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Naturalization Act of 1790
The original United States Naturalization Law of March 26, 1790 (1 Stat. 103) provided the first rules to be followed by the United States in the granting of national citizenship. This law limited naturalization to immigrants who were "free white persons" of "good moral character". -
Alien and Sedition Acts
The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798from Folwell's "Laws of the U.S."Under the threat of war with France, Congress in 1798 passed four laws in an effort to strengthen the Federal government. Known collectively as the Alien and Sedition Acts, the legislation sponsored by the Federalists was also intended to quell any political opposition from the Republicans, led by Thomas Jefferson. -
Great Famine (Ireland)
In Ireland, the Great Famine was a period of mass starvation, disease and emigration between 1845 and 1852. Therefore, a great number of Irish people came to America for running away from starvation. -
Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves
Act Prohibiting Importation of SlavesThe Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves of 1807 (2 Stat. 426, enacted March 2, 1807) is a United States federal law that stated that no new slaves were permitted to be imported into the United States. It took effect in 1808, the earliest date permitted by the United States Constitution. -
California Gold Rush
The discovery of gold in 1848 brought a large rush of immigrants from around the globe. One of the largest groups to arrive in California was the Chinese. 20,000 Chinese miners arrived in California in 1852 alone. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which brought an official end to the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) was signed on February 2, 1848, at Guadalupe Hidalgo. This treaty made a lot of Mexican become to American citizens. -
Homestead Act
The Homestead Acts were several United States federal laws that gave an applicant ownership of land, typically called a "homestead", at little or no cost. Due to the lower cost, more nad more immigrants came to America. -
Burlingame Treaty
The Burlingame Treaty, also known as the Burlingame-Seward Treaty of 1868, between the United States and China, amended the Treaty of Tientsin of 1858 and established formal friendly relations between the two countries, with the United States granting China most favored nation status. After this treaty, more and more Chinese went to America for studying and working. -
The Chinese Exclusion Acts
The Chinese Exclusion Act was a United States federal law signed by Chester A. Arthur on May 6, 1882, following revisions made in 1880 to the Burlingame Treaty of 1868. Those revisions allowed the U.S. to suspend Chinese immigration, a ban that was intended to last 10 years. This law was repealed by the Magnuson Act on December 17, 1943. -
Immigration Act of 1917
Immigration Act of 1917 passed by Congress over President Wilson’s veto. This act, among other things, required a literacy test for immigrants and also barred all laborers from Asia. -
Emergency Quota Act
The immigration level was limited to 3% in 1921 by the Emergency Quota Act, soon to be limited by the Immigration Act of 1924, which brought it down to 2%. -
Smith Act
The Smith Act (1940) declared that it was criminal to advocate the overthrow of the government by force or violence. -
Immigration Act of 1990
The Immigration Act of 1990 (Pub.L. 101–649, 104 Stat. 4978, enacted November 29, 1990) increased the limits on legal immigration to the United States, revised all grounds for exclusion and deportation, authorized temporary protected status to aliens of designated countries, revised and established new nonimmigrant admission categories, revised and extended the Visa Waiver Pilot Program, and revised naturalization authority and requirements. -
Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996
This act states that immigrants unlawfully present in the United States for 180 days but less than 365 days must remain outside the United States for three years unless they obtain a pardon. If they are in the United States for 365 days or more, they must stay outside the United States for ten years unless they obtain a waiver. If they return to the United States without the pardon, they may not apply for a waiver for a period of ten years. -
U.S. Patriot Act
U.S. Patriot Act is considered by Congess to restrict the flow of immigrants and potential terrorists into the U.S. -
Real I.D. Act
The law set forth certain requirements for state driver's licenses and ID cards to be accepted by the federal government for "official purposes", as defined by the Secretary of Homeland Security. -
Arizona SB 1070
The Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act is a legislative Act in the U.S. state of Arizona that at the time of passage was the broadest and strictest anti-illegal immigration measure in recent U.S. history.
