amnesty
Under immigration law, amnesty is a governmental pardon for person violating policies related to immigration. Immigration amnesty would include the government forgiving individuals for using false documentation to gain employment in the U.S. and to remain in the country, and would allow illegal immigrants or undocumented aliens to gain permanent residency in the United States.
Definition from Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary
A pardon extended to a group or class of individuals by the government, usually before any trial or conviction. Amnesties often follow wars -- for example, the amnesty granted to Confederate officials and soldiers after the Civil War or to those who violated the Selective Service Act by evading the draft during the Vietnam War.
Definition provided by Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary.
August 19, 2010, 5:11 pm
