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Supreme Court Rules That Congress Alone Can Regulate Immigration
The Supreme Court ruled that even in the absence of any federal legislation, state governments could not regulate immigration." http://immigration.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000023 -
1862 - Homestead Act of 1862 Passed to Encourage Westward Migration
Congress offered to sell public lands at a very low price to attract people to the Midwest and West. Most came from the East and Europe and this law was very effective..The offer greatly increased the numbers of people migrating westward." http://immigration.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000023 -
Ellis Island Opens as Immigrant Entry Checkpoint
Between 1892 and 1954, over twelve million immigrants entered the United States through the portal of Ellis Island, a small island in New York Harbor. http://immigration.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000023 -
Naturalization Act Creates Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization
Congress passed an act that expanded the existing Immigration Bureau to the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization and put it in charge of ‘all matters concerning the naturalization of aliens http://immigration.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000023 -
Mexican Revolution Drives Thousands of Mexicans across the US-Mexican Border
The result of the Mexican Revolution drove thousands of Mexicans north. Beyond physical proximity, the United States offered jobs — in industry, in mines, on railroads, and in agriculture — and all at wage levels far higher than those in Mexico. http://immigration.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000023 -
First Quota Act Becomes Law and Limits the Number of Immigrants from Certain Countries
This law limited the number of immigrants who could enter this country from Europe, Australia, Africa, New Zealand, Asiatic Turkey, Persia, to 3 percent of the number of foreign-born of such nationalities residing here when the 1910 census was taken. http://immigration.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000023 -
US Border Patrol Established with Labor Appropriation Act of 1924
Congress passed the Labor Appropriation Act of 1924, officially establishing the U.S. Border Patrol for the purpose of securing the borders between inspection stations http://immigration.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000023 -
Illegal Mexicans
US Labor Secretary Estimates That over 1,000,000 Mexicans Are in United States Illegally -
Bracero Program Ends; Undocumented Laborers Continue to Arrive from Mexico
Thus began the era of undocumented migration by 'irregular' migrants who worked temporarily under the threat of deportation... http://immigration.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000023 -
1980 Census shows anywhere from 2 -4 illigral immigrants
Census Estimates 2 to 4 Million Immigrants in the United States Illegally with about Half from Mexico http://immigration.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000023 -
INS estimates 3.4 Million Immigrants in US illegally
US Immigration and Naturalization Service developed the first detailed national estimates of the unauthorized immigrant population residing in the United States -
California's Proposition 187 Is Approved by Voters (and Later Rejected by US District Court)
A U.S. District Court judge has declared most of California's Proposition 187 unconstitutional... Approved by voters in 1994, the proposition would have denied health care, education and welfare benefits to illegal immigrants. http://immigration.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000023 -
Oct. 26, 2006 - Secure Fence Act Authorizes Fencing along the US-Mexican Borde
The Act authorizes the construction of [700] hundreds of miles of double-layered fencing along the nation's Southern border. It also directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to take action to stop the unlawful entry of undocumented immigrants, terrorists, and contraband into the U.S. using both personnel and surveillance technology -
Arizona's SB 1070
Controversial Arizona Bill (SB 1070) Signed into Law, Expanding the State's Authority to Combat Illegal Immigration http://immigration.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000023 -
Judge Blocks Key Parts of SB1070
...[Judge Bolton] blocked a requirement that police check the immigration status of people stopped for such routine infractions as traffic violations, if police suspect they are in the U.S. illegally... [and] a section that required law enforcement to detain individuals until their legal status was clarified... She also blocked a section that required foreigners to carry documents proving they had permission to be in the U.S., and another provision that banned illegal immigrants from seeking wo -
11.8 Million Estimated Unauthorized Immigrants in US
US Department of Homeland Security Estimates 11.8 Million Unauthorized Immigrants in US with 59% from Mexico http://immigration.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000023 -
Supreme Court Upholds Arizona Law which Penalizes Businesses
US Supreme Court Upholds Arizona Law Penalizing Businesses That Hire Undocumented Immigrants http://immigration.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000023 -
US Supreme Court Upholds Centerpiece of 2010 Arizona Immigration Law
The provision requires state law enforcement officials to determine the immigration status of anyone they stop or arrest if they have reason to suspect that the individual might be in the country illegally. http://immigration.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000023 -
Obama Announced Executive Action to Prevent Deportation of Millions of Immigrants in the US Illegally
With 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States, Obama's plan would let some 4.4 million who are parents of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents remain in the country temporarily, without the threat of deportation.
Those undocumented residents could apply legally for jobs and join American society, but not vote or qualify for insurance under the president's healthcare law. The measure would apply to those who have been in the United States for at least five years.