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Immigration Act of 1924
Limited the number of immigrants allowed entry into the United States through a national origins quota. -
Bracero Program established
Instituted by the U.S. and Mexico, establishes a guest-worker treaty for Mexican farm workers in the U.S. -
Immigration Nationality Act of 1952
Also known as the McCarran–Walter Act, restricted immigration into the U.S. -
Operation Wetback
Drive to deport undocumented immigrants, primarily from Mexico. -
Immigration Reform and Act of 1986
Gives undocumented immigrants a chance to gain legal status. -
Immigration Act of 1990
Increased the limits on legal immigration to the United States, revised all grounds for exclusion and deportation, authorized temporary protected status to aliens of designated countries, revised and established new nonimmigrant admission categories, revised and extended the Visa Waiver Pilot Program, and revised naturalization authority and requirements. -
Department of Homeland Security is created
Secures the United States from threats. Establish after 9/11 terrorist attacks. Primary responsibility is to protect the United States from and responding to terrorist attacks -
Minutemen Project
Deployed regular citizens not employed by the law enforcement to track down undocumented immigrants. Caused lots of controversy. -
Arizona Proposition 200 is Passed
Requires people to provide proof of citizenship to register to vote. -
Secure Fence Act of 2006
Authorized the construction of 1,127 kilometers of double-layered fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border. Fence is still standing. -
SB 1070 Signed into Law
Required police to determine the immigration status of individual arrested or detained when there is “reasonable suspicion” they are not U.S. Citizens. Soon after, judge blocks parts of law. -
Supreme Court Upholds Arizona Law Penalizing Businesses That Hire Undocumented Immigrants
Businesses are no longer able to hire undocumented immigrants without facing penalties. Social Security number is required to obtain a job. -
DREAM Act Introduced
Also known as the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act. American legislative proposal for a multi-phase process for undocumented immigrants in the United States that would first grant conditional residency and upon meeting further qualifications, permanent residency. -
The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013
Strentghened border protections, increased interior enforcement, changed the employment-based and the family-based visas, and allowed undocumented immigrants to obtain legal status. -
Obama Announces Amnesty Plan
Obama proposed to build on the border issue and get additional resources to secure our border, make it easier and faster for high-skilled immigrants, graduates, and entrepreneurs to stay and contribute to our economy, and help the undocumented immigrants who already live in the country. This is something he says he is still working on.
