Sheila Jackson Lee

In 1986, Congress passed the Immigration Reform and Control Act, which granted amnesty to immigrants who could prove continual residence in the United States prior to 1982. About 2.7 million people took advantage of the law to obtain legal status. Since the late 1980s, however, the number of illegal immigrants living in the United States has increased due to sustained migration. Various amnesty proposals for these more recent immigrants continue to be raised. In the following viewpoint, Sheila Jackson Lee, a democratic representative from Texas, argues that long-term undocumented residents who work hard and pay taxes should be given the opportunity to earn legal status. Productive immigrants deserve to have access to educational and economic opportunities, Lee contends.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. How many undocumented people are living and working in the...