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Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882
Stopped entry of chinese immigrant into the United States for ten years. It was the first to establish the federal governments right to restrict immmigrants based on nationalities. -
Ellis Island
Ellis Island opened in 1892 as a federal immigration station, a purpose it served for more than 60 years (it closed in 1954). -
Quota Act of 1921
This act limited the annual number of immigrants from each nationality to 3 percent of the number of foreign-born persons of that nationality who were living in the United States in 1910. The law did not apply to certain categories of educated people, such as professors, ministers, doctors, and lawyers. Most Asian groups were not included in the list of nationalities. -
Immigration Act of 1924 and National Origins Act of 1929
Established a new quota system for each nationality and set a limit on the total number of immigrants to be allowed entry at all (150000 per year). The quota system that resulted from these acts served as teh basis for U.S. immigration policy for more than thirty-five years. -
1965
The 1965 law eliminated quotas based on national origin. As many as 270000 immigrants could be admitted each year without regard to nationality, country of origin, or race. No more than 20000 persons could come from any one country, however. Close relatives of American citizens were given special status, as were aliens with specialized occupational talents. -
1986 - Immigration Reform and Control Act
Imposed severe penalities on employers who willfully hired illegal aliens (fines range from $250 to $10000 for each offense). Employers who repeatedly violate this law can be jailed for up to six months. The 1986 law also included an amnesty program.
