What is the Immigration Reform and Control Act?

The Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) is a federal law passed in 1986 that regulates immigration in the United States. It was created with the purpose of controlling the number of undocumented immigrants in the country. IRCA primarily consists of two sections: the amnesty provision and the employer sanctions provision. The amnesty provision allowed certain undocumented immigrants in the US to adjust their status and become lawful permanent residents. The employer sanctions provision penalized employers who knowingly hire and employ undocumented immigrants. In California, the IRCA has had a significant impact on the state’s immigration laws. Specifically, it has made it easier for undocumented immigrants to adjust their status and become lawful permanent residents. Additionally, California has adopted some of the provisions of the IRCA, such as employer sanctions, which require employers in the state to verify the legal status of their employees. In the event that someone is deemed inadmissible or removable, the IRCA also grants the possibility for certain immigrants to apply for a form of relief known as cancellation of removal. This relief is available for certain immigrants who have been present in the US for at least 10 years, have good moral character, and can demonstrate that their removal would cause exceptional and extremely unusual hardship for their US citizen or lawful permanent resident family members. Cancellation of removal is available in both deportation proceedings and in immigration court proceedings. Ultimately, the Immigration Reform and Control Act has had a major impact on California’s immigration laws, and it is important for individuals to be aware of the ways that it affects them.

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El Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) es una ley federal pasada por el Congreso de los Estados Unidos en 1986. Esta ley fue diseñada para detener la inmigración ilegal y regularizar la situación de algunos inmigrantes ilegales que ya se encontraban en los Estados Unidos. Esta ley también se conoce como la Ley Simpson-Mazzoli. Esta ley fue un paso importante para regularizar la situación de los inmigrantes que llegaron a los Estados Unidos antes del 1 de enero de 1982. Esta ley les dio a los inmigrantes la posibilidad de aplicar para una residencia legal permanente. Esta ley también estableció que los empleadores debían verificar la documentación de los inmigrantes antes de contratarlos y sancionó a aquellos que contrataban a inmigrantes ilegales. Sin embargo, la IRCA no contuvo la inmigración ilegal y desde entonces el gobierno ha aumentado las sanciones para aquellos que contratan a inmigrantes ilegales. Además, se han endurecido las leyes para aquellos extranjeros cuyas deportaciones están pendientes. En California, la aplicación de la ley de inmigración, especialmente la deportación, se ha visto a menudo en pueblos pequeños donde los inmigrantes ilegales están más susceptibles a la detención y deportación.

Related FAQs

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