If Reagan called it amnesty, then it is amnesty.
Any bill that lets the illegals stay here and be put on a path to citizenshp if they pay a token fine and meet token requirements is what I and most (and even President Reagan if he were alive today) would call an Amnesty, even if it includes tougher employer sanctions. The 1986 amnesty law included tougher employer sanctions and border security along with a "one time" amnesty.
The sanctions and border security provisions in the 1986 amnesty have never been seriously enforced since by any administration. There are also more illegals poring over our borders and thru our other ports of entry than ever. What makes you think that amnesty along with tougher employer provisions and enhanced border security will work this time?
In 1986, then President Reagan called these same kind of bills amnesty! These comprehensive immigration reform bills coming is the same amnesty legislation that President Reagan signed into law in 1986. The politicians know that the word "amnesty" is radioactive, so they call their current amnesty bills/proposals "comprehensive immigration reform" and claim it is not amnesty, though these same bills are identical to the 1986 amnesty bill that President Reagan signed into law.
He should know.
As far as I can tell after reviewing the1986 law, his bill was intended to be an amnesty bill. There was no pretense of it being anything other than an amnesty bill.
The only burden I can see that the Congress imposed on the illegal alien was to apply within the specified period, prove they met the requirements under the law, and pay the application fee. That pretty much fits my understanding of amnesty. See: DOJ Immigration Reform and Control Act
Did I miss something? If not, then any current bill which imposes some requirement beyond mere application is not amnesty. The debate hinges on whether or not requirements are punitive enough.
In any case, thank you ( and lonewacko_dot_com) for taking the time to reply.
Best,
R.
My dear husband just called while I was out, and used the word "amnesty". The secretary said it wasn't "amnesty" (LOL).....
We need to say "VOTE NO" on any form of comprehensive immigration reform..
Just VOTE NO!
sw