Immigration Timeline
Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA, 1986)
- Legalized approximately 3 million undocumented immigrants meeting residency and work criteria. - Prohibited employers from knowingly hiring unauthorized workers. - Introduced the I-9 employment verification system, later expanded into E-Verify. ---
Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA, 1996)
- Expanded deportation/removal grounds and introduced expedited removal procedures. - Imposed 3-year, 10-year, and permanent reentry bars for unlawful presence. - Created the 287(g) program, allowing state and local law enforcement to enforce immigration laws. - Mandated detention
Why It Matters Today
These laws: - Define the core structure of U.S. immigration enforcement. - Balance legalization programs with heavy sanctions and restrictions. - Remain central to debates over border security, DACA, asylum, and immigration reform. ---
Official Sources
- [8 U.S.C. – Immigration and Nationality Act](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title8&edition=prelim) - [Congress.gov – IRCA 1986](https://www.congress.gov/bill/99th-congress/house-bill/3810) - [Congress.gov – IIRIRA 1996](https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/house-bill/