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Chinease Exclusion Act of 1882
Stopped entry of Chinease immigrants into the U.S. for ten years. -
1888-1891
More restrictive acts were passed during this time and they allowed the government not only to exclude certain individuals, but also to deport aliens who entered the country in violation of these immigration laws -
Quota Act of 1921
Limited the annual number of immigrants from each nationality to 3 percent of the number of foreigh-born persons of that nationality who were living in the U.S. in 1910. -
Immigration Act of 1924 and the national Origins Act of 1929
These Acts established a new quota system for each nationality and set a limit on the total number of immigrants to be allowed entry at all (150,000 per year). -
1965
In 1965 law had eliminated quotas based on national origin. As many as 270,000 immigrants could be admitted each year without regard to nationality. -
Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
immposed several penalties on employers who willfully hired illegal aliens. -
1987-88 Amnesty Program
Illegal aliens who could prove that they had been in this country continuosly for at least five years could apply to obtain temporary legal residency status. -
Immigration Act of 1990
this act raised the legal immigration levels by about 40 percent, to 700,000 per year. -
1994- Proposition 187
This denied public social services, publicly funded health care, and public education to people who were suspected of being illegal aliens. -
Immigration Reform Act of 1996
This Act put into effect a number of provisions to stem illegal immigration. -
Welfare Reform Act of 1996
This prohibited immigrants, including legal immigrants who are not yet citizens, from recieving most forms of public assistance, including welfare benefits. -
1997
A new policy was formed and under this new policy, many refugees automatically became eligible for permanent legal residence.
