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Article I of the Constitution grants Congress powers over naturalization of citizens, and ultimately authority over immigration.
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U.S. citizenship was limited to white immigrants, who had lived in the United States for at least two years, and their children who were under 21. Children born abroad to U.S. citizens were also granted citizenship.
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The treaty ended the Mexican-American War, and allowed residents of the territory the United States had won from Mexico, to become U.S. citizens, if they chose to do so. Over 90% of the residents did.
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The Supreme Court in Dred Scott v. Sandford ruled that black people living in America were not and could not be citizens of the United States.
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The 14th amendment grants citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to its jurisdiction. It excluded Indians not taxed.
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Extended citizenship to all white immigrants and immigrants of African descent not born in the United States.
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This Act placed a 10 year ban on all immigrant laborers from China, regardless of skill level.
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The Supreme Court ruled that any person born in the United States, regardless of the citizenship status of their parents, is a U.S. citizen. This is birthright citizenship.
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Signed by President Woodrow Wilson, this act extended U.S. citizenship to the residents of Puerto Rico.
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This act granted U.S. citizenship to all Native Americans born in the United States.
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This act, also known as the Hart-Celler Act, removed the quota system for national origin of immigrants, which limited the number of immigrants from certain countries, that were admitted to the United States