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History of Immigration
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The Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves of 1807
ResourceCongress, at President Jefferson's invitation, made slave trade now illegal, but did not interfere with either the domestic slave trade or slavery itself. This became a United States federal law that stated that no new slaves were permitted to be imported into the United States. Following this order, approximately 50,000 slaves were then smuggled into the United States after 1808 who became the first illegal immigrants." -
The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo
Resource The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo ended the Mexican-American War allowing the United States to acquire Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, California, and parts of Utah and Nevada from Mexico. 80,000 Mexicans living in the territory are allowed to remain and receive citizenship. -
Completion of the First transcontinental railroad at Promontory Summit, Utah
Resource After this major national achievement of the first transcontinental railroad was completed, immigrants who entered the US at immigration checkpoints on the Eastern Seaboard such as Ellis Island began using the train system to migrate west. In fact, the railroad companies themselves promoted such plans, because increased population in the west meant more business. -
Statue of Liberty Unveiled
Resource A landmark at the entrance to New York Harbor which has come to represent a broader vision of freedom and democracy and the promise of a better life for the millions of immigrants who passed by her as they entered the country. -
14th Ammendment gives Citizenship
Resource Supreme Court Confirms That 14th Amendment Gives Citizenship to All Persons Born in the United States. This law therefore declares and ordains that 'All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.'" -
Mexican Revolution
Resource The resulting chaos of the Mexican Revolution drove Thousands of Mexicans further north, across the US-Mexican Border. The United States offered jobs due to a high need for labor in industry, mines, railroads, and in agriculture, and with wage levels far higher than those in Mexico, this deman increased immigration. -
US Border Patrol Established
Resource 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. -
Operation Wetback
Resource Operation Wetback was enacted in the by immigration and Naturalization service and headed by President Eisenhower's border control program. The focus of his intense border enforcement was the "illegal aliens," but common practice of Operation Wetback focused on Mexicans in general. -
Immigration and Nationality Act
Resource In 1965, the United States passed the landmark Immigration Act abolishing nation-of-origin restrictions making immigration and naturalization exclusion on the basis of race, sex, or nationality prohibited. This act was not effective however until 1968. immigration and naturalization exclusion on the basis of race, sex, or nationality was prohibited -
Passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
Resource The passage of (NAFTA), eliminated all non-tariff trade barriers between the United States and Mexico, and consequently brought an estimated 13 million new job seeking undocumented immigrants from Mexico. -
Illegal Immigrant Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act
Resource An effort by Congress to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act in an attempt to strengthen and streamline U.S. immigration laws. The Act was designed to improve border control by imposing criminal penalties and in fact affected many undocumented residents within the United States. -
9/11 Terrorist Attacks
Resource Terrorist Attacks Prompt US Department of Defense to Expand Military Support to include counterterrorism activities along the borders. After the attacks of September 11, 2001,the Department of Defense becmae supportive in role of counterdrug and counterterrorism efforts although no their primary responsibility. -
U.S.A. Patriots Act
Resource The bill, which was sighned in by President George W. Bush, contained provisions aimed at expanding the federal government’s ability to gather intelligence, engage in domestic surveillance and secret searches and detain immigrants with little restraint. The provisions in the PATRIOT Act became immediately controversial, as civil liberties groups argued that these provisions gutted constitutional protections provided to citizens for generations. -
Passage of Arizona SB 1070
Resource Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signs the most controversial and restrictive immigration bill (SB1070) into law. Under this new law, it is officially a crime to be in the country illegally, and legal immigrants will be required to carry paperwork proving their status. Arizona police will be trained to question anyone they 'reasonably suspect' of being undocumented, which many see as a racial profiling. -
Obama's New Young Illegal Immigrant Policy Goes In Effect
Resource President Obama Allows Undocumented Immigrants Who Came to US as Children to Stay in the Country. Under this change, the Department of Homeland Security will no longer initiate the deportation of illegal immigrants who came to the United States before age 16, have lived here for at least five years, and are in school, are high school graduates or are military veterans in good standing. The immigrants must also be under 30 and have clean criminal records.
