Yes except Reagan signed into law an immediate path to green card/citizenship.
What part of that don't you understand?
http://thetarpit.blogspot.com/2005/11/bush-amnesty-smoking-gun-found-again_03.html
The President is misrepresenting Amnesty as having to do with an "automatic path to citizenship." That's a false definition. The Reagan Amnesty didn't provide automatic paths to citizenship. Under that amnesty, illegals had to first apply for Lawful Temporary Resident (LTR) status, then wait eighteen months before applying for Lawful Permanent Resident status. Then, after five years, the amnestied illegals could apply for citizenship. Read:
Section 201 -- Legalization Of Status
a. Provides for the adjustment of status of illegal aliens to LTR if they:
Have entered the U.S. before January 1, 1982;
Have continuously resided in the U.S. unlawfully since that date;
Applied for adjustment of status during the 12-month period beginning on May 5, 1987; and
Meet admissibility criteria.
b. Provides for the subsequent adjustment of an alien in LTR status to that of an alien LAPR if they:
Apply for adjustment of status during the 1-year period beginning on the nineteenth month after LTR status was granted;
Have continuously resided in the U.S. since LTR status was granted;
Are admissible as an immigrant; and
Demonstrate basic citizenship skills.
c. Provides for applications to be filed with:
The Attorney General (local INS offices); or
Designated organizations (volunteer organizations).
d. Provides that during the 5-year period beginning on the date LTR status is granted, LTR's are ineligible for any Federal program of financial assistance.
e. Provides that the definition of Federal financial assistance does not include SSI. (LTR's are not precluded from filing for SSI.)
There was a path to citizenship, but it wasn't automatic. Also, as the above shows, the Reagan Amnesty clearly wasn't a blanket amnesty. Hairsplitting on the Bush Amnesty by the President, his aides, and his amnesty apologists has a strong tendency to fail when the dynamics of the Reagan Amnesty are properly understood.
Besides himself, who does the President think he's kidding?
............
I guess I need to spell out what the other article said, Reagan compromised on what is now being called amnesty in exchange for employer sanctions which would take away the largest magnet for illegal aliens EMPLOYMENT. Now Bush is rewarding those who are EMPLOYED which is what Reagan fought so hard to end....