Immigration Laws
1882 Immigration Act
• “First major federal immigration law. Barred
from entry any ‘convict, lunatic, idiot, or
person unable to take care of himself or
herself without becoming a public charge’.”
Source: O’Donnell, Ed. “Guarding the Gate: Ellis Island and Immigration Policy.” PowerPoint presentation.
Westwood High School, Westwood, MA. 2012.
Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)
• “Excluded Chinese ‘skilled and unskilled laborers employed in
mining’ from entering the country for ten years under penalty of
imprisonment and deportation. The few Chinese non-laborers who
wished to immigrate had to obtain certification from the Chinese
government that they were qualified to immigrate, which tended to
be difficult to prove. The Act also affected Asians who had already
settled in the United States. Any Chinese who left the United States
had to obtain certifications for reentry, and the Act made Chinese
immigrants permanent aliens by excluding them from U.S.
citizenship. After the Act's passage, Chinese men in the U.S. had
little chance of ever reuniting with their wives, or of starting
families in their new homes.”
Source: O’Donnell, Ed. “Guarding the Gate: Ellis Island and Immigration Policy.” PowerPoint
presentation. Westwood High School, Westwood, MA. 2012.
1891 Immigration Act
• “Created federal Immigration Bureau and expanded
list of exclusions:
– ‘idiots, insane persons, paupers or persons likely to
become public charges, persons suffering from a
loathsome or a dangerous disease, persons who have been
convicted of a felony or other infamous crime or
misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, polygamists. . .’
• Steamship companies responsible for shipping
excluded immigrants back.”
Source: O’Donnell, Ed. “Guarding the Gate: Ellis Island and Immigration Policy.”
PowerPoint presentation. Westwood High School, Westwood, MA. 2012.
1903 Immigration Act
• “Adds ‘anarchists,’ ‘epileptics,’ and
‘professional beggars’ to list of exclusionary
categories. Also substitutes the word ‘alien’
for ‘immigrant.’”
Source: O’Donnell, Ed. “Guarding the Gate: Ellis Island and Immigration Policy.”
PowerPoint presentation. Westwood High School, Westwood, MA. 2012.
1907 Immigration Act
•
Bars “All idiots, imbeciles, feeble- minded persons, epileptics, insane persons, and
persons who have been insane within five years previous; persons who have had two
or more attacks of insanity at any time previously; paupers; persons likely to become a
public charge; professional beggars; persons afflicted with tuberculosis or with a
loathsome or dangerous contagious disease; persons not comprehended within any
of the foregoing excluded classes, who are found to be and are certified by the
examining surgeon as being mentally or physically defective, such mental or physical
defect being of a nature which may affect the ability of such alien to earn a living;
persons who have been convicted of or admit having committed a felony or other
crime or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude; polygamists, or persons who admit
their belief in the practice of polygamy; anarchists, or persons who believe in or
advocate the overthrow by force or violence of the government of the United States,
or of all government, or of all forms of law, or the assassination of public officials;
prostitutes, or women or girls coming into the United States for the purpose of
prostitution, or for any other immoral purpose”
Source: http://www.historycentral.com/documents/immigrationact.html
1917 Immigration Act
– Literacy test for all immigrants over sixteen.
– "all idiots, imbeciles, feeble-minded persons, epileptics, insane persons;
persons who have had one or more attacks of insanity at any time
previously; persons of constitutional psychopathic inferiority; persons with
chronic alcoholism; paupers; professional beggars; vagrants; persons
afflicted with tuberculosis in any form or with a loathsome or dangerous
contagious disease; persons not comprehended within any of the
foregoing excluded classes who are found to be and are certified by the
examining surgeon as being mentally or physically defective, such physical
defect being of a nature which may affect the ability of such alien to earn
a living; persons who have been convicted of or admit having committed a
felony or other crime or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude;
polygamists, or persons who practice polygamy or believe in or advocate
the practice of polygamy; anarchists, or persons who believe in or
advocate the overthrow by force or violence of the Government of the
United States.”
