Historical Events dealing with immigration

Immigration Act of 1864

Jul 4, 1864

This act actually encouraged immigration and they made some arrangements and even created labor contracts for incoming immigrants.

Chinese Exclusion Act 1882

May 6, 1882

This was the first las that denied immigrants access into the United States. This made it so Chinese people could not become citizens for the next ten years. This law was passed because peolpe feared their race and also did not want them taking americans jobs away.

1882 Immigration Act

Aug 3, 1882

This law stated that all immigrants that landed in U.S. ports were charged a 50 cent tax. The government used this money to help pay for regulating immigration. This law also gave them the right to deny aliens from entering the United States.

Contract Labor Law of 1885

Feb 26, 1885

This law prohibited bringing in immigrants under contract to preform labor in the United States.

Geary Act of 1892

May 5, 1892

This law made it so Chinese people were not allowed into the United States for another ten years. This law was extended the Chinese Exclusion act of 1882,

Immigration Restriction Act

Nov 17, 1901

This law placed more restrictions on immigration and also gave the okay to remove prohibited immigrants in Australia.

Gentlemen's Agreement

Jul 26, 1907

This agreement was between the United States and Japan and it stated that Japan wouldn't issue passports to immigrants and then the United States would let in immigrants who had wives and children already in the U.S. so they could be together.

Immigration Act of 1917

Feb 5, 1917

This act restricted immigration from people who were considered not normal in the United States. These people were the ones who had a disablity or something that prohibited them from working at a job.

Immigration Act of 1924

May 26, 1924

This act limited the number of immigrants allowed in the United States. They limited th annual number to only 2% of the population so they had to keep track of how many they let in.

Wartime Measure 1941

Jun 20, 1941

This law was passed so that they had the ability to refuse any immigrants visa in order to be safe and protect the country during the war.

The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952

Jun 27, 1952

This law changed how they chose which immigrants were allowed to enter the U.S. Instead of basing it on what country they came from, they decided based on how they acted. People who disobeyed laws and deseased were denied.

Hart-Cellar Act 1965

Oct 3, 1965

This act got rid of the quota system and replaced it with a preference system. This system focused on the immigrants skills and social life with their family. They allowed 170,000 visas a year.

IRCA 1986

Nov 6, 1986

This law was passed in order to control immigration in the United States. It is used to find those who came here illegal and those who are hiring illegals. They also started putting more law inforcement near the border to control this problem.

Immigration and Nationality Act of 1990

Nov 29, 1990

This law increased the limited of allowed immigrants in the United States in order to creat diversity. They gave visas to some of them in order to keep them save and unable to be deported.

Immigration Responsibility Act 1996

Sep 30, 1996

This act was passed to inform both illegal and legal immigrants their rights and rules of being in the United States. Everyone must follow certain laws and follow the rules.

SB1070

Jul 29, 2010

This law states that those who came here illegal are not allowed here. The purpose of it is to send back those who came here illegally because they are not supposed to be here. It has nothing to do with race, it is reinforcing the fact that people need to follow the proper steps in order to be a U.S. citizen.