1986 Amnesty 1986 Research Paper

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Palm Beach State College The Amnesty of 1986: Implications and Impact. Historical Essay Jessica Roker Intro American Government Professor Tinker June 27,2024 The Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986, also referred to as the 1986 Amnesty, was a law that offered many undocumented immigrants residing in the United States. The purpose of this amnesty was to address the issue of immigration by giving them way to status, for undocumented individuals who met specific requirements. In this essay, we will dig into the repercussions of the 1986 Amnesty on the United States with a focus on its impacts, on the economy, society, and immigration policies, and how the 1986 amnesty could make a difference …show more content…

Research conducted by the National Bureau of Economic Research revealed that the amnesty resulted in lower rates of workforce participation and lower unemployment rates over the years (Cortes, 2008). This suggests that granting status to immigrants played a role, in addressing labor shortages in specific sectors and stimulating economic development. The 1986 Amnesty had no implications but also significant social effects. Critics argued that it might promote immigration and burden social services. Nevertheless, a research paper, in the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management indicated that amnesty did not result in a rise in immigration after its introduction (Baker et al., 2007). This implies that concerns about a "magnet effect" were baseless and that the amnesty did not trigger an influx of migrants. In addition, the Amnesty of 1986 also contributed positively to inclusion. According to research conducted by the Migration Policy Institute, immigrants who were granted status were shown to engage more in duties and community engagements, like voting and volunteering, in contrast to undocumented immigrants (Schuck et al., 2015). This suggests that amnesty played a role in fostering unity and integration within …show more content…

It altered how the government dealt with immigration enforcement by providing status to millions of immigrants. According to a study published in the Journal of Policy Research, the amnesty resulted in a shift towards an enforcement approach focusing on employer sanctions and guest worker programs rather than mass deportations (Martin, 2015). This suggests that the 1986 Amnesty represented a moment in immigration policy moving towards a holistic and nuanced strategy. Additionally, 1986 Amnesty established a model for immigration reforms. According to a publication from the Brookings Institution, authors contend that the amnesty paved the way for initiatives aiming to grant status to undocumented individuals, like the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (Meissner et al. 2016). The 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the ' This indicates that the 1986 Amnesty had an influence, on U.S. Immigration policy influencing how the government tackles immigration

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