Cardozo Journal of International and Comparative Law
Abstract
The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA) introduced sweeping changes to U.S. immigration policy, significantly restricting benefits for immigrants and increasing enforcement measures. These changes have raised critical policy and constitutional concerns, particularly regarding their disproportionate impact on vulnerable populations such as the elderly and disabled. The article argues that the IIRIRA reflects broader structural issues, including the exploitation of cheap labor and the reinforcement of an ethnically divided class system. It also highlights the interplay between economic policies, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and the facilitation of illegal immigration.
Disciplines
Civil Rights and Discrimination | Immigration Law | Law
Recommended Citation
Harry Valetk,
"I Cannot Eat Air!": An Economic Analysis of International Immigration Law for the 21st Century,
7
Cardozo J. Int'l & Comp. L.
141
(1999).
Available at:
https://larc.cardozo.yu.edu/cjicl/vol7/iss1/8