The following compilation of federal immigration and naturalization statutes in the United States provides an overview of the legislative history of immigration to the United States. It is not exhaustive either for the number of bills enacted or for the specific points of law within each bill. This review of the federal legislative process fosters a general understanding of the major issues as they developed in the area of immigration and naturalization in the United States. The dates of enactment and Statutes-at-Large reference numbers are presented in chronological order; they provide a basis for further inquiry for more detailed information. - Legislation from 1790 - 1900
- 1. Act of March 26, 1790 (1 Statutes-at-Large 103)
- 2. Act of January 29, 1795 (1 Statutes-at-Large 414)
- 3. Naturalization Act of June 18, 1798 (1 Statutes-at-Large 566)
- 4. Aliens Act of June 25, 1798 (1 Statutes-at-Large 570)
- 5. Alien Enemy Act of July 6, 1798 (1 Statutes-at-Large 577)
- 6. Naturalization Act of April 14, 1802 (2 Statutes-at-Large 153)
- 7. Steerage Act of March 2, 1819 (3 Statutes-at-Large 488)
- 8. Act of May 26, 1824 (4 Statutes-at-Large 36)
- 9. Act of February 22, 1847 (9 Statutes-at-Large 127)
- 10. Passenger Act of March 3, 1855 (10 Statutes-at-Large 715)
- 11. Act of February 19, 1862 (12 Statutes-at-Large 340)
- 12. Act of July 4, 1864 (13 Statutes-at-Large 385)
- 13. Naturalization Act of July 14, 1870 (16 Statutes-at-Large 254)
- 14. Act of March 3, 1875 (18 Statutes-at-Large 477)
- 15. Chinese Exclusion Act of May 6, 1882 (22 Statutes-at-Large 58)
- 16. Immigration Act of August 3, 1882 (22 Statutes-at-Large 214)
- 17. Act of February 26, 1885 (23 Statutes-at-Large 332)
- 18. Act of February 23, 1887 (24 Statutes-at-Large 414)
- 19. Act of March 3, 1887 (24 Statutes-at-Large 476)
- 20. Act of October 19, 1888 (25 Statutes-at-Large 566)
- 21. Immigration Act of March 3, 1891 (26 Statutes-at-Large 1084)
- 22. Act of March 3, 1893 (27 Statutes-at-Large 570)
- Legislation from 1901 - 1940
- 23. Act of April 29, 1902 (32 Statutes-at-Large 176)
- 24. Act of February 14, 1903 (32 Statutes-at-Large 825)
- 25. Immigration Act of March 3, 1903 (32 Statutes-at-Large 1213)
- 26. Act of April 27, 1904 (33 Statutes-at-Large 428)
- 27. Naturalization Act of June 29, 1906 (34 Statutes-at-Large 596)
- 28. Immigration Act of February 20, 1907 (34 Statutes-at-Large 898)
- 29. White Slave Traffic Act of June 25, 1910 (36 Statutes-at-Large 825)
- 30. Act of March 4, 1913 (37 Statutes-at-Large 737)
- 31. Immigration Act of February 5, 1917 (39 Statutes-at-Large 874)
- 32. Act of May 22, 1918 (40 Statutes-at-Large 559)
- 33. Quota Law of May 19, 1921 (42 Statutes-at-Large 5)
- 34. Act of May 11, 1922 (42 Statutes-at-Large 540)
- 35. Immigration Act of May 26, 1924 (43 Statutes-at-Large 153)
- 36. Act of May 28, 1924 (43 Statutes-at-Large 240)
- 37. Act of March 31, 1928 (45 Statutes-at-Large 400)
- 38. Act of April 2, 1928 (45 Statutes-at-Large 401)
- 39. Registry Act of March 2, 1929 (45 Statutes-at-Large 1512)
- 40. Act of March 4, 1929 (45 Statutes-at-Large 1551)
- 41. Act of February 18, 1931 (46 Statutes-at-Large 1171)
- 42. Act of March 17, 1932 (47 Statutes-at-Large 67)
- 43. Act of May 2, 1932 (47 Statutes-at-Large 145)
- 44. Act of July 1, 1932 (47 Statutes-at-Large 524)
