POSC100 Midterm I Key Terms

McCarran Walter Act (1952)

The act removed racial restrictions on naturalization and allowed limited Asian immigration, but it retained the discriminatory national-origins quota system. It represented limited reform rather than complete racial equality.

Immigration and Nationality Act (INA, 1965)

This act abolished the national-origins quota system and replaced it with preferences based largely on family relationships and occupational skills. It represented a major movement away from explicitly racial selection, although the new system still created inequalities.

Yick Wo v. Hopkins

One of the many Chinese Exclusion case examples, SF discriminated against Asian immigrant’s ability to start Laundromat; SCOTUS said this was unconstitutional and the 14th amendment equal protections clause also protects noncitizens

Plyler v. Doe (1982)

Texas attempted to deny public education funding to undocumented children. The Supreme Court held that undocumented people are “persons” protected by the Fourteenth Amendment and that Texas’s policy violated equal protection.

Bracero Program (Depression era, after WWII)

The federal government permitted Mexican workers to enter temporarily to fill agricultural labor needs.

Texas proviso (example of federalism)

During the Bracero era, the federal government initially excluded Texas from parts of the program because of its discriminatory treatment of Mexican workers. Economic and political pressure eventually weakened that stance, showing how state interests could influence the enforcement of federal immigration and labor protections.

Barbara v. Trump

This was one of the challenges to Trump’s birthright-citizenship order; reinforced 14th amendment natural citizenship and jus solis

United States v. Wong Kim Ark (1898)

The landmark case establishing precedent for the 14th amendment beign used to protect natural citizenship

National Origins Act of 1924

federal law that severely restricted immigration through a discriminatory quota system

• Assigned immigration quotas according to national origin.

• Favored immigrants from northern and western Europe.

• Severely limited immigration from southern and eastern Europe.

• Effectively excluded most immigrants from Asia.

• Reinforced the idea that some racial and ethnic groups were more suited for American citizenship than others

Dred Scott v. Sandford

• Black people, whether enslaved or free, could not be U.S. citizens and therefore could not sue in federal court.

• Congress lacked the constitutional authority to prohibit slavery in federal territories.

• Living in free territory had not made Scott free.

The case demonstrates how race historically determined access to citizenship and national belonging. It also restricted federal authority by preventing Congress from banning slavery in the territories.

Insular Cases

group of early 1900s Supreme Court rulings about territories the U.S. acquired after the Spanish-American War. So places like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. The Court said "the Constitution does not fully follow the flag." Basically, that certain places were unincorporated territories and didn't get full constitutional rights. In practice, this created a racialized framework of belonging where people in those territories were governed but not fully included. (anti-Filipino sentiment)

Know-Nothings

Anti-Catholic early American party (believed that German immigrants could not successfully integrate into American culture)

War Powers Resolution (1973)

Congressional effort to reign in Presidential power after Vietnam War; requires President to notify Congress of military action within 48 hours and to. attain Congressional authorization for action; largely ineffective

Dream Act to DACA

Obama can’t pass the dream act in a Republican Congress, so he deferred to Executive Action to provide temporary relief to the children of undocumented migrants

Naturalization Act of 1790

Limited citizenship only to free white persons at the founding of the United States

Immigration Act of 1917

Expanded exclusionary policies against Asians (Asiatic Barred Zone) using Progressive Era scientific thinking that was largely discriminatory