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Important Dates in US Immigration
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Naturalization Act of 1790
Naturalization Act of 1790 entitled "any alien, being a free white person may be admitted to become a United States citizen." -
1850 United States Census
In 1850 the United States Census surveyed the citizens based on "nativity" of the citizens' national origin. This was the first census that asked origin questions, in order to document immigration. -
1875 Immigration Act
1875, United States Supreme Court declares immigration to be a matter of Federal Government. Before this act, individual states and territories were required to uphold all immigration laws and stipulations by themselves. -
Immigration Act of 1882
This act enabled a tax levy of 50 cents to all immigrants arriving at United States port entries. Certain ineligibles were described as "lunatics" and "public charges". Not all were welcome. Sometimes also referred to as the "Chinese Exclusion Act". -
Statue of Liberty gifted to US by France
in 1886 the country of France gave the United States the Statue of Liberty which is known to this day as a beacon of freedom and is a part of Ellis Island, NY, known to be the biggest center of immigration on the East Coast -
Ellis Island in NEw York opens
in 1892 Ellis Island in New York, home to the Statue of Liberty opens as a major port of immigration. Ellis Island would remain the largest US port until the 1950s. Tens of millions of immigrants arrived in the US at Ellis Island port, mostly from Italy, France, Ireland and Germany. -
1905-1915 Heaviest influx of migrnts in U.S. History
From January 1, 1905 to December 31,1914, an estimated 10-13 million immigrants entered the United States. This is by far the largest influx in any ten year span in United States history. Italy, Ireland and Germany were the primary sources of people arriving. -
Angel Island San Francisco Opens
ANgel Island, the largest incoming immigration port on the West Coast opens in San Francisco Bay.Often compared to Ellis Island, Angel Island would serve as entry point for millions of people from the East, specifically Japan, China and Philippines. The Island would remain operational until 1940. -
Woodrow Wilson and the Immigration Act of 1917
December 14, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson enacts the Immigration Act of 1917. This act requires immigrants to pass basic literacy requirements and bans all Asian immigration except for Japanese and Philippinos. -
Emergency Quota Act of 1921
Congress and the president passed a law limiting the total number of immigrants to not exceed 3%. When 3% of a country had left for the United States, immigration from that country would be capped. -
Labor Appropriation Act/Border Patrol created
1928, Congress passes a bill in which the Border Patrol is created. Their main purpose at the time was to track and monitor immigrant labor and help eliminate foreign threats to the American economy. -
Alien Registration Act of 1940
This bill required the documetation of new immigrants to be fingerprinted and to be registered, or face possible deportation. All immigrants aged 14 or older were required to register and submit to fingerprints. -
Hart-Cellar Act of 1965
This act ended the earlier ratification of the quota systems. After signing, a huge influx of immigrants poured in from Latin America, Africa, Southeast Asia and the Caribbean. -
California Proposition 187
This bill in California denied illegal immigrants and their families the rights of collecting public funds such as welfare, food stamps, subsidized housing, etc. -
US Patriot Act
This controversial bill provided appropriated tools and intelligence measures to intercept and interfere with counterterrorism measures. Many illegally suspected innocent Americans had their freedoms violated subsequently as a result.
