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Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882
Stopped entry of Chinese immigrants to the US for 10 years. First act to establish the federal government's right to restrict immigration based on nationalities. -
1888 & 1891
More restrictive acts were passed, they allowed national gov't not only to exclude certain individuals-convicts, prostitutes, and insane persons-by also to deport aliens who entered the country in violation of these immigration laws -
Quota Act of 1921
Concept of limiting the rights of certain nationalities to immigrate. This act limited the annual number of immigrants from each nationality to 3 percent of the number of foreign-born persons of that nationality who were living in the US in 1910. Most asian groups were not included in the list of nationalities, so they could not legally immigrate to the US for some time. -
Immigration Act of 1924 and National Origins Act of 1929
Established a new quota system for each nationality and set a limit on the total number of immigrants to be allowed entry at all. This quota system serves as the basis for US immigration policy for more than 35 yrs. -
1965
Eliminated quotas based on national origin. As many as 270,000 immigrants could be admitted each year without regard to nationality, country of origin, or race. No more than 20,000 persons could come from any one country, however. Close relatives of American citizens were given special status, as were aliens with specialized occupational talents. -
1986 - Immigration Reform and Control Act
Imposed severe penalties on employers who willfully hired illegal aliens. Employers who repeatedly violate this law can be jailed for up to 6 months. Also included amnesty program; from 1987-1988 illegal aliens who could prove that they had been in this country continuously for at least 5 yrs could apply to obtain temporary legal residency status. -
1987-88 - Amnesty Program
This program allowed illegal immigrants to, from 1987-1988, who could prove that they had been in this country continuously for at least 5 yrs, apply to obtain temporary legal residency status. -
Immigration Act of 1990
This act raised legal immigration levels by about 40%, to about 700,000 per year. It stressed reunification, provided legal status for certain illegal immigrants, and struck down barriers blocking people with certain political beliefs from entry. The act's most significant feature was a tripling of the number of visas granted to highly skilled professionals, such as engineers, researchers, and scientists. -
1994 - Proposition 187
Denied public social services, publicly funded health care, and public education to people who were suspected of being in the US illegally. Voters passed the proposition, but it was challenged in the courts. A federal court later held that the state could not deny children of illegal immigrants a public education. -
Immigration Reform Act of 1996
This act had many provisions aimed at curbing illegal immigration into the US. This act also put into effect a number of provisions to stem illegal immigration. One provision of this act would have forced hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants and refugees to leave the US. -
Welfare Reform Act of 1996
Prohibited immigrants, including legal immigrants who are not yet citizens, from receiving most forms of public assistance, including welfare benefits. Many Americans thought this new policy toward immigrants was too harsh, so Congress revised it's policy in 1997, which allowed many new refugees to automatically become eligible for permanent legal residence. other illegal immigrants were allowed to remain in the US while the government processed their applications for permanent legal residence. -
1997
Many Americans thought that the new policy ( Welfare Reform Act of 1996) toward immigrants was too harsh, so Congress revised it's policy in 1997, which allowed many new refugees to automatically become eligible for permanent legal residence. other illegal immigrants were allowed to remain in the US while the government processed their applications for permanent legal residence.
