-
Chinese Exclusion Act Passes
The Chinese Exclusion Act was passed to limit and ultimately rid of Chinese immigration to the United States. This act was the start of an era that eventually led to the narrowing of the doorway into America. -
Congress Establishes the first Federal Administration Agency for the Regulation of Immigration
In 1891 Congress established the first federal administrative agency for the regulation of immigration in the Treasury Department. This event in history strengthened the standards and eliminated the chance for free and unlimited immigration. -
Ellis Island Opens as Immigration Checkpoint
In 1892, Ellis Island opened in the New York harbor. This became an entry point for millions of immigrats coming from Europe and other places. This event started to lift the strict American ideas of immigration. -
Supreme Court confirms that citizenship is given to all born in the U.S.
The fourteenth amendment of the U.S. Constitution confirms that all people born in the United States are declared citizens. This opened up new doors for immigration because it made the U.S. an even more desireable place to live because people could have children here and they would be citizens. -
Anarchist Exclusion Act Enacted
When the Anarchist Exclusion Act began, the exclusion of immigrants based on political ideology began as well. The main idea behind this was to keep forein-born political radicals out of the country. -
U.S. and Japan sign "Gentlemen's Agreement"
The signing of the Gentlemen's Agreement in 1907 allowed the Japanese immigration of "picture brides" to the U.S. The agreement basically stopped the immigration of Japanese laborors, but in the end did not work out because thousands of women continued to migrate into the U.S. -
"The Melting Pot" opens on Broadway
"The Melting Pot" ended up becoming the nickname for the U.S. during this period. The nation was given this nickname after the play because it was a combination of all the people "melting together". -
Mexican Revolution Begins
The Mexican Revolution began due to economic pressures due to the mining industry in Mexico. The start of this revolution drove thousands of Mexicans across the border, into the U.S, both legally and illegally. -
Angel Island Opens
The construction for a new immigration station is complete. This immigration service was known as the "Ellis Island" of the West coast. -
Bureaus of Immigration and Naturalization Created
The administrative changes first transferred the Bureau of Immigration from the Treasury to the Department of Labor and expanded the fuctions of the Bureau. -
Congress Authorizes Mounted Guards Along U.S. Mexico Border
Mounted watchmen of the U.S. Immigration Service patrolled the border in an effort to prevent illegal crossings. -
U.S. Border Patrol Established
On May 28, 1924, Congress passed the Labor Appropriation Act of 1924, officially establishing the U.S. Border Patrol for the purpose of securing the borders between inspection stations. -
President Roosevelt sends Japanese Americans to Internment Camps
In the midst of World War II, the fear of the Japanese and communism led to President Roosevelt passing Executive Order 9066. This was an order that forced many Japanese Americans who had immigrated to the U.S. into internment camps. -
Magnuson Immigration Act of 1943 Allows Chinese to Become US Citizens
After China became an ally during World War II, the exclusion laws proved to be an embarrassment and were finally repealed by the Magnuson Act in 1943. -
Census Estimates 4 million illegal Aliens in the U.S.
In 1980, nearly 4 million illegal Aliens were thought to be in the United States. Over half of these were expected to be from Mexico. This strengthened border control and led to more restrictions on the U.S. Mexico border. -
SB 1070 Passed In Supreme Court
SB 1070 passed in Supreme Court, giving the state of Arizona the right to do immigration checks at law enforcement stops. However, three provisions from the law were shot down in court.