Legal Definitions - Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act

The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA) is a law that made U.S. immigration laws stronger. It increased the punishment for undocumented immigrants who commit crimes while in the United States or who stay in the U.S. for a certain amount of time. The law was created to improve border controls and make it easier to deport people who are in the country illegally.

For example, the law made it a crime to smuggle undocumented people into the United States or to create fake immigration documents. It also allows for the deportation of undocumented immigrants who commit a misdemeanor or a felony. The law also added restrictions on applying for asylum, such as requiring a petition for asylum to be made within a year of arriving in the U.S.

The law also has consequences for undocumented immigrants who have been in the U.S. for a certain amount of time. If they have been in the U.S. for 180 days but less than a year, they must leave the country for three years unless they are pardoned. If they have been in the U.S. for a year or more, they must leave the country for ten years unless they obtain a waiver. If they come back to the U.S. without a pardon, they must wait ten years before they can apply for a waiver.

Overall, the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 made it harder for undocumented immigrants to stay in the United States and increased the punishment for those who commit crimes while in the country.