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Naturalization Act of 1790
Established the first rules for granting U.S. citizenship, limiting naturalization to "free white persons" of good character who had resided in the country for at least two years. This act excluded enslaved individuals, free Black people, Indigenous peoples, and other non-white groups from citizenship. -
Fourteenth Amendment
Ratified on July 9, 1868, this amendment granted citizenship to "all persons born or naturalized in the United States," including formerly enslaved individuals. It aimed to provide equal protection under the laws, though in practice, many African Americans continued to face significant discrimination. -
Naturalization Act of 1870
Extended naturalization rights to individuals of African descent, allowing Black immigrants to become U.S. citizens. However, it continued to exclude Asian immigrants and other non-white groups from the naturalization process. -
Chinese Exclusion Act
Prohibited the immigration of Chinese laborers and barred Chinese immigrants from obtaining U.S. citizenship, marking the first significant law restricting immigration based on ethnicity. -
United States v. Wong Kim Ark
The Supreme Court ruled that children born in the U.S. to Chinese immigrant parents are U.S. citizens under the Fourteenth Amendment, affirming the principle of birthright citizenship regardless of race or parents' nationality. -
Indian Citizenship Act
Granted U.S. citizenship to all Native Americans born within the territorial limits of the country. Despite this, many states continued to deny Native Americans the right to vote through discriminatory practices. -
Repeal of Chinese Exclusion Act
The Magnuson Act repealed previous exclusion laws, allowing Chinese immigrants to become naturalized citizens and establishing a modest annual immigration quota. -
Immigration and Nationality Act (McCarran-Walter Act)
Abolished racial restrictions in immigration and naturalization laws, allowing individuals of all races to immigrate and become U.S. citizens. However, it maintained national origin quotas that limited immigration from certain countries. -
Immigration and Nationality Act (Hart-Cellar Act)
Eliminated the national origins quota system, leading to a more diverse influx of immigrants and redefining the American demographic landscape. -
Immigration Reform and Control Act
Provided a pathway to citizenship for certain undocumented immigrants who had been residing in the U.S. since before 1982, while also imposing sanctions on employers who knowingly hired unauthorized workers.