What led to the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986?
Amid mounting public pressure, Congress created a commission in 1978 to study the effects of immigration. The commission’s recommendations, issued in 1981, became the basis for the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. It became known as the Simpson-Mazzoli bill after the two sponsors, former Sen. Alan Simpson, R-Wyo., and former Rep. Romano Mazzoli, D-Ky. The Bill What was the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 intended to accomplish? President Reagan and other supporters said the reforms would close the door to illegal immigration, protect the sovereignty of the United States and help the country regain control of the border. How was the 1986 act supposed to solve the problem? The legislation called for a three-pronged approach: amnesty, tighter border security and employer sanctions: Amnesty was aimed at two sets of undocumented immigrants: those already rooted in the United States and agriculture workers. Supporters said undocumented immigrants would be allowed to com
