Crafting an Amnesty with Traditional Tools: Registration and Cancellation

Abstract:     
Immigration amnesty while widely believed to be an anomaly has strong historical precedent, and is found in various provisions of the current immigration law. Large numbers of undocumented persons are currently residing in the United States and amnesty is one way of bringing these people out from under the shadows. This article argues that in order for an amnesty to be effective that it must be both uncomplicated and broad. The article argues further that a careful updating of registry and cancellation of removal, two traditional tools found in U.S. immigration laws offer the best possibility for a successful amnesty program.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 34

Keywords: Immigration, Amnesty, Legislation, Immigration Reform, Aliens And Citizenship, Law Reform, Immigration History

working papers series