Иммиграционный акт 1990 года: Реформа и увеличение иммиграции в США

US law reforming the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965

The Immigration Act of 1990 was signed into law by George H. W. Bush on November 29, 1990. It was first introduced by Senator Ted Kennedy in 1989. It was a national reform of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. It increased total, overall immigration to allow 700,000 immigrants to come to the U. S. per year for the fiscal years 1992–94, and 675,000 per year after that. It provided a family based immigration visa, created five distinct employment based visas, categorized by occupation, and a diversity visa program that created a lottery to admit immigrants from "low admittance" countries or countries whose citizenry was underrepresented in the U. S.

Besides these immigrant visas there were also changes in nonimmigrant visas like the H 1B visa for highly skilled workers. There were also cutbacks in the allotment of visas available for extended relatives. Congress also created the temporary protected status (TPS visa), which the Attorney General may provide to immigrants who are temporarily unable to safely return to their home country because of ongoing armed conflict, an environmental disaster, or other extraordinary and temporary condition. It specifically benefited citizens of El Salvador. and eliminated exclusion of homosexuals under the medically unsound classification of "sexual deviant" that was in the 1965 Act. George H. W. Bush is quoted as saying, "I am also pleased to note that this Act facilitates immigration not just in numerical terms, but also in terms of basic entry rights of those beyond our borders."

Prior to the introduction of the Immigration act of 1990 from Ted Kennedy there was talk in the House and Senate about immigration reform, specifically about the number of immigrants that were allowed to enter the United States. In 1988, the House voted against a proposal that would limit the amount of immigrants' family members who could enter the United States. With the system at the time allowing for unlimited family members to enter, immigration reform opponent groups largely contended with the allowance of this system. The Senate then debated immigration reform in 1989, before Ted Kennedy proposed the Immigration Act of 1990, which continued family based immigrant visas. The most important part of the Immigration Act of 1990 is the increase in immigrants that are allowed to come into the US, and subsequently allowed millions of immigrants entry over the ensuing decades. Specifically Title I, sec 104, which increased the number of asylees able to enter the country. In this same title, the bill allowed for an increase in family based as well as visa based immigration. Compared to the bill's initial introduction in the Senate, the final draft's ultimate objective differs little from what was intended. However, wordage of the law's official draft varied considerably from the original. For example, in the final version's antecedent, provisions contained numerous specific immigration caps for different categories, instead of the simple 675,000 per year found in the law. Much of this language used in Title I was eliminated in the Act's final form.

Following the passage of this act, there were more immigrants admitted to the U. S. from 1991 to 2000 than any prior decade in U. S. history with 10–11 million documented entries. The report concluded with the following statement of principles: "Properly regulated immigration and immigrant policy serves the national interest by ensuring the entry of those who will contribute most to our society and helping lawful newcomers adjust to life in the United States. It must give due consideration to shifting economic realities. A well regulated system sets priorities for admission; facilitates nuclear family reunification; gives employers access to a global labor market while protecting U. S. workers; helps to generate jobs and economic growth; and fulfills our commitment to resettle refugees as one of several elements of humanitarian protection of the persecuted."