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Early Restrictions
Congress passed a law defining who could become a citizen if a person was not born in the U.S. Citizenship was possible only for someone who was "a free white person." -
Period: to
1880-1920
Heaviest period of immigration with 25 million immigrants arrived . Most came from countries of Southern and Eastern Europe. They saw these immigrants as very different from themselves. -
Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882
No Chinese laborer could enter the United states for 10 years. Chinese professionals were still allowed to immigrate. This law was repealed during World War II because China was an ally with America. -
Quota Act of 1921
Congress sets up quotas favoring immigrants from northwestern Europe. -
Immigration Act of 1924
Expands the quota system. Immigration from any country is limited to 2% of its total numbers in the 1890 census. -
Immigration Reform Act
Abolished the quota system based on national origin. The new law was driven by two principles: reunifying families and giving priority to certain skills. The law also set up annual limits: 170,000 immigrants from the Eastern Hemisphere and 120,000 from the Western hemisphere. -
Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
-slow illegal immigration by punishing employers who knowingly hired undocumented immigrants
-offer a way for long-term, undocumented immigrants to become legal -
1990
-More than 80% of American immigrants came form Asia and Latin America.
-No country could account for more than 7% of total immigrants. -
Immigration Reform Act of 1996
Increased the border patrol staff and stiffened penalties for creating false citizenship papers or smuggling undocumented workers. -
2007
-fill a short-term labor needs through a guest worker program and strengthened border control
-fined undocumented immigrants and required them to fulfill certain obligations before they could apply for citizenship.
