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

According to The Korea Times, in July 2024 Beijing demanded that Pyongyang recall North Korean workers in China—numbered in the tens of thousands—so that China could comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2937, which called for the repatriation of North Korean laborers. —Sungmin Cho, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2024

Some of the 600 prisoners who worked on battery assembly were expected to be sent to canning factories in Wisconsin to help during harvest season; others were sent to the base POW camp at Fort Sheridan in Illinois for eventual repatriation. —Chris Foran, Journal Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2024

The moves came following criticism from Native groups, who also called for their repatriation. —The Editors Of Artnews, ARTnews.com, 14 Oct. 2024

Comprehensive international health insurance plans should include coverage for evacuation and repatriation in case of an emergency, and long-term care. —Tom Zachystal, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1592, in the meaning defined above