- 45. Act of July 11, 1932 (47 Statutes-at-Large 656)
- 46. Act of June 15, 1935 (49 Statutes-at-Large 376)
- 47. Act of May 14, 1937 (50 Statutes-at-Large 164)
- 48. Act of June 14, 1940 (54 Statutes-at-Large 230)
- 49. Alien Registration Act of June 28, 1940 (54 Statutes-at-Large 670)
- 50. Act of July 1, 1940 (54 Statutes-at-Large 711)
- Legislation from 1941 - 1960
- 51. Nationality Act of October 14, 1940 (Effective January 13, 1941 as 54 Statutes-at-Large 1137)
- 52. Public Safety Act of June 20, 1941 (55 Statutes-at-Large 252)
- 53. Act of June 21, 1941 (55 Statutes-at-Large 252)
- 54. Act of December 8, 1942 (56 Statutes-at-Large 1044)
- 55. Act of April 29, 1943 (57 Statutes-at-Large 70)
- 56. Act of December 17, 1943 (57 Statutes-at-Large 600)
- 57. Act of February 14, 1944 (58 Statutes-at-Large 11)
- 58. War Brides Act of December 28, 1945 (59 Statutes-at-Large 659)
- 59. G.I. Fiancees Act of June 29, 1946 (60 Statutes-at-Large 339)
- 60. Act of July 2, 1946 (60 Statutes-at-Large 416)
- 61. Act of August 9, 1946 (60 Statutes-at-Large 975)
- 62. Act of June 28, 1947 (61 Statutes-at-Large 190)
- 63. Act of May 25, 1948 (62 Statutes-at-Large 268)
- 64. Displaced Persons Act of June 25, 1948 (62 Statutes-at-Large 1009)
- 65. Act of July 1, 1948 (62 Statutes-at-Large 1206)
- 66. Central Intelligence Agency Act of June 20, 1949 (63 Statutes-at-Large 208)
- 67. Agricultural Act of October 31, 1949 (63 Statutes-at-Large 1051)
- 68. Act of June 16, 1950 (64 Statutes-at-Large 219)
- 69. Act of June 30, 1950 (64 Statutes-at-Large 306)
- 70. Act of August 19, 1950 (64 Statutes-at-Large 464)
- 71. Internal Security Act of September 22, 1950 (64 Statutes-at-Large 987)
- 72. Act of March 28, 1951 (65 Statutes-at-Large 28)
- 73. Act of July 12, 1951 (65 Statutes-at-Large 119)
- 74. Act of March 20, 1952 (66 Statutes-at-Large 26)
- 75. Act of April 9, 1952 (66 Statutes-at-Large 50)
- 76. Immigration and Nationality Act of June 27, 1952 (INA) (66 Statutes-at-Large 163)
- 78. Act of September 3, 1954 (68 Statutes-at-Large 1145)
- 79. Act of September 3, 1954 (68 Statutes-at-Large 1146)
- 80. Act of July 24, 1957 (71 Statutes-at-Large 311)
- 81. Act of August 30, 1957 (71 Statutes-at-Large 518)
- 82. Refugee-Escapee Act of September 11, 1957 (71 Statutes-at-Large 639)
- 83. Act of July 25, 1958 (72 Statutes-at-Large 419)
- 84. Act of August 21, 1958 (72 Statutes-at-Large 699)
- 85. Act of September 22, 1959 (73 Statutes-at-Large 644)
- Legislation from 1961 - 1980
- 86. Act of July 14, 1960 (74 Statutes-at-Large 504)
- 87. Act of August 17, 1961 (75 Statutes-at-Large 364)
- 88. Act of September 26, 1961 (75 Statutes-at-Large 650)
- 89. Act of October 24, 1962 (76 Statutes-at-Large 1247)
- 90. Act of December 13, 1963 (77 Statutes-at-Large 363)
- 91. Immigration and Nationality Act Amendments of October 3, 1965 (79 Statutes-at-Large 911)
- 92. Freedom of Information Act of July 4, 1966 (80 Statutes-at-Large 250)
- 93. Act of November 2, 1966 (80 Statutes-at-Large 1161)
- 94. Act of November 6, 1966 (80 Statutes-at-Large 1322)
- 95. Act of December 18, 1967 (81 Statutes-at-Large 661)
- 96. Act of June 19, 1968 (82 Statutes-at-Large 197)
- 97. Act of October 24, 1968 (82 Statutes-at-Large 1343)
- 98. Act of April 7, 1970 (84 Statutes-at-Large 116)
