Immigration Legislation— A 35-Year Review

In retrospect of a long career in immigration and for his last column for the New York Law Journal, Fragomen’s Michael D. Patrick, provides an overview of 35 years of immigration legislation. Michael examines some of the landmark congressional actions since 1979 such as the Refugee Act of 1980, Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, and Immigration Act of 1990.

While giving a historical perspective on the immigration legislation, the column also discusses recent congressional efforts, executive actions, and gridlocks, and points toward a future direction where Congress needs to recognize the costs of failing to pass comprehensive immigration reform and the need to act in a bipartisan manner in order to achieve sensible reform.