Amnesty refers to an official pardon granted by the government, usually on a large scale, which exempts individuals from prosecution for past offenses related to certain issues such as immigration status.
Related terms
Immigration reform: Changes made to existing immigration laws and policies to address issues such as border security, legal pathways for immigrants, and citizenship.
Naturalization: The process by which a foreign citizen becomes a U.S. citizen through meeting certain requirements and going through an application process.
DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals): A policy that was implemented in 2012 to provide temporary protection from deportation and work permits to individuals who were brought to the U.S. as children without documentation.