resident alien
Definition
In U.S. immigration law, a non-U.S. citizen who has been granted lawful permanent resident status, commonly known as a 'green card' holder, allowing them to live and work indefinitely in the United States.
In U.S. tax law, a foreign national who meets the 'substantial presence test' or holds a green card, and is therefore taxed on worldwide income similarly to U.S. citizens.
Informally, any non-native inhabitant of a place who has established long-term residency, often with legal recognition.
Examples
After decades of perfecting his taco recipe, Miguel finally became a resident alien and opened the spiciest food truck in town.
The resident alien from Mars paid his taxes on time but still got audited because his W-2 form listed 'intergalactic income'.
She navigated the bureaucracy like a pro to become a resident alien, now her superpower is complaining about property taxes in two languages.
As a resident alien, he mastered jaywalking before even learning the local traffic laws, blending in seamlessly with the chaos.