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The start of Colonial Immigration
The James River was discovered by immigrants, this event marked the start of Immigration in America. English Settlers arrived and Jamestown was created. -
Pennsylvania Enacts Oath of Allegiance for German Immigrants
German immigrants became able to call and accept America as their new home. -
The United States Constitution
Signed and became the laws of the land. This document created new rules and privilidges for U.S citizens, never mentions immigrants. -
United States Naturalization Law
This law limited naturalization to immigrants who were free white persons of good character. It excluded American Indians, indentured servants, slaves, free blacks, and Asians. It also provided for citizenship for the children of U.S. citizens born abroad, but specified that the right of citizenship did "not descend to persons whose fathers have never been resident in the United States". It specifies that such children "shall be considered as natural born citizens" -
Naturalization Act of 1798
Increased the period necessary for immigrants to become naturalized citizens in the United States from 5 to 14 years. -
Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves
States that no new slaves are permitted to be imported into the United States. It took effect in 1808, the earliest date permitted by the United States Constitution. -
Homestead Act
Encouraged Western migration by providing settlers 160 acres of public land. In exchange, homesteaders paid a small filing fee and were required to complete five years of continuous residence before receiving ownership of the land. After six months of residency, homesteaders also had the option of purchasing the land from the government. Many immigrants came to the U.S. during this time because of this. -
Transcontinental Railroad Complete
The Central Pacific and Union Pacific lines meet at Promontory Summit, Utah. Many immigrants came to America to help built the transcontinental railroad. -
Chinese Exclusion Act
The first major law restricting immigration to the United States. It was enacted in response to economic fears, especially on the West Coast, where native-born Americans attributed unemployment and declining wages to Chinese workers whom they also viewed as racially inferior. -
Statue of Liberty
The French gifted yjr Statue of Liberty United Stated. It symbolized freedom, which acted as a welcoming of immigration to America. -
Emergency Immigration Act
Once WWI had come to an end there was a newfound isolationism in Americans. The United States felt no need to involve themselves in foreign affairs, which also contributed to the idea that the U.S had no place for immigrants. Under president Warren G Harding congress passed the Emergency Quota act of 1921. This restricted immigration of Europeans at any definite time. This limited immigration of a specific nation by 3% of that nations population in the U.S from the 1910 federal census. -
Labor Appropriations Act of 1924
Superseded the 1921 Emergency Quota Act. The law was primarily aimed at further restricting immigration of Southern Europeans and Eastern Europeans. In addition, it severely restricted the immigration of Africans and prohibited the immigration of Arabs, East Asians, and Indians. -
Bracero Program
a series of laws and diplomatic agreements, initiated by an August 1942 exchange of diplomatic notes between the United States and Mexico, for the importation of temporary contract laborers from Mexico to the United States. At the start of the program, train loads of mexican immigrants ready to work were sent over during the heart of WWII for the "emergency wartime agricultural and railroad importations". Shortages of food and other goods throughout the U.S caused chaos throughout the nation whi -
H.R. 6061, the "Secure Fence Act of 2006"
By a vote of 80–19 the U.S. Senate confirmed H.R. 6061 authorizing, and partially funding the construction of 700 miles of a physical fence. President George W. Bush signed H.R. 6061, the signing of the bill came right after a CNN poll showed that most Americans "prefer the idea of more Border Patrol agents to a 700-mile fence. As of January 2010, the fence project has been completed from San Diego, California to Yuma, Arizona, from there it continues into Texas. -
SB 1070
A legislative Act in Arizona that additionally made it a state misdemeanor crime for an alien to be in Arizona without carrying the required documents, required that state law enforcement officers attempt to determine an individual is an illegal immigrant. U.S. federal law requires all aliens over the age of 14 who remain in the United States for longer than 30 days to register with the U.S. government, and to have registration documents in their possession at all times.
