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Home , Arizona SB 1070, Emergency Quota Act, Immigration Act of 1891, Immigration Act of 1990, Magnuson Act, Minuteman Project

History & Policy

500+ years ago 1000s America is populated by millions of 1000 Native peoples speaking over 300 Vikings sailed to a place they call "Vinland," different languages. in what is now the Canadian province of Newfoundland. Later Vikings come on 1493-1530 trading expeditions but do not settle in the Spanish colonize Caribbean islands 1400s Americas. 1534 1497-1521 French claim territory of present-day Portuguese explorers claim parts of what Canada as New France. is today Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada 1565 Spanish establish the settlement of St. 1500s 1598 Augustine in present-day Florida. The Spanish establish the capital of Spain at San Juan Pueblo, 25 miles 1607 north of present-day Santa Fe in New English establish settlement of 1600s . Jamestown in present-day Virginia. 1609-1626 1619 Dutch explore northeast part of what is First ship with enslaved Africans today the US and Canada, claiming as arrives New Netherlands. 1615 they establish a settlement near present-day Albany. in1619 Virginia.-1807 Approximately 500,000 Africans 1626 were forcibly imported into what is Dutch “purchase” the island of Manhattan now the US to serve as slaves. from the Lenape Indians.

1682 1700s 1734-1867 French claim the Mississippi Valley Russians explore and colonize Louisiana Territory as part of New pacific areas of present-day northern US France. and Alaska. In 1867 Russia’s sale of Alaska 1776-1808 is protested as illegal by Alaskan Rules regarding who is a citizen and indigenous nations because they were the who can gain citizenship via original owners. are created. Slaves are prohibited from being brought into the 1776 US. United States becomes independent nation. Anyone born in US is considered a citizen. Constitution 1787. Bill of Rights 1789. 1789-1797 Under George , 1802 citizenship gained by naturalization is The 1802 Naturalization Act states that limited to “free white citizens” leaving applicants must have good character, out American Indians, slaves and 1810s allegiance to the Constitution and a others, and subsequently adding formal declaration of intention. This residency requirements of five years statute also requires immigrants to and renunciation of “allegiance complete an application form with their and fidelity” to any other country name, birthplace, age, nation of (1795). allegiance, country of emigration, and place of intended settlement. 1808 Slave Trade Act makes it illegal to 1830-1870 import or buy a person of color from Immigration by German, Irish and Chinese another country. due to factors in home countries and need for labor in US. Mexico cedes half its 1840s-1850s territory to the US and Mexicans in that The Germans begin migrating for area are guaranteed the right to their economic and religious reasons property and to naturalization. Gold is (German revolution 1848) and the discovered in California prompting Irish because of religious/political increased immigration and migration. Anti- reasons and starvation from the immigrant sentiment is reflected in the Potato Famine (1845-52). establishment of the Know-Nothing political party. Agreement between US and 1848 1840s China allows Chinese laborers to come to Mexican American war (1846-1848) US to help build the Transcontinental results in Treaty of Guadalupe Railroad, which is then used by immigrants Hidalgo through which the US gains coming in from half of Mexico’s territory including to get to the western US, a new part of US present-day and territory. and parts of Utah, Nevada, and Colorado. Mexicans are allowed to choose to stay in US or return to 1848-1855 Mexico, and protected the property California Gold Rush attracts and civil rights of those who stayed, immigrants and migrants. promising citizenship.

