Ep. 96: The Law That Gave Three Million People a Second Chance

In 1986, President Reagan signed one of the most consequential immigration laws in American history—the Immigration Reform and Control Act. This landmark legislation provided amnesty and a path to citizenship for nearly three million undocumented immigrants, while simultaneously establishing employer sanctions designed to curb illegal hiring practices.Join us on Signed Into Law as we explore how this bipartisan compromise reshaped America's immigration landscape, the political forces that made it possible, and its lasting impact on immigration policy debates today. From the stories of families who gained legal status to the unintended consequences that followed, this episode examines a pivotal moment in U.S. legislative history.Subscribe to Signed Into Law for more fascinating stories about the laws that shaped America. New episodes weekly on all major podcast platforms.This episode includes AI-generated content.