Immigration/Disparaged Groups Timeline

By maggie.h22

  • Alien and Sedition Act

    Allowed for the removal of foreigners who could be considered a threat to the United States; expanded the requirement for residence to be considered naturalized from 5 to 14 years.

  • Indian Removal act of 1830

    Andrew Jackson forced the Native Americans who would not voluntarily leave out of their land, which led to the Trail of Tears and American Reservations.

  • Chinese Exclusion Act

    Outlawed Chinese immigration for Chinese laborers for 10 years. This greatly dropped the number of Chinese immigrants and did not allow those who had left to return. It was lifted in 1943.

  • Federal Immigration Law

    Did not allow the immigration of many groups such as criminals, paupers, and the insane. It forced immigrants to prove that they would not become a public problem. Those who were not able to support themselves, such as children, had to have a statement from others that displayed their support to be allowed to immigrate.

  • Contract Labor Law

    Did not allow the immigration of those under a contract overseas. This list later expanded to include more previsions.

  • Gentleman's Agreement

    Agreement between Teddy Roosevelt and Japan which refused to grant passports to those who sought working in labor in the US. In return, Californians were forced to remove their ordinances which segregated Japanese students.

  • Immigration Act of 1917

    Required a literacy test for those entering the US and restricted immigration from certain areas, namely the Asian-Pacific. Passed over Wilson's veto.

  • Palmer Raids

    Raids during the First Red Scare in which the US Department of Justice under Wilson arrested those who were suspected of being Communist or Leftist. This raid mainly affected Italian and Eastern European Immigrants

  • Immigration Act of 1921

    The Emergency Quota Act allowed 3% of the size of each nationality living in the US. Largely limited immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe.

  • Immigration Act of 1924

    Permanent quota system, reduced immigration limit from 3% to 2% of each nationality living in the US. Also lowered the quota from 358,000 people to 164,000 people.

  • National Origins Act

    Basically cut immigration in half through limiting the immigration total to 152,000 people per year.

  • Displaced Persons Act

    Allowed for around 400,000 people to seek refuge in the United States after the implications of World War II globally.

  • Red Scare

    National fear over communism grew, and as such suspected communists were largely restricted from immigrating, along with homosexuals and those with diseases.

  • American Psychiatric Association on Homosexuality

    Homosexuality was claimed to be a disease. This invalidated gay Americans, especially coming from an organization which is supposed to rely on scientific fact.

  • Refugee Relief Act

    Rescued 214,000 people who fled Communist countries and sought refuge in the United States.

  • LGBTQ not allowed to hold federal office

    Dwight Eisenhower restricts the LGBTQ+ community from participating in the federal government.

  • Operation Wetback

    Initiative which forcibly removed Mexican immigrants from America to bring them back to Mexico. Resulted in tens of thousands of deportations.

  • Cuban Refugee Program

    Established by Kennedy, allowed for thousands of Cuban refugees to find a safe haven in the United States after the infiltration of China in Cuba (communist).

  • Immigration & Nationality Act of 1965

    4 ranks of preference: A. persons whose special skills should be 'especially advantageous to the US', B. unmarried children over 21 of US citizens, C. spouses and unmarried children of aliens living permanently, D. other relatives of persons living in the US & workers with 'lesser skills' who could fill special labor needs, an immigrant without relatives in the US still had to prove that he would take a job that in no way took jobs away from US workers; set more quotas

  • Vietnamese Boat People

    Immigrants who came by boat to the United States from Vietnam following the Vietnam War due to the large crisis which was impending.

  • Refugee Act of 1980

    Increased the number of refugees who were allowed to immigrate, set the definition of refugees as people who are "unwilling to return because of fear of persecution", allowed the President to admit refugees during an emergency situation.

  • Immigration Reform & Control Act of 1986

    Restricted employers from hiring illegal immigrants, made discrimination against legal immigrants illegal. This act additionally provided amnesty for those who immigrated (illegally) prior to 1982 and had worked. Allowed these people to become citizens and created a program which helped these benefiting from the amnesty.

  • Immigration Act of 1990

    Increased the number of immigrants allotted. Largely deleted restrictions which had been imposed in the 1950's that restricted Communists, homosexuals, etc. form immigrating.

  • 9/11 Attacks

    Led to increased discrimination towards Muslims.

  • Gay Marriage is Legalized

    The ruling made gay marriage legal federally, as prior it had been a state-to-state issue.