"[3] Introduced by Romano Mazzoli, the act amended the Immigration and Nationality Act by allowing the acquisition of United States citizenship from either parent for persons born abroad to parents, only one of whom is a United States citizen.

[4] The INTCA also prospectively expanded the definition of "aggravated felony", under which non-citizens were subject to deportation,[5] by adding more criminal convictions.

[6] Some of these new additions related to crime of violence, theft, ransom, child pornography, racketeering, prostitution, tax evasion, fraud and alien smuggling.

[7][8] The act was signed into law by President Bill Clinton, who said in his signing statement that act would correct the injustice towards persons born outside of the United States, and only one of whose parents was a United States citizen.

[9] The act amended this condition to allow acquisition of US citizenship when either of the parents was a US citizen.