The IRCA was enacted for two purposes; the first is to prevent employers from hiring workers who do not maintain work eligibility in the United States. By requiring an I-9 for each employee, employers are forced to retain accurate documentation for each person they hire.
The second purpose of the act is to institute several protections for workers during the hiring process. Under the IRCA, employers are barred from discriminating against prospective hires based on their nation of birth or citizenship status. For example, employers cannot reject a lawful permanent resident’s (LPR) application if the reason for the rejection is that the LPR is not a citizen.