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Declaration of Independence
The United States becomes free from outside control. It is composed of immigrants of many nationalities. Since it's estabilshment, the US has repeatedly gone against the main purpose of it being a safehaven from overruling religions, forces, or governments and has set up rules and regulations that allow (or don't allow) for people to come to this country with open arms. -
Irish Immigrants
Due to the Great Famine (1845-1900) in Ireland, nearly 2,873,000 Irish men women and children immigrated to the United States. This was at the time about 30% of the entire population of Ireland. Nearly 1 million people died as a result of the potato famine/disease. The humongous amount of influx caused the immigrants to have to move to ghettos or slums in America. The hatred of the Irish was very publically seen at this time period. -
Chinese Exclusion Act
President Chester A. Arthur passed the Chinese Exclusion Act into law (intended to last 10 years). The act excluded those who, either skilled or unskilled, intended to work in mines. This prevented families from being united, as it also prohibited Chinese from leaving without documentation. -
Ellis Island
Ellis Island opens off the coast of Manhattan, NY. The large building welcomes 25 million immigrants from abroad during its time as the main port of entry. It closed in 1954 due to lower numbers of people coming to the country via boat. It was partially converted into a military rehabilitation center during the remainder of WW2, and was used to detect and detail suspected terrorists and spies. -
Geary Act
The Geary Act was passed with intentions of strengthening the restructions created in the Chinese Exclusion Act 10 years prior. -
Arizona's Statehood
On February 14, 1912, Arizona becomes the 48th state in America. -
Emergency Quota Act
This act restricts the immigration into the United States to 3% annually. This was set to limit the tremendous number of people coming from Europe and Asia into the US. -
Immigration Act of 1924
The allowed amount of immigrants accepted into the United States is lowered from 3% to 2%. It also prohibited the immigration of Middle Easterners, East Asians, and Indians. -
Magnuson Act
The Magnuson Act repealed the insertments of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the Geary Act of 1892. This is also known as the "Chinese Exclusion Repeal Act". It guarantees that any Chinese currently living in the United States becomes a naturalized citizen. -
Operation Wetback
Armed military and Border Patrol agents are sent to agricultural regions of the SW United States, to investigate an ultimately deport nearly 865,000 Mexican illegal immigrants. -
Cuban Refugee Adjustment Act
Signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson and the US Congress, the CRAA allows any Cuban native citizen who has lived in the United States for one year (after Jan. 1, 1959) is able to be admitted as a permanent resident. -
Immigration Reform and Control Act
This act: requires employers to attest their employee's immigraton status, makes it illegal to knowingly hire undocumented immigrants, allows for seasonal agricultural jobs for immigrants, and legalizes all immigrants who arrived before January 1, 1982 (about 3 million). -
Immigration Act of 1990
This bill says that the United States will welcome 700,000 immigrants annually (200,000 more than previously allowed). -
USCIS
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (a partition of the Departmetntof Homelad secutiry) was established in order to make immigraiton and travel of non-Americans more fluid and organized. -
REAL ID Act
The REAL ID Act was passed in 2005 by the US Congress. Included in it was the right for the government to erect obstacles, roads, or other barriers to make it more difficult for aliens to gain entry in high-immigration areas. -
SB 1070 is passed
Governor Jan Brewer signs SB1070 into law, making it required for all immigrants to be properly documented at all times. SB1070 is the most strict and controversial anti-immigration law ever passed in the state. -
Indians Gain the Right to Vote
The Supreme Court of Arizona rules that denying Indians the right to vote is against the principles of freedom and equality.
