Final answer:
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits employment discrimination, but undocumented aliens face challenges claiming protections under this act because employment eligibility requirements from the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 conflict with their ability to lawfully work in the U.S.
Step-by-step explanation:
Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employment discrimination is prohibited on the basis of race, gender, national origin, religion, or sexual orientation. This federal law ensures that individuals are treated fairly in various aspects of employment, such as hiring, promotions, and compensation. However, undocumented aliens may find it challenging to seek remedies under this act, primarily due to the requirements of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, which obligates employers to verify and record the identity and employment eligibility of all employees. Due to these requirements, alleging discrimination in employment practices becomes complicated for undocumented workers since their employment in itself would be in violation of federal law.
In the historic context, the U.S. has seen periods where undocumented labor was tolerated, but shifts in economic conditions, such as the devaluation of the Mexican currency in the 1980s, have led to a surge in undocumented immigration and hence, a change in the legal landscape. These changes were realized through laws imposing sanctions on employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants, thereby impacting the rights and protections available to such individuals under employment discrimination laws.
It is important to understand that while Title VII aims to protect employees from discrimination, the legality of an individual's employment status can significantly affect the extent to which these protections can be applied, and in the case of undocumented aliens, it often limits their ability to bring actions for employment discrimination under Title VII.