What Is Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants?
The legal definition of amnesty for illegal immigrants has been highly politicized in recent times. Shedding aside the rhetoric, amnesty for illegal immigrants refers to allowing illegal immigrants to remain in the United States. However, many argue that this is not a proper application of the term "amnesty." Most of the proposals in this regard include penalties for being in the country illegally as part of gaining so-called amnesty. There are no penalties associated with true amnesty.
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History
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The concept of amnesty dates back to ancient Greece. Amnesty refers to the restoration of a person who is guilty of a crime to the status of an innocent person. Amnesty is awarded in various ways. For example, in the United Kingdom, amnesty can be granted by the Queen or by an Act of Parliament. In the United States, President Andrew Johnson granted a rather general amnesty to Confederate soldiers. In regard to amnesty for illegal immigrants, many contend that President Ronald Reagan granted amnesty to several million such individuals during his time in office.
Function
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The primary functions of granting amnesty (or partial or qualified amnesty) to foreign nationals who illegally are in the United States are to bring them into compliance with the laws of the U.S.A. and to begin the process of allowing them to become U.S. citizens. Other functions are attributed to the concept of granting amnesty to illegal immigrants, including enhancing homeland security and engaging in a compassionate objective.
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Significance
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Although estimates vary, there is some agreement that there are at least 12 million individuals who are not legally in the United States. Some experts believe this number is significantly higher. In any event, if some sort of amnesty for illegal immigrants policy and program were to be put in place, the significance would be considerable. Millions of lives would be effected, and there is some concern that this type of broad grant of amnesty would further tax already stretched governmental budgets.
Time Frame
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In the discussions and debate surrounding amnesty for illegal immigrants, a variety of different time frames are being bandied about. At one extreme are those advocates who call for an immediate amnesty for illegal immigrants. At the other end of the spectrum are proposals that center on what can best be described as a drawn out path to citizenship that requires illegal immigrants to return to their nation of origin before they will be considered for a legal status in the United States.
Effects
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A great deal of the debate around the issue of amnesty for illegal immigrants centers on the ultimate effects of such a decision and process. There are individuals who oppose amnesty because they feel it rewards law breaking and penalizes individuals who entered the country legally. On the affirmative side, there are people who advocate for amnesty because contending that granting these individuals legal status in the country actually will have economic and other benefits.
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