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Articles of Confederation
Citizenship and immigration was considered in the Articles of Confederation and the power to determine the fate of immigrants was ultimately left to the states. -
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Immigration in the United States
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First Alien Naturalization Act
This document declared the first set of requirements that must be followed by all of the United States in the process of granting citizenship to immigrants. -
Sedition and Alien Acts Enacted
From these acts the U.S. President was given the power to reprimand and deport immigrants. -
Foreign Slave Trade Becomes Illegal
Slaves that were trafficked into the U.S. after 1808 were considered the first illigal immigrants. -
Overload of Irish Immigration to the U.S.
After 1820 approximately 5 million Irish immigrants had come to the U.S. Their presence caused nativists and immigrant tensions surrounding the Irish beliefs in Catholicism. -
21 Year Residency Requirement for Naturalization
from 1830-1847 nativists gained political control while in alliance with the Whigs and advocated for a 21 year residency policy along with other immigration limitations. -
Homestead Act
This act was passed in order to encourage migration westward into the midwest.Congress offered to sell land very cheaply to citizens and immigrants if they agreed to settle out west. -
First Transcontinental Railroad
From 1863-1869 the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads hired Chinese and Irish immigrant laborers to construct the first transcontinental railroad across the U,S. -
Immigration Exclusion Act
This act was passed in order to regulate the allowance of immigrants into the U.S. who were unable to take care of themselves and therefore would become a burden and liability to U.S. society. The law prohibited immigrants who had previous criminal activity, were poor, and mentally ill. -
The Mexican Revolution
Due to the Mexican Revolution thousands of Mexicans were crossing into the U.S. looking for jobs. -
Labor Appropriation Act
This act established the United States Border Patrol in order to maintain secure borders between inspection areas. -
The Bracero Program
This program was passed due to the needed help for the economy after World War Two and allowed migrant workers to work on U.S. railroads and farms. Approximately 5 million Mexican temporary workers were brought into the U.S during this time period. -
Immigration Act
This act increased the limitations on legal immigration to the U.S. while also revising the means for deportation and exclusion. -
Minuteman Project
In Arizona this program began recruiting men and women who are stationed along the U.S.-Mexican border in order to help stop illegal aliens from entering the U.S. from Mexico. -
Bill SB 1070
Arizona governor Jan Brewer passed SB1070 in order to cut down on the amount of illegal aliens in the state of Arizona. Although the bill was very controversial it allows the authorities to better enforce the immigration laws in Arizona.
