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Immigration Events
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14th Amendment is Ratified
picture/source The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1868. This Amendment granted citizenship to people born or naturalized in the United States including freed slaves. -
Chinese Exclusion Act
picture/source The 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act allowed the United States to deny entry of Chinese laborers for a 10-year span. Chinese laborers were prohibited from immigrating the United States for fear that they would disrupt social order. -
Ellis Island Officially Opens
picture/source The Ellis Island Immigration Station is officially open for immigration into the United States. Approximately 700 immigrants went through Ellis Island on the first day. -
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Executive Order 9066 is Signed
picturesource Executive Order 9066 followed in response to American fear of Japanese attack after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which ordered Japanese immigrants, regardless of citizenship, along the West Coast to report to Japanese Evacuation camps. The Japanese were treated harshly and unfairly in these camps. -
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Immigration and Nationality Act
picturesource The Immigration and Nationality Act came in response to high tensions and strong feelings of anti-communism following World War II. It changed immigration law by denying immigrants who were deemed to be unlawful, communist, diseased, etc.. It made it possible to only accept immigrants who were willing to assimilate to the American culture. -
Refugee Act
picturesource The Refugee Act of 1980 changed immigration law by incorporating an official definition of a refugee. It stated that refugee eligibility is now based on persecution instead of geographic location. It allowed people to seek asylum in the U.S. if they are unable or unwilling to return to their countries because of persecution. -
9/11 Terrorist Attacks
picturesource The September 11th terrorist attacks on New York City and the Pentagon had a large impact on U.S. immigration. Security tightened immensely both at the borders and in the airports. The threat of national security that came with the surprise attacks made the need for a comprehensive immigration reform even greater. -
Secure Fence Act
picturesource The Secure Fence Act of 2006 was designed to delegate more power to the Department of Homeland Security over the security of the U.S.-Mexico border. The act authorized the construction of additional fencing as well as a steep increase in border security. The act was part of a comprehensive immigration reform effort by the Bush administration. -
SB 1070 Passed
picturesource Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed senate Bill 1070 into Arizona law on April 23, 1012. Under this law, employers must be penalized for hiring illegal immigrants. Employers are required to keep a record of employment verification for all employees. This law provided mixed feelings for employers who rely heavily on cheap labor from immigrants. -
Obama Changes Policy
picture/source In June 2012, President Obama gave an executive order to the Department of Homeland Security to allow illegal immigrants who came to the United States as children to stay in the United States without the threat of deportation. This applied to immigrants who entered the United States before the age of 16, have lived in the United States for five or more years and have a clean record. These immigrants will now be allowed to legally work and attend college. -
Section 3B Upheld
picturesourceIn June 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the most controversial provision of Arizona’s Senate Bill 1070. Section 2B, commonly known as the “show me your papers” provision, requires Arizona state law enforcement officials to question to immigration status of anyone they suspect to be illegal. Although the law is meant to be for individuals the officers have already pulled over for an unrelated reason, it allows state officials to persecute individuals based on personal opinions. Efforts to cha
