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Declaration of Independence
In a rough draft, Thomas Jefferson changes a word from "subject" (as it had been penned in the VA Constitution) to "citizen". Effectively wiping the word "subject" from the American vocabulary. -
Naturalization Act of 1790
Establishes legal matrix of "naturalization", aliens ineligible for citizenship, property ownership, employment, and voting restrictions based on status. -
14th Amendment
5 Sections establishing born and naturalized individuals citizenship, jurisdiction, and granting Congress authority to enforce the definition of citizen. -
United States v Wong Kim Ark
Legal precedent hinging upon the Chinese Exclusion Act. This case determined that children born in the US are citizens. -
Emergency Quota Law
Xenophobic, post-WW1 measures to restrict immigration to a certain percentage of population based on ethnicity and eugenics research. -
Indian Citizenship Act
Puke. Sorry. I can't. -
McCarren-Walter Act
Perpetuation of the symbolic gesture of citizenry and the American need to balance Liberty & Justice For "All" and National Security. -
Simpson-Mazzoli Act
Established framework for certain undocumented immigrants to establish "Legal Permanent Residence" and naturalization in the US. Made employing undocumented immigrants illegal. -
The Patriot Act
Anti-terrorism measures that increased surveillance of US citizens and called in to question trade-offs for the sake of safety and national security. Birthright citizenship could be at stake. -
The DREAM Act
Addresses citizenship of children brought to the United States illegally by their parents.