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Irish Immigration Begins/Irish Potato Famine
As a result of the potato famine in Ireland, Irish immigrants began flocking to America in search of opportunity. -
New York v. Miln
The decision stated that states may take precautionary measures against the importation of "Paupers, Vagabonds, Convicts, and Infectious Articles" into America -
California Gold Rush
The prospects of gold led many immigrants, notably the Chinese, to come to America. -
Supreme Court Rules that Congress Alone Can Make Immigration Policies
When Massachusetts and New York decided to pass laws designed to restrict immigration, a court case decided that immigration policy is something that only Congress can regulate, as immigrants were considered "foreign commerce". -
Anti-Coolie Act
This act was put in place to limit the number of Chinese immigrants that were ocming in to the United States. -
Immigration Act of 1882
This act imposed a fee of fifty cents per person to those who wished to immigrate to the U.S. Certain groups were ineligible. -
14th Amendment
This gave citizenship to all persons born in the United States. -
Mexican Revolution
This revolution drove many Mexicans across the border -
Border Inspectors Established
Congress authorized what could be considered the first form of border patrol. Although these patrolled along the U.S.-Mexico border, they were primarily concerned with controlling the flow of illegal Chinese immigrants at the time. -
Emergency Quota Act
This Act was instituted to limit the rapidly growing number of immigrants to almost 3% of what the immigration was in 1920. -
Bracero Program
The war depleted the U.S. workforce, so 5 million temporary Mexican workers were brought into the United States t owork farms and railroads. -
Hart-Cellar Immigration and Nationality Act
This act finally abolished immigration laws based on race or countyr of origin. -
Immigration Reform and Control Act
This granted legal status to illegal immigrants who arrived in the United States before 1982. -
Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996
Immigrants who were here illegally between 180 and 365 days must remain outside of the United States for 3 years, unless they get a pardon. For those who were here illegally for over a year, they must stay out of the U.S. for 10 years. -
Patriot Act
The Patriot Act was a response to 9/11, and added restrictions on all immigrants.