1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act

1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act was a landmark legislation signed into law by Ronald Reagan, aiming to reform the United States' immigration policies, as advocated by Ted Kennedy and Alan Simpson. The law was a result of a bipartisan effort, with key contributions from Peter Rodino, Romano Mazzoli, and Charles Schumer. It marked a significant shift in the country's approach to immigration, building upon the recommendations of the Select Commission on Immigration and Refugee Policy, established by Jimmy Carter.

● Introduction

The 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act was designed to address the growing concerns about illegal immigration in the United States, as highlighted by Pat Buchanan and Tom Tancredo. The law's introduction was influenced by the work of Julian Simon, an economist who studied the effects of immigration on the US economy, and George Borjas, who researched the impact of immigration on wages and employment. The legislation was also shaped by the experiences of refugees from Cuba, Vietnam, and Cambodia, who were resettled in the United States with the help of organizations like the International Rescue Committee and the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.

● Background

The background of the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act is rooted in the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, which established the foundation for US immigration law, as interpreted by the US Supreme Court in cases like Graham v. Richardson and Plyler v. Doe. The 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, sponsored by Emanuel Celler and Philip Hart, abolished the national origins quota system, leading to an increase in immigration from Asia and Latin America, as noted by Nathan Glazer and Daniel Patrick Moynihan. The 1970s and 1980s saw a rise in undocumented immigration, prompting calls for reform from politicians like Barbara Jordan and Alan K. Simpson, who worked with organizations like the National Immigration Forum and the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

● Provisions

The provisions of the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act included amnesty for certain undocumented immigrants, as well as increased border security measures, such as the construction of fences and the deployment of US Border Patrol agents, as recommended by the General Accounting Office and the Congressional Budget Office. The law also introduced employer sanctions for hiring undocumented workers, as advocated by Lane Kirkland and the AFL-CIO, and established the H-2A visa program for agricultural workers, with input from the US Department of Agriculture and the National Farmers Union. Additionally, the law created the Special Agricultural Worker (SAW) program, which allowed certain farmworkers to obtain legal status, as supported by the United Farm Workers and the Farmworker Justice organization.

● Implementation_and_Enforcement

The implementation and enforcement of the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act were overseen by the US Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), which was later merged into the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as directed by the Homeland Security Act of 2002. The law's provisions were enforced by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the US Marshals Service, and the US Coast Guard. The law also established the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices, which was tasked with investigating employment-related discrimination, as mandated by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

● Impact_and_Legacy

The impact and legacy of the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act have been significant, with the law's amnesty provisions allowing millions of undocumented immigrants to obtain legal status, as documented by the Pew Research Center and the Migration Policy Institute. However, the law's employer sanctions and border security measures have been criticized for their effectiveness, as noted by critics like Jorge Castañeda and Douglas Massey. The law has also been credited with contributing to the growth of the US economy, as argued by economists like Borjas and David Card, and has influenced immigration policies in other countries, such as Canada and Australia, as studied by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

● Amendments_and_Reform_Efforts

The amendments and reform efforts related to the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act have been ongoing, with numerous attempts to reform the US immigration system, as proposed by politicians like John McCain and Ted Kennedy. The Immigration Act of 1990, signed into law by George H.W. Bush, increased immigration quotas and introduced the diversity visa program, as advocated by Bruce Morrison and the National Immigration Forum. More recent efforts, such as the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007 and the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013, have aimed to address issues like border security, undocumented immigration, and pathways to citizenship, as supported by organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Council of La Raza.