Immigration Reform in the United States: IRCA Revived: Contextualizing the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Modernization Act (S. 744)

The Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) 1986, was the last comprehensive piece of immigration legislation passed in the United States and it failed to meet the needs of employers, protect immigrants and create equitable access in U.S. immigration. With the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Modernization Act (S. 744) passed in the U.S. Senate, it might be possible that a comprehensive bill better suited to the needs of the American economy and people will replace the IRCA. However, due to the political nature of immigration reform in the U.S., S. 744 contains compromises that disproportionately affect communities living along the border without providing the financial resources to regulate the implementation of S. 744. Although the IRCA failed to meet expectations, namely achieving a lasting reduction in undocumented migration, the authors of S. 744 have chosen to use the IRCA as the framework to structure the new bill. S. 744 will focus on giving employers greater access to temporary foreign workers, allow undocumented immigrants the ability to transition to permanent resident status and secure U.S. and Mexico border by completing the 2,000-mile securit