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Treaty of Gaudalupe
This treaty put an end to the Mexican-American War on February 2, 1848. This treaty helped to cleary define the boundaries between the United States and Mexico. Mexico ceded what is present day Arizona, New Mexico and parts of Utah, Nevada and Colorado. Mexicans living in the area were allowed to stay and become citizens.
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The Homestead Act
This act was created in hopes to settle land disputes and attract more people to move westward to the newly acquired land. Land was sold at $1.25 an acre and was easier to develop because it was unforested country. The homestead act made acquiring land a three-fold acquisition process. Later on, the Railroad Act was signed which allowed for easier transportation for immigrants and homesteaders to move westward. Link text -
The Bracero Program
This program allowed millions of Mexican workers to temporarily work in the U.S. on agriculture and railroad labor. Workers cam eon contracts. The program lasted for 22 years and was meant to help the economy from labor shortages during WWII. Even after the program ended, many undocumented immigrants came to work temporarily and were threatened to be deported.
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Operation Wetback
This operation was put on by the U.S. boarder patrol to deport illegal immigrants in the southwest. Millions of workers were crossing the boarder illegally. Armed military forced searched for and captured illegal immigrants from Mexico. On the first day of the operation 4,8000 immigrants were deported back to Mexico. Link text -
Immigration and Nationality Act
This act ended any nation-of-origin restrictions on immigrants entering the United States. Immigration was not allowed to be based off of race, sex, or nationality but instead on kinship ties, refugee status, and needed skills.
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Border Industrialization Program
This program is also known as the Maquiladoras Program. This was started by the Mexican government as a result of the U.S. ending the Braceros Program. It was created to ease the unemployment rate along the U.S. Mexico border. -
Plyler v. Doe
States can now not deny a free public education to children of illegal immigrants. The Supreme Court decided that denying this education to children would hurt society overall.
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Immigration Reform and Control Act
President Ronald Reagan signed this bill for reform in immigration. The bill had three main parts. It prohibited business from knowingly hiring undocumented immigrants. The bill increased border patrol staffing at the Mexico border. Lastly it granted legalization for illegal immigrants if they fit the criteria.
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Operation Hold the Line
Operation Hold the Line was a plan set up by the U.S. border patrol which started in El Paso, Texas. The goal was to have hundreds of border agents set up along the border to increase security in the high traffic crossing places. The El Paso sector covered the span of Tucson, Arizona to Marfa, Texas. This forced immigrants to cross in the dangerous desert which led to more deaths in illegal crossings.
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9/11 Terrorist Attack
The terrost attack on the United States known as 9/11 intensified security at all U.S. borders to prevent further terrorist attacks. -
Arizona's Minutemen Project
A group of men and women from all over the country had come together to assist the border patrol in securing the border from Mexico to Arizona. They stretched 23 miles of the border. They helped arrest 146 undocumented immigrants.
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Operation Streamline
Operation Streamline was created to prosecute illegal immigrants and hopefully turn them off from trying to enter the country illegally. This court cases do not bring in any money but rather spend tax payers money. There has not been much evidence to prove that it has has any affect on the number of people entering the country illegally.
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Secure Fence Act
This act signed by President Bush authorizes the construction of hundreds of miles of more fencing along the U.S. Mexico border. It allows for more vehicles, checkpoints, and lighting to cut back on the number of illegal immigrants entering the U.S. Lastly, it allows the Department of Homeland Security to use technology such as cameras and satellites to secure the border.
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Arizona's SB 1070
Arizona's law passed in 2010 requires police offers to determine a persons immigration status is there is suspicion to during an arrest or detainment. The law allows for more racial profiling when someone of Mexican race is stopped by police. However, others view it as a way for the police force to assist in preventing illegal immigration that isn't right on the border.
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Arizona Law Penalizing Business
Arizona's law that may penalize business for hiring illegal immigrants was upheld by the Supreme Court and does not interfere with any federal laws. Employers can have their business licence suspended for knowingly hiring undocumented immigrants.
[Link text]http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/article24640420.html)
