What is the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA)?
The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA) is a U.S. federal law that sought to address illegal immigration by providing amnesty to certain undocumented immigrants who had been living in the country since 1982, while also implementing stricter enforcement measures. It required employers to verify the employment eligibility of their workers through the completion of Form I-9 and imposed penalties for hiring unauthorized immigrants.