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African Slave Importation
Slave ImportationThe first Africans arrived in Jamestown, Virginia. A Dutch slave trader brought them; this was a part of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. -
Indians Exempted from Naturalization and Forced from Tribal Land
Indian Removal ActDuring 1830, the Indian Removal Act was signed and the Indians were forcefully relocated. The Trail of Tears (Cherokees were moved West) resulted from this act and occurred during this time period. -
Supreme Court Rules that Congress Alone Can Regulate Immigration
Congress Regulates ImmigrationThe Supreme Court ruled that Congress controls immigration. The Naturalization Clause grants federal control of immigration. It concerns decisions about citizenship and immigration. -
Transcontinental Railroad Workers
Transcontinental Railroad The first Chinese were hired by the Central Pacific Railroad to help construct the transcontinental railroad. The Union Pacific Railroad hired Irish workers. Treacherous terrain, hard manual labor, meager wages, and harsh living conditions comprised their daily lives. -
Immigration Act of 1917
Immigration Act of 1917This act, referred to as the Asiatic Barred Zone Act, restricted “undesired” immigrants from entering the country. This included idiots, the physically or mentally disabled, criminals, diseased, anarchists, poor, prostitutes, etc Every person allowed into the country was also required to pay a tax. -
US Border Patrol Established
Border Patrol Established On May 28, 1924 Congress passed the Labor Appropriation Act of 1924; this instituted U.S. border patrol. The intent was to secure borders in between inspection stations. The seacoast became guarded in 1925. -
Executive Order 9066
Executive Order 9066President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed this order authorizing the internment of tens of thousands of Japanese Americans. The military was bestowed the power to ban citizens from coastal land spanning Washington to California and also into Arizona. The military set up camps in California, Washington, Arizona, and Oregon; Japanese citizens were transported to these locations. -
Brancero Program
Brancero ProgramMillions of temporary workers from Mexico were brought to the U.S. to farm and construct railroads. A labor shortage occurred during World War II, bringing about this program. It was terminated in 1964. -
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act This act, also known as 1996 Welfare Reform Act, was signed and enacted by President Bill Clinton; it denied most types of public assistance to many immigrants. It is a bipartisan welfare reform policy that requires work for needed government assistance. Provisions within the law mandate that legal immigrants in need be denied public assistance for approximately five years, until they are granted U.S. citizenship. -
Terrorist Attack
9/11After the 9/11 terrorist attacks the U.S. military was summoned to expand their duties of patrolling the borders. The Department of Defense majorly cracked down on monitoring and preventing acts of terrorism; in doing this, the occurrence of militarized border patrol increased. -
Secure Fence Act
Secure Fence Act President George Bush signed into law the Secure Fence Act, authorizing the construction of a fence between the U.S-Mexico border. This increased the number of border check-points and monitoring via technology. Many military personnel were stationed at the border and the funding for border security doubled. More than 6 million illegal immigrants were apprehended and sent home as a result of this act. -
SB 1070 Signed into Law
SB1070Arizona governor Jan Brewer signed into law the bill SB1070, commonly known as the “show me your papers” provision. This highly criticized bill is considered to be one of the strictest legislations in the nation. It orders immigrants to carry their alien registration documents at all times. Police are required to stop and question anyone who is suspicious of being an illegal immigrant. Employers who hire illegal immigrants are also being cracked down on due to this bill. -
Judge Blocks SB1070 Provisions
Provisions Blocked U.S. District Judge Susan Bolten blocked central provisions of SB1070. One of the blocked provisions included requiring police to determine immigration status of an individual arrested or detained. She also denied the provision requiring immigrants to carry papers proving their immigration legitimacy at all times. -
Penalizing Businesses That Hire Illegal Immigrants
Hiring IllegalsThe three to five year decision to harshly reprimand businesses that hire illegal’s, set in place by Arizona law, was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. Majority opinion supported state efforts to combat the hiring of illegal immigrants; Chief Justice John G. Roberts explained that other states have begun to enact similar laws. -
SB1070 Provisions
SB1070 Provisions The Supreme Court upheld the provision in SB1070 requiring police officers to acquire alien registration papers from anyone they stop or arrest who is suspected of illegal immigration; officers must determine immigration status. Other provisions, subjecting illegal immigrants to criminal penalties for seeking work or like activities, were rejected.
