Alien << AYL yuhn or AY lee uhn >> is a legal term used to describe people who are not citizens or nationals of the countries where they live. A national is somebody who owes allegiance to a nation. The legal and social rights of aliens differ in various countries. Aliens living in a country without the required documentation are sometimes called illegal, unauthorized, or undocumented aliens. They may be deported (forced to leave the country) if they are discovered. Some people consider the term alien to be dehumanizing.
The United States recognizes two kinds of aliens, temporary visitors and resident aliens. People in the United States as tourists or on business are temporary visitors. They may not travel or accept employment without permission from the U.S. government. They are protected under the Bill of Rights. Resident aliens live in the United States on a permanent basis. They generally enjoy the same rights as citizens, but cannot vote or hold public office.
The Alien Enemies Act of 1798 gives the U.S. president the power to apprehend, restrain, secure, and remove citizens of enemy nations in wartime. The U.S. government first registered aliens in 1940.
