More than IRCA: US Legalization Programs and the Current Policy Debate

Legalization is a policy option that has been used with some regularity by governments in the United States, Europe and elsewhere. Notwithstanding the commonly held perception that the United States has had only one legalization – in 1986 – legalization has been an enduring and necessary feature of US immigration law and policy since the 1920s.

This Policy Brief, the second in a series on how to shape and administer an effective legalization program, provides an historical overview of US legalization programs, statistics, a primer on the different types of programs and discussion of the current debate.

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