Immigration Amendments of 1988
Public Law 100-658 · H.R. 5115 · 100th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Nov 15, 1988 · Immigration
Sponsor: Rep. Peter Rodino (D-NJ-10)
Cosponsors (3): Rep. Romano Mazzoli, Rep. William Hughes,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Immigration Amendments of 1988 - Amends the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 to extend and provide for 15,000 additional visas in each of FY 1989 and 1990 for nationals of countries adversely affected by Public Law 89-236 (1965 immigration amendments). Directs the Secretary of State to use the existing list of qualified immigrants established under such Act.
Provides an additional 10,000 visas in each of FY 1990 and 1991 to immigrants from underrepresented countries. Defines "underrepresented country" as one whose natives have received less than 25 percent of the maximum immigrant visas available to it in FY 1988 (excluding admissions under the Public Law 89-236 program). Waives labor certification requirements for such immigrants.
Directs the Attorney General to extend through December 31, 1989, the H-1 visa status of certain registered nurses who have held such status for at least five years and whose status expires in 1988 or 1989, or expired in 1987 but is under request for administrative extension.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Judiciary Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 15 actions.
- Nov 15, 1988Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 100-658.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 3, 1988PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 21, 1988FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Judiciary Committee
- Oct 7, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
- Oct 5, 1988FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- Oct 3, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
- Sep 30, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Judiciary Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- Sep 16, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- Aug 3, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- Jul 28, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.