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Naturalization Act
Any free white man or women could receive citizenship if they lived in the United States for five years at least and renounced any title they possessed in the previous states. If they were approved and recorded, all related children can receive citizenship whether they had been born in or outside the U.S.
This topic is important because it shows at the begining how easy it was for WHITE men to become a citizen.
Source: http://library.uwb.edu/static/USimmigration/1795_naturalization_act.html -
The Steerage Act
The congresses passed an act allowing passenger trade, bringing immigrants over on ships and vessels to America. The US wanted to grow their country and slowly starting to let people come over to America to build a population.
Source:http://library.uwb.edu/static/usimmigration/1819_steerage_act.html -
United State and Mexican War
This was the first invasion from the US in the south west for soil. Mexico ended up losing to America, and causing a lot of conflict between the two states. I picked this topic because I think its important to understand why America was so hesitant to letting Mexicans come over.
Source: http://www.history.com/topics/mexican-american-war -
California Gold Rush
As people were migrating to other parts of the country to start a new fresh life, California was a hot spot on the map. Of course, because of all the Gold. This is important part of immigration because this is how regions started to form and it was bringing in immigrants from other countries.
Source: http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/immigration/goldrush.html -
The Treaty of Guadeloupe Hidalgo
This brought an official end to the American-Mexican war. Mexico handed over the lower part of California, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, and Nevada. The Treaty of Peace was friendship between both countries.
Source: https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/guadalupe-hidalgo -
The Homestead Act
The Homestead Act opened up settlement in the western United States, allowing any American, including freed slaves, to put in a claim for up to 160 free acres of federal land. This is allowing non-citizens and immigrants travel to the West to start a life. -
Immigration Act
A new Immigration Act that stated a 50 cents tax would be mandatory on all aliens landing at United States ports. They would be examined and anyone who appeared to be convicts, lunatics, idiots or unable to take care of themselves were not permitted onto land. The united states was allowing more people to come over, but they were picking who they wanted now by wedding out the "bad eggs"
Source:http://library.uwb.edu/static/USimmigration/1882_immigration_act.html -
Immigration Act
This focus is to identify who is eligible for citizenship through birth or naturalization requirements. It is particularly relevant in clarifying the status of individuals and their children. If you were born on US territories (abroad), you are a citizen of the US. Source: http://library.uwb.edu/static/usimmigration/1940_naturalization_act.html -
Bracero Program
This is the beginning of the never ending history for Mexican workers. Because of WWII, the lack of labor was a concern. America decided to make a labor contract to bring over Mexicans for agricultural jobs. The program extended longer then it was supposed to, and of course this led to more Mexican immigration and Mexicans not wanting to leave America.
Source: http://braceroarchive.org/about -
War Bride Acts
The War Brides Act was the first of several related measures to allow United States soldiers to bring their alien brides and families into the United States following World War II. Men were bringing more immigrants over legally, they would also get examined to make sure their was nothing wrong with them.
Source: http://library.uwb.edu/static/USimmigration/1945_war_brides_act.html -
Displaced Persons Act
This act helped people who were victims by the Nazi government. .They were granted permanent residency and employment. A child who was under the age of sixteen who became an orphan because their parents either went missing or died would also be cared for by the U.S. Now European immigrants are coming over to the America.
Source: http://immigrationtounitedstates.org/464-displaced-persons-act-of-1948.html -
Cuban Refugee Act
President Kennedy allowed Cubans to come over to Miami in refugee camps to help them escape the war. They needed a safe outlet and this was the best option. This allowed Cuban immigrants to make their way to America, and still to this day Miami is know as little Cuba because of the immigration from Cuba to America.
Source: https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/ssb/v25n3/v25n3p3.pdf -
IIRIRA
The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, restricts illegal immigrants from state benefits and government help.
Source: https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/news/2014/01/09/81849/5-major-immigration-laws-that-the-house-passed-in-an-election-year/ -
Personal Responsibility Act
A welfare reform plan that will dramatically change the nation's welfare system into one that requires work in exchange for time-limited assistance. This gave immigrants work opportunity.
Source: https://aspe.hhs.gov/report/personal-responsibility-and-work-opportunity-reconciliation-act-1996 -
LIFE Act Amendment
This helped immediate relatives of U.S. citizens and green-card holders to adjust their status to permanent residency without leaving the United States, even if they had entered or worked in the country without legal status. The bill also created a temporary visa cards to allow family members of green-card holders to reunite with their family in the United States instead of being separated. Source: https://www.americanprogress.org -
Safe Neighborhoods Act
This law lets any law enforcement ask someone who looks of Mexican ethnicity if they have a green card present. If they are pulled over, arrested, or walking down the street they are supposed to show proof of citizen ship. This causes a major issue in Arizona because there are Mexican-Americans who will be racially profiled.
Source: http://www.ncsl.org/research/immigration/analysis-of-arizonas-immigration-law.aspx -
DREAM Act
The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors
This is allowing undocumented students who graduated high school to become citizens and attend college without a penalty. Unfortunately the DREAM Act has not passed, but there are other opportunities for illegal immigrants to attend colleges and feel safe.
Source: https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/news/2014/01/09/81849/5-major-immigration-laws-that-the-house-passed-in-an-election-year/
