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Nationality Act of 1790
This was the first law to define eligibility for citizenship by naturalization and establish standards and procedures by which immigrants became US citizens. But congress limited this to free white people. -
Ban on importation of any negro, or other person of colour
The Haitian revolution led congress to ban immigration by free blacks to contain anti-slavery campaigners -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
In the settlement of the Mexican-American war, this treaty formalized the united states annexation of a major portion of northern Mexico and conferred citizenship on Mexicans choosing to remain in the territory -
United States v. Wong Kim Ark
This supreme court case established the precedent that any person born in the United States is a citizen by birth regardless of race or parents status. -
Thind v. United States
Contradicting the logic behind its ruling in ozawa v. U.S the supreme court found that Bhagat Singh Thind was also ineligible for citizenship even though as an asian indian, who were as Caucasians, he was racially white -
Indian Citizenship Act
This law stipulated that all native Americans born in the United Sates were automatically citizens by birth. Native Americans were the last main group to gain this right set forth in the fourteenth amendment. -
cuban adjustment act
After Fidel Castro's revolution, anti-communist cubans received preferential immigration conditions because they cam from a historically close U.S neighbor and ally. This law provided them permanent status and resources to help adjustment to life in the U.S. -
Immigration act
Congress revised the immigration act of 1965 by implementing the H-1B visa program for skilled temporary workers, with some provisions for conversion to permanent, and the diversity visa lottery for populations unable to enter through the preference system. -
Chinese student protection act
Legislated in response to the brutal Chinese government crackdowns on student protests in Tiananmen in 1989, the law permitted Chinese students living in the United States to gain legal permanent status. -
Deferred action for parents of Americans and lawful permanent residents and DACA program expanded
The executive order issued by the Obama White House sought to defer deportation and some other protections for unauthorized immigrants whose children were either American citizens or lawful permanent residents.