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1790
Law passed defining who could become a citizen if a person was not born here: Citizenship was possible only for someone who was "a free white person". As that term was then understood, this barred any African or Asian immigrant from becoming a citizen. After the Civil War, this law was revised to allow people born in Africa to become citizens, but Asian immigrants were still excluded from citizenship. -
Period: to
1880-1920
25 million immigrants arrived during this time period. Most came from the countries of Southern and Eastern Europe-parts of the world that were unfamiliar to many Americans. They saw these new immigrants as very different from themselves -
Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882
Said no Chinese laborer could enter the United States for 10 years. (Chinese professionals were still allowed to immigrate.) -
Quota Act of 1921
Congress set up quotas favoring immigrants from northwester Europe. Immigration from any country is limited to 2% of its total numbers in the 1890 census. -
Immigration Act of 1924
Expands the quota system from 1921 Quota Act. Each country's immigrants was limited to 2% of its total numbers as listed in the 1890 census. -
1965 Immigration Reform Act
Abolished the quota system based on national origin. When he signed the reform bill, President Lyndon B. Johnson referred to the old system as "un-American." -
1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act
Reagan wanted to slow illegal immigration by punishing employers who knowingly hired undocumented immigrants. Also wanted to offer a way for long-term, undocumented immigrants to become legal. If they could show they had entered the United States before January 1982 and lived here continuously, they could apply for amnesty. Eligible workers could be granted temporary and then permanent residency. After five years, they could apply for citizenship. -
Immigration Act of 1990
No country could account for more than 7% of total immigrants. The law also considered a person's education and skills. This law also set up special categories for war refugees or close relatives of American citizens. -
Immigration Reform Act of 1996
New law that expands the U.S. Border Patrol and stiffens for false papers. -
2007
Proposed to fill short-term labor needs through a guest worker program and strengthened border control. It didn't propose to track down and deport millions of undocumented workers who were already here.
