Events and Issues Related to Immigration to the US

By angelicaw

  • Importation of Slavery Banned

    United States Congress officially banned the importation of slavery into the country.

  • Irish Potato Famine

    Starving immigrants from Ireland came to America in search of religious freedom and a better shot at life.

  • Elections

    The people elected into Congress were part of the American “Know-Knothings” party, which was also known as the anti-immigration party.

  • The Anti-Coolie Act

    The Anti-Coolie act was enacted by the state of California. Coolie is a negate term for Chinese immigrants.

  • The Homestead Act

    The Homestead Act gave 160 acres of free western land to settlers who lived on the land for five years. Unintentionally, this act spurred more immigrants to come to America.

  • Transcontinental Railroad

    The construction of this railroad provide Chinese and Irish Immigrants with jobs.

  • The Chinese Exclusion Act

    This act restricted Chinese immigrants from migration to America for ten years.

  • Immigration Act of 1882

    This Act charged a 50-cent tax for each immigrant and made different categories of people ineligible for citizenship. “Lunatics” were not allowed.

  • Statue of Liberty Dedication

    The Statue of Liberty is an enduring symbol of freedom and democracy, which encouraged immigrants to come to the US.

  • The Anarchist Exclusion Act

    This act was passed by the US Congress to prevent the immigration of immigrants who had anarchist ideas. This act was in response to President McKinley assassination by an anarchist.

  • Expatriation Act

    This act stated the any American women who married a foreign man would lose her US citizenship.

  • Immigration Act of 1917

    This law required immigrants to be able to read at least 40 words in some language.

  • Jones-Shafroth Act

    This act gave Puerto Ricans citizenship if they joined the US military; otherwise they weren’t citizens of America.

  • The Emergency Quota Act

    This act restricted immigration from a country to 3% of the number of people in the country to live in the US.

  • Alien Registration Act

    This law required all immigrants had to register and carry a Green Card.

  • McCarran-Walter Act

    This act liberalized Asian immigration and encouraged people with specific skills, like scientists, to immigrate to the US.

  • Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965

    This act marked the first time the United States government attempted to limit immigration from Mexico.

  • Immigration and Reform Control Act

    This act offered amnesty towards illegal immigrants and anyone who hired these immigrants were subject to punishment as well.

  • The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act

    This act made it harder for immigrants to seek refuge and asylum in America.

  • The USA Patriot Act

    This act, put in motion after the 911 terrorists attacks, created homeland security departments and required people to carry updated passports when entering or leaving the country.

  • The REAL ID Act

    This act modifies a federals law dealing with security, insurance procedures, and enforced as states to have standard ID to indentify the true Americans from terrorists and illegal immigrants.

  • Arizona Immigration Law

    Enforced law officials to question and stop people thought to be illegal. This federal law criminalized illegal immigration from Mexico as trespassing.