1854-1956 1850s 1850s The Nativist political party the Chinese workers migrated to the Know Nothing Party, also called United States, first to work in the the American Party, is formed in gold mines, but also to take reaction to differences between agricultural jobs, and factory work, Protestant and Catholics. In especially in the garment industry. California the Know Nothings react against the Chinese. ddgfgdfgdgdgdgdgdgf 1869 1868 1860s Transcontinental Railroad is completed. The Burlingame Treating established formal Promoted by railroad companies, new relations between the US and China. It immigrants entering the US via its is established in order to maintain a flow of Eastern seaboard use railways to migrate cheap Chinese labor for the construction of West, creating new immigrant the Transcontinental Railroad. It permitted settlements across the country. free migration between China and the US and guaranteed the political and religious 1880 1880s rights of Chinese immigrants. 1,630 Chinese live in Tucson. Came via Mexico or from the Railroad 1870- 1907 construction jobs. Immigration increases, anti-immigrant sentiment increases, additional 1881 restrictions added to who can qualify for Pograms (killing of Jews) in Russia citizenship via naturalization and taking and lead thousands away citizenship from American women of Jews to immigrant to the US. married to foreigners, while at the same 1882 time granting the naturalization process to Chinese Exclusionary Act ends Native and granting birthright immigration of “skilled and unskilled citizenship. Chinese Exclusionary Act Chinese laborers” for 10 years, which prevents further immigration by Chinese is then extended by the in laborers. First immigration center 1892 and made permanent in 1902. established and tighter boarder control This Act requires that all Chinese undertaken as Federal responsibility. residents register and obtain a Advertising for people to immigrant certificate of residence. Without the become illegal. certificate, Chinese residents faced 1886 deportation, imprisonment and a Statue of Liberty is dedicated in New year of hard labor. York harbor. It becomes symbol of welcome to immigrants to US shores. 1890 1890 Congress passes the Indian s 1891 Naturalization Act. This grants Native of 1891 further Americans the right to citizenship by restricts immigration excluding those applying for naturalization, the same with contagious diseases, polygamists process that non-US born residents and contracted laborers. Regulation of take to obtain citizenship. immigration is switched from states to federal responsibility. Advertising to 1892 attract immigrants is made illegal. Immigration Station opens. In the first year nearly 1894 450,000 immigrants pass through Treaty with Japan to allow for this port of entry to the US. Japanese laborers to immigrant to US to work.

1894-1921dsldkfjsldjflsdjflsdjflsdfjlsdkfjjsldkfjlsdjflsfjlsfkjlds 1899 Establishment of Immigration US vs Wong Kim Ark defines Birthright Restriction League. Members were Citizenship. US Supreme Court rules fearful that immigrants would not that all children born on American soil assimilate. They fought for a literacy are automatically US citizens (including requirement to be added for admission children of foreigners). to the country, which would be adopted in 1917. 1900 1901 s The Anarchist Exclusion Act prohibits 1906 entry into the US by people judged to be To standardize naturalization procedures, anarchists and political extremists. This Congress passes the Naturalization Act of Act comes as a response to President 1906 making some knowledge of the William McKinley being fatally shot by a English language a requirement for Polish anarchist. citizenship and establishes the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization in the 1907 Commerce Department to oversee The Expatriation Act defines the national immigration policy. citizenship of women married to foreigners. Under the law women assume 1910- 1930s the citizenship of their husbands and a 1910 Anti-immigrant sentiment, primarily s woman with US citizenship forfeits it if aimed at those who were not from she marries a foreigner, unless he results in stricter becomes naturalized. immigration requirements and the establishment of quotas. As a result 1910 of the Mexican Revolution and US 1890 Angel Island Immigration Station in s agricultural needs, many Mexicans the Bay opens—it’s enter the US to work. nickname was Guardian of the Western Gate. The facility, primarily a 1911 detention center, was designed to The United States Immigration control the flow of Chinese, and later Commission, known as the "Dillingham other Asian immigrants, into the Commission," was formed in response to country. growing political concern about immigration in the United States. The 1910 commission concluded that immigration The Mexican Revolution against the of southern and eastern Europeans 31-year dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz posed a serious threat to American causes large-scale migration to the US society and culture and recommended where increased job opportunities that the number of immigrants permitted were available because of increased entry to the US be restricted. The irrigation, extension of transportation commission's findings provided the systems and demands of WWI. Most rationale for the politically and Mexicans intend to return to Mexico economically inspired immigration after the violence ends. Between 1900 restriction acts of the next several and 1930, the Mexican population in decades. The commission’s report is used the US went from 100,000 to 1.5 as foder for the establishment of million. immigration quotas in 1924. 