rejection was not unlawful because it was “not synonymous” with alienage discrimination.

From New York Times

"Discrimination based on the alienage of a U.S. citizen's spouse is presumptively unconstitutional and subject to strict scrutiny," the lawsuit argued.

From Salon

When confronted with public outcry about profiling, ICE and the Border Patrol usually respond that agents used “a multitude of indicators that, when put together, raise a reasonable suspicion of illegal alienage.”

From Salon

CBP acknowledged they are reviewing the Montana incident, but emphasised "agents are not looking for one factor, but a multitude of indicators that when put together raise a reasonable suspicion of illegal alienage."

From BBC

Agents are supposed to have reasonable suspicion of a suspect’s “illegal alienage” before they conduct vehicle stops - and probable cause before searches.

From Washington Times