IIRIRA stands for the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. This Act plays an important role in immigration by making it more difficult for those traveling to the United States to gain entry and to remain in the country.
What Does IIRIRA Do?
IIRIRA includes provisions for stricter restrictions on who can be admitted to the United States. It also expanded the definitions of certain crimes and placed new penalties for overstaying visas. It increased the powers of border and immigration agents, including the ability to arrest, detain, and deport any undocumented immigrant without due process or a court hearing.
The Significance of IIRIRA
Since IIRIRA was passed, immigration enforcement policy has been increasingly focused on expelling unauthorized immigrants and penalizing U.S. employers who hire them. In recent years, the Trump Administration has sought to further expand IIRIRA’s enforcement power, including plans to extend the maximum time immigrants can be held in detention, broaden the definition of aggravated felonies, and impose stiffer penalties for employers who hire unauthorized immigrants.
What Does This Mean for You?
If you are an immigrant in the United States, IIRIRA is an important law to be aware of. It has significantly increased the power of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, leading to increased raids and arrests across the country. The U.S. Supreme Court has recently upheld parts of IIRIRA that increase the power of immigration officers.
At the same time, if you are an employer in the United States, IIRIRA imposes serious penalties on those who hire unauthorized immigrants. Therefore, it is important to abide by all federal immigration laws and to understand the potential consequences of hiring individuals who may not be properly authorized to work in the United States.