The 1986 law that prevents employers from hiring and retaining unauthorized aliens for work is ___________.

The correct response is the IRCA, which stands for the Immigration Reform and Control Act. This law was enacted in 1986 to address the issue of illegal immigration and introduced measures to prevent the hiring and retention of unauthorized workers by employers. It established penalties for employers who knowingly employed individuals without proper work authorization and set forth requirements for employment verification practices. The IRCA also included provisions for legalizing the status of certain undocumented immigrants who had been living in the United States since before the law was enacted. This act was significant in shaping immigration policy as it required employers to verify the eligibility of their employees to work within the U.S., thus playing a crucial role in combating illegal employment practices.