Final answer:
The Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986 prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of national origin, among other factors. The act aimed to discourage illegal immigration, but also led to unintended discriminatory practices in hiring.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986 prohibits discrimination on the basis of national origin. This law was designed to discourage illegal immigration by making it illegal to knowingly hire individuals not authorized to live and work in the United States. Besides addressing illegal employment, the IRCA also granted amnesty to certain undocumented immigrants who had arrived before January 1, 1982, under certain conditions.
Although the main purpose of the IRCA was to control illegal immigration, unintentional consequences such as discriminatory hiring practices surfaced. Employers might avoid hiring those who appeared 'foreign-looking' to circumvent penalties for employing undocumented workers. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws against job discrimination, including those based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.