- 99. Act of August 10, 1971 (85 Statutes-at-Large 302)
- 100. Act of September 28, 1971 (85 Statutes-at-Large 348)
- 101. Act of October 27, 1972 (86 Statutes-at-Large 1289)
- 102. Social Security Act Amendments of October 30, 1972 (86 Statutes-at-Large 1329)
- 103. Act of October 20, 1974 (88 Statutes-at-Large 1387)
- 104. Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of May 23, 1975 (89 Statutes-at-Large 87)
- 105. Act of June 21, 1976 (90 Statutes-at-Large 691)
- 106. Act of October 12, 1976 (90 Statutes-at-Large 2243)
- 107. Immigration and Nationality Act Amendments of October 20, 1976 (90 Statutes-at-Large 2703)
- 108. Act of October 20, 1976 Effective January 1, 1978 (90 Statutes-at-Large 2706)
- 109. Act of August 1, 1977 (91 Statutes-at-Large 394)
- 110. Act of October 28, 1977 (91 Statutes-at-Large 1223)
- 111. Act of October 5, 1978 (92 Statutes-at-Large 907)
- 112. Act of October 5, 1978 (92 Statutes-at-Large 917)
- 113. Act of October 7, 1978 (92 Statutes-at-Large 963)
- 114. Act of October 14, 1978 (92 Statutes-at-Large 1263)
- 115. Act of October 30, 1978 (92 Statutes-at-Large 2065)
- 116. Act of November 2, 1978 (92 Statutes-at-Large 2479)
- 117. Panama Canal Act of September 27, 1979 (93 Statutes-at-Large 452)
- 118. Refugee Act of March 17, 1980 (94 Statutes-at-Large 102)
- 119. Refugee Education Assistance Act of October 10, 1980 (94 Statutes-at-Large 1799)
- Legislation from 1981 - present
- 120. Act of June 5, 1981 (95 Statutes-at-Large 14)
- 121. Act of August 13, 1981 (95 Statutes-at-Large 357)
- 122. Immigration and Nationality Act Amendments of December 20, 1981 (95 Statutes-at-Large 1611)
- 123. Act of September 30, 1982 (96 Statutes-at-Large 1157)
- 124. Act of October 2, 1982 (96 Statutes-at-Large 1186)
- 125. Act of October 22, 1982 (96 Statutes-at-Large 1716)
- 126. Immigration Reform and Control Act of November 6, 1986 (IRCA) (100 Statutes-at-Large 3359)
- 127. Immigration Marriage Fraud Amendments of November 10, 1986 (100 Statutes-at-Large 3537)
- 128. Amerasian Homecoming Act of December 22, 1987 (101 Statutes-at-Large 1329)
- 129. Act of September 28, 1988 (102 Statutes-at-Large 1876)
- 130. Act of November 15, 1988 (102 Statutes-at-Large 3908)
- 131. Foreign Operations Act of November 21, 1989 (103 Statutes-at-Large 1195)
- 132. Act of December 18, 1989 (103 Statutes-at-Large 2099)
- 133. Immigration Act of November 29, 1990 (104 Statutes-at-Large 4978)
- 134. Armed Forces Immigration Adjustment Act of October 1, 1991 (105 Statutes-at-Large 555)
- 135. Act of December 12, 1991 (105 Statutes-at-Large 1733)
- 136. Chinese Student Protection Act of October 9, 1992 (106 Statutes-at-Large 1969)
- 137. Soviet Scientists Immigration Act of October 10, 1992 (106 Statutes-at-Large 3316)
- 138. Act of December 8, 1993 (107 Statutes-at-Large 2057)
- 139. Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of September 13, 1994 (108 Statutes-at-Large 1796)
- 140. Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of April 24, 1996 (110 Statutes-at-Large 1214)
- 141. Welfare Reform Act of August 22, 1996 (110 Statutes-at-Large 2105)
- 142. Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of September 30, 1996 (IIRIRA) (110 Statutes-at-Large 3009)
- Sources
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