1. An act of clemency by an authority (as a government) by which pardon is granted, esp. to a group of individuals.
- Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law
3. Punishing people for entering the US illegally.
- One confused and babbling President.
"Ya know I uh... I've heard all the 'rhetoric', ya know, you've heard it too, 'bout how this (immigration reform bill) is 'amnesty'... Am - amnesty means that YOU GOTTA PAY, ya know, a price for having bin here illegally... And this bill does that."
- George W. Bush, Washington D.C., June 26, 2007.
1) To convince illegal aliens that they "feel their pain", regardless of whether amnesty legislation has a chance of passing or not, in an attempt to gain long-term political support for their party.
2) When politicians claim that amnesty legislation really isn't amnesty legislation in an attempt to dupe the rather gullible American public.
"Hey, Vato, did chew hear that Congress is workeen on anotheramnesty bill? I hope it ain't another amnestease, bro."