Immigration Issues

Naturalization Act of 1790

Mar 26, 1790

This Act limited citizenship status to only white people with "good character". Any other races including, Indians, African-Americans. and Asians were not allowed to be citizens of the US.

Chinese Exclusion Act

May 6, 1882

This act was the biggest block to Chinese immigration in US history. Signed by Preident Arthur, this was the first ever US law prohibiting a natioallity of people from entering the US.

Cable Act of 1922

Sep 22, 1922

This act allowed women to keep their US citizenship, even if they married a foreign man. This was put into place because perviously women assumed the citizenship of the man she married.

Immigration Act of 1924

May 26, 1924

This act, signed by President Coolidge, limited the amount of immigrant that could be admitted into the US by 1/3. It was intended to limit immigrants from Asia from entering the country.

Indian Citizenship Act

Jun 2, 1924

Enacted by President Coolidge, the Indian Citizenship Act granted full US citizenship to all Native Americans. This act was pushed through in honor of all the Native Americans that fought in WWI.

Nationality Act of 1940

Oct 14, 1940

This act stated that any person born on US soil, or in a US territory is a citizen of the US even if their parent is not.

Cuban Adjustment Act

Nov 2, 1966

This act allowed all Cubans that have been in the United States for over 2 years to become permident residents. It was modified a year later to lessen the restrictions even more.

American Homecoming Act

Mar 21, 1988

This act took effect on 3/21/88 and gave all children and immediate family members born in Vietnam, but concieved by American soldiers during the Vietnam War preferential immigration status to enter the country.

Chinese Student Protection Act of 1992

Oct 9, 1992

This act allowed chinese students to recieve green cards in order to stay in the country to study even if their passports have expired.

Immigration and Nationality Technical Corrections Act

Oct 25, 1994

Presdent Clinton passed this act to help give citizenship to praents of kids who only had one parent with US citizenship. This made it possible for both parents of a child to stay in the country with their child.

Child Citizenship Act of 2000

Oct 30, 2000

This act signed off by President Clinton stated that all adopted and biological children born outside of the US and brought into the US shall be declared US citizens.

DREAM Act

Aug 1, 2001

The DREAM Act was introduced to the senate for the very first time on this date. It was sponsored by Dick Durbin and Orrin Hatch.

Arizona SB 1070

Apr 13, 2010

This strict Arizona bill stated that all aliens over the age of 14 must carry all legal paperwork proving that they were allowed to be in the country on them at all times. This bill passed through the Arizona government and was singed by the governer even though it was highly protested.

DACA

Jun 15, 2012

President Obama introduced DACA to the American people. This is a program that grants undocumented immigrants a two year work permit.

DAPA

Nov 20, 2014

President Obama introduced this program as a continuation of DACA, but for parents that have entered the United States illegally.