In 1986, Congress passed the Immigration Reform Act. This bill made it illegal for businesses to hire undocumented workers, provided amnesty to undocumented immigrant settled before 1982, and attempted to “secure” the U.S.- Mexico border. All to stop “illegal” immigration.

Prior to this bill, the U.S. would actively recruit immigrants from developing nations. They were happy as long as they could exploit their cheap labor. The workers would work the harvest and then go back home, this was called cyclical migration. At some point, workers stopped

going back and started bringing their families with them. This is when the issues began. The US did not want these families to stay here and change the “American” way of life. As the immigrant populations increased there was a sudden need to “secure” the border.

That’s when the 1986 bill was passed. Lawmakers hoped that these strict laws would push immigrants back to their home countries, but it did the opposite. Immigrants stayed afraid that they wouldn’t be able to come back. More families fled in hope to build a better life.

This is all taking place as the US was destabilizing Latin America for decades through the war on drugs and CIA missions. NAFTA was signed and it desimated rural Mexico. More fled for a better life. The “line” for legal immigration stretched out to several years of backlog.

Smuggling rates increased as did death rates of border crossings. America’s demand for cheap labor increased, so companies turn a blind eye to fake documentation bc our economy relies on exploiting workers.

Now, there’s more than 11 million undocumented immigrants in the US. Latinxs are the largest minority in the country. The US is projected to become a minority-majority country by 2045. Its time our policies reflect that. We need to gut xenophobic laws that tried to keep us out

Rethink everything we think we know about immigration. Stop deportations. Reunite families. Demilitarize our borders. Welcome immigrants of all socioeconomic backgrounds. Free movement of people. Stop settling for bullshit policies that make people fight for access to stolen land