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Mexican Revolution
More than 890,000 legal Mexican immigrants sought refuge in the US between 1910 and 1920. -
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History of US Immigration
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Creation of US Border Patrol
Patroled both the Canadian and Mexican borders. During Prohibition, more agents patroled the Canadian border than the Mexican border to prevent people from smuggling liquor. Before the creation of the Border Patrol various watchmen, inspectors, US soldiers, and Texas Rangers patroled the region. -
Alien Registration Act
Made it illegal to teach or advocate the violent overthrow of the US government. Required immigrants to register so they could be tracked and the government could monitor the spread of anti-government ideas. -
Bracero Agreement
Agreement between the US and Mexico that allowed Mexican workers into the US to fill jobs. Initially negotiated for railroad workers, but was expanded to include agricultural and other skilled and unskilled labor. -
Operation Wetback
Increased border enforcement, especially the regulation of Mexican immigrants. Agents discovered over 1 million illegal immigrants in 1954. -
Immigration Act
President Lyndon Johnson signed a bill that allows more immigrants from third world countries. 170,000 immigrants from the Eastern Hemisphere were granted residency, and 120,000 from the Western Hemisphere. -
Refugee Act
Signed by President Jimmy Carter. Raised the number of refugees admitted into the country to 50,000 per fiscal year. Benefitted refugees from Cuba and Central American countries that faced civil and political conflicts. -
Immigration Reform and Control Act
Passed to control and deter illegal immigration. Undocumented immigrants who had been present since 1982 were legalized along with some agricultural workers. Increased enforcement of borders. Created consequences for employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers. -
North American Free Trade Agreement
Has negative effects on the Mexican economy that has led to low wages and harsh working conditions. This has led to increased immigration from Mexico to the US in search of higher paying jobs. -
Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act
Increased border enforcement, increased penalties for transporting undocumented aliens into the US, sets guidelines for the interrogation, arrest, and removal of deportable aliens. Immigrants faced bans as a result of residing in the US illegally. -
Patriot Act
Passed in response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Allows the FBI to search telephone, email, and financial records without a court order. Allows immigrants to be detained indefinitely by law enforcement. Increased funding for the FBI's Terrorist Screening Center. Altered the definition of terrorism to include mass destruction, assassination, and kidnapping. -
Arizona Minuteman Project
Organized group of volunteers who patrol the US-Mexico border. -
Secure Fence Act
Authorized hundreds of miles of additional fencing along the US-Mexico border, more checkpoints, and the use of technology such as cameras, satellites, and unmanned aerial vehicles along the border. -
Arizona SB1070
Allowed law enforcement to determine an individual's immigration status if there is reasonable suspicion that they may be an illegal alien. -
DREAM Act
Provides conditional permanent residency to illegal aliens who arrived in the US as minors, and are of good moral characters, graduated from a US high school, and attended two years of college or completed military service.
