Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act

Congress passes the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act to create more stringent immigration laws pertaining to admission and deportation. The law broadens the types of crimes that could lead to deportation, making shoplifting a deportable offense, and makes becoming legal after entering the country illegally almost impossible. Applying for asylum becomes more difficult under this law, which bars refugees from working while their cases are under review. Mass incarceration of immigrants begins and by 2010 363,000 people are detained.