PoliticsJuly 9, 2026

noncitizen

/ˌnɒnˈsɪtɪzən/

Definition

A person residing in a country who does not hold legal citizenship or the status of a national of that country.

Etymology

The word is a combination of the prefix 'non-' (meaning 'not') and the noun 'citizen,' which stems from the Old French 'citeien' and ultimately the Latin 'civitas,' referring to a member of a city-state.

In the news

In this article, the term refers to individuals who are legally ineligible to vote in U.S. federal elections. The Justice Department is threatening state officials with prosecution to ensure these individuals are kept off voter registration lists.

Trump administration threatens Oregon elections leaders with criminal prosecution over noncitizens voting

Read the full article ↗

OregonLive.com

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