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Immigration Act of 1917
The first attempt at restricting immigration into the US. The act barred Asians, illiterates, and undesireables from entering the country. The act was also known as the Literacy Act, and barred anyone 16 and older who couln't read. The act also set an $8 a head tax on immigrants. Mainly, undesirable were people who were unhealthy, lunatics, or criminals. -
Emergency Quota Law of 1921
The act placed quotas on immigrants based on their country of birth. The act was to slow the flood of immigrants into the US. this was supposed to be a temporary immigration act. The act set the quota at 3% of the foreign born people from that country in the 1910 US census. -
Immigration Act of 1924 (Johnson-Reed Act)
The act expanded on the Immigration of 1921 Act by restricting immigration quotas even further from 3% down to 2%. This was a permanent immigration act. -
Bracero Program
After WWII, the US had a shortage of laborers and allowed Mexicans to come to America to work, mostly in the picking crops. -
Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952
The Act removed racial and gender descrimination, and revised the quota system. -
Operation Wetback
President Eisenhower approved an operation that mass deported illegal immigrants to Mexico. -
Bracero Program repealed
US Department of labor declared Bracero program tatamount to legalized slavery. -
Immigration and Nationality Act Amendments of 1965
The Amendments of 1965, made the most change to the 1952 INA. Repealed the national origins quota system. Among the changes, it established a preference system for relatives and people with skills. -
IRCA passsed by Congress
The Immigration Reforn and Control Act granted amnesty to 3 million illegal immigrants. The bill made it illegal for emloyers to knowingly hire undocumented workers. -
NAFTA signed into law
North American Free Trade Agreement signed by Bill Clinton. NAFTA created the world's largest free trade area. Millions of migrants moved to Northern Mexico and the US looking for work. -
World Trade Center attacked
The WorldTrade Center was attacked by terrorists. The attacked caused the US to re-examine immigration policies. Securing the border became a national priority. -
SB2611 passed the Senate
Senate bill 2611 called for 370 miles of fencing, 500 miles of vehicle barriers, and 2400 more Border Patrol Agents per year. The bill also contained a provision for a guest worker program. -
AZ and NM declare state of emergency in two counties
The governors of NM and AZdeclare a state of emergency in two counties along the border due to increased violence in towns along the border. By doin,g so federal dollars were freed up to help fight the drug smuggling and violence. -
HR4437 passed the House
The immigration bill called for 700 miles of fencing along the US-Mexico border. This bill would make crossing into the US illegally a felony. It also would increase penalties for employers who hire undocumented workers. -
Propostion 103 approved
Propostion 103 set English as the official language in Arizona. Classes must be taught in English in schools. -
SB 1070 parts upheld in Supreme Court
The Supreme Court upheld parts of SB 1070. The bill resulted in new state laws in AZ. -
SB 1070 Passed
Jan Brewer signs SB 1070 into law. The bill is aimed at fighting illegal immigration by identifying, prosecuting and deporting illegal immigrants. Federal injunctions were immediatelly placed on parts of the bill.
