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Early Restrictions
Citizenship was possible only for someone who was "a free whit person" -
Period: to
1880-1920
The heaviest immigration periods in the US when 25 million immigrants arrived from southern and Eastern Europe -
Quota Act of 1921
Congress set up a quota favoring immigrants from northwestern Europe. -
Immigration act of 1924
Immigrants from any country is limited to 2 percent of its total numbers in 1890 census. -
Immigration Reform Act
Abolished the quota system based on the national origin. Reunifying families and giving special priority to certain skills. Also set annual limits: 170,000 from the Eastern Hemisphere, and 120,000 from the Western Hemisphere -
Chinese Exclusion Act.
No Chinese laborer could enter the United States for 10 years. -
Immigration Reform and Control Act
Penalized employers for knowingly hire undocumented immigrants, but gives amnesty to some undocumented immigrants, allowing them a path to eventually applying for citizenship -
Imigration Act of 1990
No country could account for more than 7 percent of total immigrants. -
Immigration Reform Act
Expands the U.S. Border Patrol and stiffens penalties for false papers -
2007
Bush proposed to fill short-term labor needs through a guest worker program and strengthened border control.
