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The Colonial Era
Spanish Immigrants settle in what is now Texas and Mexico. -
The Colonial Era
Benjamin Franklin worries about German immigrants, writing, "This Pennsylvania will in a few years become a German colony; instead of learning our language, we must learn theirs, or live as in a foreign country" -
Open Era
Congress passes the Naturalization Act, requiring for citizenship a five-year residence in the United States and the renunciation of all former allegiances. -
War of 1812
The War of 1812 brings immigration to a complete halt as hostilities prevent transport across the ocean. -
Imigration Restriction League
The Immigrant Restriction League is founded in Massachusetts by a group of Harvard graduates. In short order Senator Henry Cabot Lodge became its leader and its reason for being becomes the passage of a literacy test for entering immigrants. -
Spanish War
The Spanish War begins and carries on intill August 12th. -
Triangle Factory
The Triangle Factory Fire rages through the garment district of New York City killing 145 young immigrant working women. -
World War l
World War I interrupts mass immigration to the United States. World war l doesnt end intill November 1918 -
Literacy Test
A literacy test finally becomes law. With its passage Congress for the first time enacts a restriction of immigrants. So basically the legislation excluded any adult unable to read some language. The legislation also ordered the deportation of aliens who preached revolution any time after their entry into the United States. -
Passes immigration restriction
Congress passes immigration restriction legislation. A quota of 350,00 is established. Under this legislation immigration is limited to 3% of the number of foreign-born of each nationality present in the United States as of the last available census, that of 1910. -
President Eisenhower's
Operation Wetback- President Eisenhower's border control program. Cut illegal immigration at the cost of anti-Latino discrimination. -
Immigration Act of 1965
The Immigration Act of 1965 removes the national origins quota system. It establishes a ceiling of 270,000 immigrants per year with no more than 20,000 from one country. It creates a system of preferences, with highest priority given to family reunification. -
Immigration Reromand control Act
The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 allows most illegal immigrats who have reside in the U.S. continuously since January 1 of 1982 to apply for legal status and prohibits employers from hiring illegal people and mandates penalties for violations -
Welfare Reform
Welfare Reform Reconcilliation Act cuts the availability of government aid to legal immigrants -
Patriot Act
U.S. Patriot Act is considered by Congess to restrict the flow of immigrants and potential terrorists into the U.S.
