Opinion ID: 2095393
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The Federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986

Text: Despite the policy objectives of the INA, the United States faced steadily increasing waves of aliens entering the United States illegally. After many years of bipartisan efforts to update federal immigration laws, [4] in 1986 Congress adopted the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) ( see Pub L 99-603, 100 US Stat 3359, as amended, codified at 8 USC § 1324a et seq. ). Both Congress and the President expressed the view that [t]he principal means of closing the back door, or curtailing future illegal immigration, [wa]s through employer sanctions (HR Rep No. 99-682, part I, 99th Cong, 2d Sess, at 46, reprinted in 1986 US Code Cong & Admin News, at 5650) that were intended to remove the incentive for illegal immigration by eliminating the job opportunities which draw illegal aliens into the country (Pub L 99-603, Statement by President Ronald Reagan Upon Signing S 1200, 22 Wkly Compilation Presidential Docs 1534 [Nov. 10, 1986], reprinted in 1986 US Code Cong & Admin News, at 5856-1). To attain this goal, the most important component of the IRCA scheme was the creation of a new [e]mployment verification system designed to deter the employment of aliens who are not lawfully present in the United States and those who are lawfully present, but not authorized to work ( see 8 USC § 1324a [b]). Under this system, aliens legally present and approved to work in the United States are issued formal documentation of their eligibility status by federal immigration authorities ( see 8 USC § 1324a [b] [1] [B], [C]), usually in the form of a green card, a registration number or some other document issued by the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services ( see INS v. National Center for Immigrants' Rights, Inc., 502 US 183, 195-196 [1991]; 8 CFR 274a.12 [a]). Before hiring an alien, an employer is required to verify the prospective worker's identity and work eligibility by examining the government-issued documentation. If the required documentation is not presented, the alien cannot be hired ( see 8 USC § 1324a [a] [1]). An employer who knowingly violates the employment verification requirements, or who unknowingly hires an illegal alien but subsequently learns that an alien is not authorized to work and does not immediately terminate the employment relationship, is subject to civil or criminal prosecution and penalties ( see 8 USC § 1324a [a] [1], [2]; [f] [1]). In addition to the provisions relating to the responsibilities of employers, IRCA also declares that it is a crime for an alien to provide a potential employer with documents falsely acknowledging receipt of governmental approval of the alien's eligibility for employment ( see 8 USC § 1324c [a]). Similar to the INA, however, IRCA does not penalize an alien for attaining employment without having proper work authorization, unless the alien engages in fraud, such as presenting false documentation to secure the employment. In order to preserve the national uniformity of this verification system and the sanctions imposed for violations, Congress expressly provided that IRCA would preempt any State or local law imposing civil or criminal sanctions (other than through licensing and similar laws) upon those who employ, or recruit or refer for a fee for employment, unauthorized aliens (8 USC § 1324a [h] [2]).