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The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 permitted the President to deport any foreigners that he/she seemed dangerous to the country.
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After the Mexican American war ended by the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, lots of land was given to the United States including California, Arizona, New Mexico, parts of Texas, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado. The Mexican residents who lived in these states had to option to stay and become a U.S. citizen or to move back to Mexico. Most of them decided to stay in the United States.
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In 1848 gold was found in California and the news of new gold being found crossed the nation. Both people from the east coast of the United States and other countries rushed to California to try to get rich.
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In 1870 a law was passed against the importation of Chinese and Japanese prostitution. Woman could still be slightly harrassed by embarrassing questions asked by immigration officers, so most woman decided to stay in their home country.
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The French gave the United States the Statue of Liberty as a token of their friendship. The statue represents freedom and inspired many people to immigrate to the land of the free.
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Ellis Island opened and was the check station for foreigners trying to come into the United States. Here over 12 million Europeans had to be processed and approved to live in America (conditions were not well).
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According to the Expatriation Act, any woman who marries a foreign man will no longer be a U.S. citizen. She is pledging her faithfulness to another country and shall become a citizen of that country.
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Angel Island was a check-station similar to Ellis Island except this one was on the west coast by San Francisco. They had to process Asian immigrants and decide whether to deport them or allow them into the states.
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The ruling for Ozawa vs. Supreme Court was that Japanese were not eligable for U.S. citizenship because they were not a "free white person."
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The Labor Appropriation Act of 1924 hired cops and sheriffs to secure the U.S./Mexican border in between the inspection stations for individuals trying to sneak in.
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This public law allowed soldiers who married a foreign woman during WWII the privalege to be able to bring them to the United States. 1 million soldiers brought over their wife to live with them and become a U.S. citizen.
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This act in 1991 allowed foreign individuals who served in the U.S. military for 12 years or who were a leader in the U.S. military to be able to apply for permanent U.S. citizenship.
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The United States constructed 100 miles of double layered fencing on the U.S./Mexican border to stop illegals from entering.
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Arizona police can question anyone of 'reasonable suspect' if they are a U.S. citizen. Legal immigrants are required to always have their papers on them.
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President Obama stated that if undocumented immigrants have a child that is a U.S. citizen, or pay taxes and contribute to the economy, will not be threated to leave the country. If they have been in the United States for over 5 years, they are not going to be deported this instant.
