What is “amnesty?
Sections 210 and 245 of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 gave away resident alien status to illegal aliens on a massive scale. The aliens were obliged to “prove” that they were in the United States illegally prior to a certain date, or that they had performed only ninety-days of field work during a certain period and presto! . . . instant green card! Needless to say that the minimal “proof” required for these applications was an open invitation for fraud. As we know now, the 1986 amnesty programs did nothing to solve the problems of illegal immigration. They were a disaster of enormous proportions, rewarding aliens who had already served notice on American society that they were unwilling to abide by our immigration laws.
Sections 210 and 245 of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 gave away resident alien status to illegal aliens on a massive scale. The aliens were obliged to “prove” that they were in the United States illegally prior to a certain date, or that they had performed only ninety-days of field work during a certain period and presto! . . . instant green card! Needless to say that the minimal “proof” required for these applications was an open invitation for fraud. As we know now, the 1986 amnesty programs did nothing to solve the problems of illegal immigration. They were a disaster of enormous proportions, rewarding aliens who had already served notice on American society that they were unwilling to abide by our immigration laws.
