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The Immigration Reform And Control Act (IRCA) By President Reagan

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In 1986 The Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) was signed into law by President Reagan. The law was envisioned to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to update and reform the immigration laws. The bill attempted to make both sides of the aisle happy by giving funding to border patrol and creating a pathway to citizen for illegal immigrants. At the time in the country there was an increased concern about illegal immigration while balancing the need for cheap labor in the economy. The bill provided temporary resident status for aliens who resided continuously and lawfully in the United States prior to January 1, 1982 (Summary, 1989). After 18 months it allowed those temporary residents to become permanent residents if they showed

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