1917 1921 Literacy test added to requirements for establishes first entry to US. Those over the age of 16 1920s quota to be enforced for all must be able to read 40 words. Also nationalities. The Act based the quota those from certain Asian countries are levels on the population of any given barred entry. nationality living in the US in 1910, allowing only 3 percent or 350,000 to 1924 entry from countries outside Western The places Europe. This ensured that the cultural more restrictive quotas on immigration, profile of the majority of people living basing it on 2 percent of population the in US was northern European. levels of each nation already in the US in Mexicans are excluded from the quota 1890. It also included a provision system because of the efforts of the excluding from entry anyone who was agriculture lobby. ineligible for citizenship based on race or nationality. This in effect made people of 1923 Asian lineage ineligible to enter the US. Immigrants from Indian are forbidden citizenship via naturalization. 1924 Congress passes the Labor 1924 Appropriation Act that officially The Citizen Act grants citizenship to establishes the U.S. Border Patrol in Native Americans, but many states order to secure the borders between enact voting restrictions and violence inspection stations. Pervious to this, to keep Native Americans from voting. mounted Guards worked sporadically along the border primarily with the 1935- 1950 purpose of restricting the flow of illegal 1930s With War World II see influx of Chinese immigration. Jewish immigrants and adaptation of the to allow 1935 inexpensive workers from Mexico to Jews deprived of German citizenship fill gaps in the US labor needs. and migrate to US. Jewish Chinese Exclusionary Act is lifted, begin to arrive in the US, including but strict immigration quotas some of the most prominent German remain. academics. 1940s 1943 1941-1964 China becomes an official allied Due to labor during World nation and Congress passes the War II, the US begins the Labor , repealing the Importation program, also known as previous Chinese Exclusion Acts. the Bracero Program, to supply Chinese American are now able to inexpensive workers. Temporary apply for citizenship via work visas were given to laborers naturalization, but are banned primarily from Mexico, and also from from owning property. Strict Jamaica, Honduras, and Barbados. immigration quota numbers are also still in effect. 1950- 1980 1948 National origins quotas continue to be 1950s 205,000 European refugees enter used to regulate numbers of the US under the Displaced immigrants at the beginning of this era Persons Act of 1948, which aimed and are eliminated by the end, with a to help individuals who were ceiling of 300,000 immigrants allowed victims of Nazi persecution. each year. , an unofficial campaign to deport 1952 undocumented Mexican immigrants Immigration and Nationality Act expels 3.8 million people. upholds national origins quotas to be enforced by the new Immigration and 1953-1958 Naturalization Service. It still allows Due to pressure from border states the unlimited immigration from Western Immigration Nationalization Service Hemisphere countries, permits begins “Operation Wetback,” an limited immigration from the Eastern unofficial campaign to deport Hemisphere countries, establishes undocumented Mexican immigrants. preference for skilled workers, and While officials claimed that they wished tightens security and screening only to expel those who have standards. The law abolishes racial immigrated to the US illegally, they restrictions on nationalization, thus often focused on Mexicans, deporting opening citizenship to non-white those who immigrated legally and their immigrants. Grants citizenship to US-born children. While looking for people living in Puerto Rico, the people to deport officials adopted the Virgin Islands, and Guam. It allows practice of stopping “Mexican-looking” the US government to deport citizens and asking for identification. immigrants and naturalized citizens Over 3.8 million people are deported. engaged in subversive activities.

1953 1959 The Relief Act grants refugee As a result of the Cuban Revolution, status to non-European migrants over 200,000 anti-Communist Cubans displaced by war. In total 200,000 and Western business owners flee to refugees are admitted into the United the US to avoid prosecution by States. revolutionary courts and are welcomed as political refugees. A year 1964 later the Castro regime nationalizes The Civil Rights Act makes it 1960s all foreign-owned property, and in unlawful for an employer to "fail or response, the US froze all Cuban refuse to hire or to discharge any assets, severed diplomatic ties, and individual, or otherwise to issued an embargo on Cuba. In 1966, discriminate against any individual Congress passes the Cuban American with respect to his compensation, Adjustment Act allowing Cubans who terms, conditions or privileges or have been in the US for over a year to employment, because of such receive permanent residency. No individual's race, color, religion, sex, other immigrant group has had this or national origin." privilege before, or since. 1965 1980 Immigration and Nationalization Act The created The Federal eliminates national origins quotas. The law Refugee Resettlement Program to sets a maximum annual level of provide for the effective resettlement immigration at 300,000 and allows for no of refugees and to assist them to more than 20,000 immigrants per country achieve economic self-sufficiency as in the Eastern Hemisphere. Preference is quickly as possible after arrival in the given to uniting immigrant families and United States. The law raises the skilled workers. Nevertheless, new 1980s limitation from 17,400 to 50,000 immigrant populations from the Middle refugees admitted each year. East, Africa, and India migrate to the US in unprecedented numbers. No per-country quotas are placed on Western Hemisphere 1986- 2001 countries. While there is some movement to create 1986 a way for illegal immigrants to obtain Congress passes the Immigration Reform legal status, overall the sentiment is and Control Act, giving legal status to anti-immigrant and becoming more about three million undocumented focused on Mexican illegal immigrants. immigrants who entered the United States Illegal immigrants cannot be hired and before 1982. Additionally the law makes it efforts are in place to start tightening US illegal to knowingly hire or recruit borders with a concentrated effort undocumented immigrants and requires placed on deporting Mexicans. A lottery employers to report their employee’s system is put in place for those wanting immigration status with the introduction to migrate from countries under- of the I-9 employment form. This law also represented in the US. increases the Border Patrol by fifty percent and denies undocumented workers federal welfare benefits. 