Events that shaped the ideas around American Immigration

By tiffrsetia

  • Alien and Sedition Acts

    This act allows the President to deport foreigners who have been deemed dangerous.
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    Irish Potato Famine

    Irish immigrants come to America in droves as a result of a famine in Ireland. It was considered that their personalities and dispositions would not match the American way. The immigrants faced much discrimination because of this. Duing this time, the anti-immigration movements had gained organized political strength.

  • California bars entry of Chinese

    Anti-immigration parties, concerned about the number of Chinese entering the U.S. influences Califonia to reduce the amount if Chinese allowed to enter the States.

  • Ellis Island Opens

    Over the course of 30 years, Ellis Island processed 12 million mostly European immigrants.

  • Anarchist Exclusion Act

    The Anarchist Exclusion Act allows immigrants to be denied on a basis on their political beleifs. This was a result of a Polish anarchist assasinating President McKinely.

  • California enacts an Alien Land Law

    This law disallowed Chinese and Japanese immigrants from owning property. This set a precident that would be followed by several other states.
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    Mexican Revolution causes Mexian refugees to flee to U.S.

  • Quota Act

    This act limited the number of European immigrants allowed into the country annually.

  • Oreintal Exclusion Act

    At this time the European immigration limit has been reduced and the immigration of most people of asian descent, even those with one American parent, has been prohibited. Immigration from Mexico has not been limited and so increased during this time.
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    Great Depression

    During the Great Depression many mexican immigrants and Mexican Americans, legal and otherwise, were sent out of the country. Many blamed them for the lack of jobs in the country.

  • Bracero Program

    Due to WWII taking most of the manual labor force, the government sets up a program to gather temporary employees from Mexico.

  • Operation Wetback

    As soldiers return from war, the need for Mexican laborers is no longer needed. People become hostile towards the Mexican workers, blaming them for stealing jobs. Operation Wetback forces laborers back to Mexico.

  • Immigration and Nationality Act

    The immigration system is changed to focus on allowing those wth employables skills or familial relations.

  • Refugee Act

    U.S. creates the Refugee Act, to admit those who are leaving their country to escape prosecution for " race, religion, nationality, or political opinion."

  • The Immigration Act of 1990

    The immigration limit for the U.S. is raised to 700,000.