Timeline of Immigration

Immigration Wave One (1609-1775)

1609-1775

The first wave of immigration was mainly Scots-Irish and Germans.

Naturalization Act (1790)

1790

This act set the nations new immigrations procedures. It limited access to U.S. citizenship to white immigrants.

Ban of Importation (1808)

1808

This ban of importation stopped the trade of slaves from Africa and the West Indies into the United States.

Immigration Wave Two (1820-1870)

1820-1870

Most of these newcomers entered the United states through New York City instead of Philidelphia.

Immigration Control and Reform (1832)

1832

Disenfranchised 56 boroughs in England and Wales reduced another 31 to only MP

Immigration Wave Three (1881-1920)

1881-1920

The third wave of immigrants was primarily Chinese workers that were coming in from Asia.

Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)

1882

The first significant law restricting immigration into the United States. Was mainly towards Asians and Chinese.

Immigration Act (1891)

1891

This act created the Office of the Superintendent of Immigration in the Treasury Department.

Gentlemans Agreement (1907)

1907

It was an informal agreement between the United States and Iapan where Japan would not allow further emigration to take place. If they did this than the US would not impose further restrictions on those already in the US.

Barred Zone act (1917)

1917

Bans asians and other non white people from entering the United States.

Wartime Measure (1918)

1918

The United States deemed wartime travel as an unlawful act when touring without a United States passport.

Emergency Quota Act (1921)

1921

Restricted the amount of immigrants allowed in the US to only 3% of the number of residents from that country living in the United States.

National Origins Act (1924 and 1929)

1924 + 1929

A discriminatory policy that reduced the overall immigration from Western, Southern, Asian, and Russian countries into the United States and it established quotas.

Executive Order 9066 (1942)

1942

Was an executive order signed and issued by president Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War ll. It authorized the forced removal of all persons deemed a threat to national security.

Displaced Persons Act (1948)

1948

This act helped assist in the resettlement of over 200,000 european refugees.

Refugee Convention (1951)

1951

Provided what would become an internationally regonized definition of a refugee and outlines the legal protection for them.

McCarran-Walter Act (1952)

1952

This law repealed the last of the existing measures to exclude Asian immigration. Allowed each Asian nation a minimum of 100 visas per year.

Immigration Wave 4 (1965-today)

1965-today

The fourth wave of immigrants is the most diverse ever with 80% o fthem coming from Latin America and Asia.

The Refugee Act (1980)

1980

Raised the amount of refugees from around 17,000 to 50,000.

Immigration Act (1990)

1990

Increased the annual limits on the total level of immigration.

The illegal immigration and resposibility act (1996)

1996

This act strengthened immigration laws, adding penalties for undocumented immigrants and other things such as who commits crimes while in the US and who stays in for certain periods of time.

DACA (2012)

2012

Provides temporary relief from deportation and works authorization to certain young undocumented immigrants.

Zero tolerance policy (2018)

2018

Intened to ramp-up criminal prosecution of people caught trying to enter the United States illegaly.