1990s 1993 1990 “Operation Blockade” begins. The El The increases the Paso Border Patrol places 400 agents limits on legal immigration to the United directly on the Rio Grande river to States to 700,000, revises all grounds for deter undocumented immigrants trying exclusion and deportation, authorizes to migrate to the United States. During temporary protected status to aliens of the next 10 years nearly 3,000 people designated countries, revises and establishes are killed attempting to illegally cross new non-immigrant admission categories the border. (ie: student and temporary workers), revises and extends the non-immigrant Visa Waiver Pilot Program, and revises naturalization authority and requirements. The law removes homosexuality as grounds for exclusion from immigration and creates the program, establishing a lottery system to admit immigrants from countries under- represented in the United States. 1996 2001 Congress passes the 2000s The State Legislature passes the Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act Texas DREAM Act providing that all and AEDPA to create more stringent students, regardless of their immigrant immigration laws pertaining to admission status, may qualify for in-state tuition at and deportation. The laws broaden the Texas colleges and universities. This law types of crimes that could lead to also gives children brought to the deportation, making many misdemeanors United States illegally a pathway to including shoplifting and simple drug citizenship. [Currently there are twelve possession grounds for deportation, and states with their own version of the made becoming legal after entering the DREAM Act and a similar law has been country illegally almost impossible. introduced in the US Congress every Applying for asylum becomes more year since 2009.] difficult under this law, which bars refugees from working while their cases were under review. Mass incarceration of 2001 immigrants begins and in 4 years 363,000 Just over a month after the terrorist people are detained. attacks President George W. Bush signs into law the USA Patriot Act. The law 9/11/2001 lifted restrictions on law enforcement’s Men affiliated with Al-Qaeda, a global gathering of domestic intelligence; militant Islamist organization, hijack four expanded the Secretary of Treasury’s passenger airliners, fly two into the World authority over international financial Trade Center complex and one into the transactions; broadened the law Pentagon. The fourth plane targeted the surrounding detainment and deportment US Capitol, but crashed into a field in of immigrants suspected of terrorism- when its passengers related acts by authorizing the indefinite attacked the hijackers. The Arab American detentions of some immigrants and and Muslim community experiences reporting/supervision requirements for bigotry and violence as many Americans certain nationalities (NSEERS program); associate all Muslims with the September and added domestic terrorism to the 11th terrorists. US government officials federal definition of terrorism. Although focus their attention on “securing the the law is directed at fighting terrorism, American borders” by having stricter it has been used against undocumented requirements for entry into the US. workers with no terrorist affiliation. Also, Bush reconfigures the immigration 2004- present bureaucracy: what was one agency, the Anti-Mexican/Hispanic sentiments are high INS, becomes three: Border Patrol, ICE, in the US with vigilante groups, increased and CIS. deportation, and racists laws being passed at state levels. Children of illegal immigrants who grow up in the US start organizing to fight for civil rights including the ability to become citizens. 2004 The begins as an 2005 anti-immigrant vigilante group and “” allows citizen’s border patrol working federal district courts in certain along the US southern border. border districts to hear and decide cases of dozens of immigrants at 2006 the same time, often pushing them Mass demonstrations of through in a hour. Big increase in immigrants, Hispanic Americans, the criminal prosecution of and their allies launch in cities immigration violations – whereas across the US in support of /reentry were immigrant rights and to protest previously hardly ever charged as discrimination against crimes but simply pursued as civil undocumented immigrants. violations, now they can lead to significant criminal penalties (ie jail time and fines) before 2010s 2010 deportation. Arizona enacts SB 1070 and HB 2012 2162. Arizona SB 1070 requires all The US Supreme Court strikes persons over the age of 14 who down three of the four remain in the US for more than 30 provisions in Arizona SB 1070 days to register with the government as unconstitutional. The court and to have registration documents upholds the provision that in their possession at all times. This allows Arizona police to law also requires law enforcement to investigate the immigration determine a person’s immigrant status of stopped, detained, or status during “lawful contact” with a arrested people. person who law enforcement “suspects” is an undocumented immigrant. Arizona HB 2162 is the 2012 final version of Arizona SB 1070, and President Obama announces adds text stating, “prosecutors would that his administration will not investigate complaints based on stop deporting young race, color or national origin.” The undocumented immigrants US Department of Justice filed a who entered the US as children lawsuit against the state of Arizona if they meet certain asking that the law be declared requirements. While Obama invalid because it interferes with provides amnesty for some federal immigration regulations. nearly 2 million people have been deported during term and a half in office, the same amount that was deported under President Bush’s two terms of office.