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English colonists land in Jamestown, Virginia.
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Any free white person could receive citizenship if they declared their separation from their previous state or sovereignty, lived in the United States for 5 years, were a man of good character, and gave up any title that they had in their previous state or sovereignty.
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This was the first of four acts apart of the Alien and Sedition Acts. This act increased requirements for immigrants to apply and qualify for citizenship. This law required immigrants to live in the US for 14 years rather than the initial 5.
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Called for the regulation of passenger-ships and vessels. This was the first step in reforming passenger trade into America.
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"The Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Limits and Settlement between the United States of America and the Mexican Republic". This treaty officially ended the Mexican-American war after Mexico surrendered and gave up 525,000 square miles of land to the U.S. Mexico also gave up all ownership of Texas.
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This act encouraged Western migration through the distribution of 160 acres of public land. People had to live on the land for five years before they could officially claim ownership of it.
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"A Commissioner of Immigration was appointed by the President to serve under the authority of the Secretary of State then, Authorized immigrant labor contracts whereby would-be immigrants would pledge their wages to pay for transportation."
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This act extends naturalization to former slaves or persons of African descent.
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Signed by President Chester A. Arthur, prohibited all immigration of Chinese laborers.
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Ellis Island became the first official federal immigration station and acted as an immigrant entry checkpoint.
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U.S. Supreme Court confirms 14th amendment gives citizenship to all persons born in the U.S.
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Naturalization Act creates the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization
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Americans who became citizens of another country and naturalized immigrants who lived abroad for too long would have their status as a U.S. citizen would be revoked.
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Angel Island opens as a new immigration station
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U.S. Congress authorized "Mounted Inspectors", now known as Border Patrol, along the U.S.-Mexico border to regulate/prevent illegal immigration.
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Also known as the Asiatic Barred Zone Act, restricted the immigration of "undesirables". This meant that stupid people, epileptics, alcoholics, criminals, and the poor could not immigrate to the U.S.
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The law created quotas for each country of birth and allowed regulations and limitations on immigration.
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Also known as the Johnson-Reed Act, this act limited the number of immigrants allowed to immigrate into the U.S. Only 2% of each nationality in the U.S. was granted a visa.
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Congress established the Border Patrol as part of the Immigration Bureau in the Department of Labor.
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U.S. Congress granted citizenship to all Native American born in the United States.
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This law revised previous laws of regulating immigration and established who was/could be a citizen and how to gain and/or lose citizenship.
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This program was an agreement between the U.S. and Mexican governments that permitted Mexican citizens to take temporary agricultural work in the United States.
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This act "increased the limits on legal immigration, revised all grounds for exclusion and deportation, authorized temporary protected status to aliens of designated countries, revised and established new non-immigrant admission categories".
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Signed by President George W. Bush, this act increases border patrol to put more restrictions on illegal immigration.
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The act authorized the construction of 700 miles of double layered fencing along the U.S.-Mexico Border.
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VAWA provides a temporary visa and creates a pathway to legalization for undocumented immigrants who are the victims of domestic abuse.
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This law requires immigrants to carry their alien registration documents at all times and requires police to question people if there's reason to suspect they're in the United States illegally.
