Immigration Reform

The United States is in desperate need of immigration reform in order to meet our nation’s societal, cultural, and economic needs. Immigrants have long been a source of strength for our country: new arrivals to the U.S. spur business creation, fuel innovation, strengthen communities, and reinforce the middle class. Smart immigration policy grows the economy, helps Americans, and helps keep families together.

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service continues to advocate for the welcome, protection and care of our migrant brothers and sisters through compassionate, comprehensive immigration reform. In this article, we cover frequently asked questions and updates on immigration form and provide resources to better advocate for solutions that will strengthen the U.S. for generations to come.

What is the history of U.S. immigration policy?

The United States has had an unfortunate history of enacting restrictive immigration laws, such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, and the National Origins Act of 1924. The system as we know it today is the result of several major legislative reforms:

The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 was a sweeping immigration reform bill that ended the national origins quota system, and created the foundation of the current system, under which immigration is based around family reunification and the needs of employers. Learn more about the fight to pass this legislation from our Virtual Book Event with Jia Lynn Yang, national editor at the New York Times and author of “One Mighty and Irresistible Tide: The Epic Struggle Over American Immigration, 1924-1965.”

The Refugee Act of 1980 adopted the United Nation’s definition of “refugees” and expanded the annual admission of refugees. Since its passage, the U.S. has resettled approximately 3.5 million refugees through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program – Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service is a proud partner in this work, and continues to resettle thousands of new Americans every year. Learn more about refugee resettlement.

What is the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986?

The Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) was the first legislative attempt to comprehensively address the issue of unauthorized immigration. The bill included sanctions against employers for the hiring of undocumented migrants, and more robust border enforcement.

The act also legalized certain seasonal agricultural undocumented migrants and undocumented migrants who entered the United States before January 1, 1982 and had resided here continuously with the penalty of a fine, back taxes due, and admission of guilt.

Although the motivation behind the legislation was sound, there were a number of problems with its design and implementation. While the context of immigration to the U.S. has changed substantially since then, the incentives for immigration to the United States remain the same, and many lessons from the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act remain illustrative today.

What is the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996?

The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA), signed by President Bill Clinton in September 1996, made further changes to immigration laws. It eliminated key defenses against deportation and subjected many more immigrants, including legal permanent residents, to detention and deportation. IIRIRA defined a greatly expanded range of criminal convictions – including relatively minor, nonviolent ones – for which legal permanent residents could be automatically deported.

It also made it harder for unauthorized immigrants to “get legal” – after the law’s passage, an unauthorized immigrant couldn’t always directly apply for legal status, even if he or she had married a US citizen, or qualified for a green card through a relative. Immigrants are now banished for at least three years if they lived in the US without papers for six months; the banishment lasts 10 years if the immigrant has lived in the US without papers for a year or more.