Source: http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAE1917A.htm
1921 Quota Act
• “An annual immigration ceiling is set at
350,000. Moreover, a new nationality quota is
instituted, limiting admissions to 3 percent of
each nationality group's representation in the
1910 U.S. Census. The law is designed
primarily to restrict the flow of immigrants
coming from eastern and southern Europe.”
Source: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/newamericans/foreducators_lesson_plan_03.html
1924 National Origins Act
• “The Act reduces the annual immigration
ceiling to 165,000. A revised quota reduces
admissions to 2 percent of each nationality
group's representation in the 1890 census.
The U.S. Border Patrol is created. “
Source: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/newamericans/foreducators_lesson_plan_03.html
1927 Immigration Ceiling Further Reduced
• “The annual immigration ceiling is further reduced to
150,000; the quota is revised to 2 percent of each
nationality's representation in the 1920 census. This
basic law remains in effect through 1965.”
• 1929 National Origins Act.
– “The annual immigration ceiling of 150,000 is
made permanent, with 70 percent of admissions
slated for those coming from northern and
Western Europe, while the other 30 percent are
reserved for those coming from Southern and
Eastern Europe.”
Source: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/newamericans/foreducators_lesson_plan_03.html
1948 Displaced Persons Act
• “Entry is allowed for 400,000 persons
displaced by World War II. However, such
refugees must pass a security check and have
proof of employment and housing that does
not threaten U.S. citizens' jobs and homes.”
Source: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/newamericans/foreducators_lesson_plan_03.html
1952 McCarran-Walter Act
• “The Act consolidates earlier immigration laws
and removes race as a basis for exclusion. In
addition, the Act introduces an ideological
criterion for admission: immigrants and
visitors to the United States can now be
denied entry on the basis of their political
ideology (e.g., if they are Communists or
former Nazis).”
Source: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/newamericans/foreducators_lesson_plan_03.html
1965 Immigration Act is amended
• “Nationality quotas are abolished. However,
the Act establishes an overall ceiling of
170,000 on immigration from the Eastern
Hemisphere and another ceiling of 120,000 on
immigration from the Western Hemisphere.”
Source: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/newamericans/foreducators_lesson_plan_03.html
1978 World-wide immigration
ceiling introduced
• “A new annual immigration ceiling of 290,000
replaces the separate ceilings for the Eastern
and Western Hemispheres.”
Source: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/newamericans/foreducators_lesson_plan_03.html
1980 Refugee Act
• “A system is developed to handle refugees as a class
separate from other immigrants. Under the new law,
refugees are defined as those who flee a country
because of persecution "on account of race, religion,
nationality, or political opinion." The president, in
consultation with Congress, is authorized to establish an
annual ceiling on the number of refugees who may enter
the United States. The president also is allowed to admit
any group of refugees in an emergency. At the same time,
the annual ceiling on traditional immigration is lowered
to 270,000.”
Source: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/newamericans/foreducators_lesson_plan_03.html
1986 Immigration Reform and
Control Act
• “The annual immigration ceiling is raised to
540,000. Amnesty is offered to those illegal
aliens able to prove continuous residence in
the United States since January 1”
Source: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/newamericans/foreducators_lesson_plan_03.html
1990 Immigration Act
• “The annual immigration ceiling is further raised to
700,000 for 1992, 1993,and 1994; thereafter, the
ceiling will drop to 675,000 a year. Ten thousand
permanent resident visas are offered to those
immigrants agreeing to invest at least $1 million in
U.S. urban areas or $500,000 in U.S. rural areas. The
McCarran-Walter Act of 1952 is amended so that
people can no longer be denied admittance to the
United States on the basis of their beliefs, statements,
or associations.”
Source: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/newamericans/foreducators_lesson_plan_03.html