As the national conversation on immigration policy reignites, it's important to revisit a pivotal chapter in American history that is often overlooked—or deliberately forgotten. In 1986, President Ronald Reagan, widely hailed as a conservative icon, signed into law one of the most sweeping immigration reforms in U.S. history: the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA). While the bill was promoted as a crackdown on undocumented immigration, it also granted amnesty—yes, amnesty—to nearly three million undocumented immigrants living in the United States.
Under IRCA, any immigrant who had entered the country before 1982 and met certain requirements was eligible to apply for legal permanent residency. The word “amnesty” may sound politically radioactive today, but back then, even the father of modern conservatism believed in its moral necessity.
Reagan himself stated during a 1984 presidential debate:
“I believe in the idea of amnesty for those who have put down roots and lived here, even though sometime back they may have entered illegally.”
That belief was rooted in Reagan's view of America as a fundamentally open and welcoming nation—an idea that seems increasingly lost in today's political rhetoric. Former Reagan speechwriter Peter Robinson noted that the president believed “the country was fundamentally open to those who wanted to join us here.” Senator Alan Simpson, one of IRCA's Republican co-authors, recalled that Reagan was deeply concerned about the exploitation and abuse of undocumented people who had no legal protections:
“Anybody who's here illegally is going to be abused in some way, either financially or physically. They have no rights.”
While the 1986 law was not perfect—it failed to adequately enforce sanctions against employers hiring undocumented workers—it still represented a bold and humane attempt to bring millions out of the shadows. According to Simpson, the amnesty provision was the law's saving grace:
“It's not perfect, but 2.9 million people came forward. If you can bring one person out of an exploited relationship, that's good enough for me.”
Today, the political climate has shifted. Calls for “amnesty” have largely been replaced by demands for “border security.” Even modest proposals for legalization are met with fierce resistance. But history tells a different story—one in which a conservative president saw amnesty not as a political liability, but as a moral imperative.
Reagan's own diaries reveal that he was uncomfortable with the idea of a militarized border. In a 1979 meeting with Mexico's president, Reagan expressed hope that the U.S.-Mexico border could be “something other than the location for a fence.”
At Saluja Law, we believe that meaningful immigration reform requires more than slogans. It requires leadership, courage, and above all, compassion. The 1986 law wasn't perfect—but it recognized the humanity of undocumented people and gave millions the opportunity to live with dignity in the only country they had come to call home.
As we navigate today's complex and polarized immigration landscape, let's not forget that one of America's most celebrated conservative leaders once stood on the side of amnesty—and changed millions of lives for the better.
— Saluja Law
Defending rights. Restoring dignity. Fighting for justice.