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| 263 Appendix C Timeline: U.S. Immigration Policy and Women, 1875–2009 1875 “Page Law”: Exclusions included felons, contract laborers, prostitutes, and Asian women thought to be brought over for “lewd and immoral purposes.” In reality, it was used to exclude most Asian women attempting to immigrate. 1903 Immigration Act: Exclusions expanded to include all involved in the prostitution trade. Pregnancy was also listed as a ground for exclusion. 1907 Gentlemen’s Agreement: Excluded further Japanese labor migration, but allowed wives of Japanese immigrants already in the United States. The practice of “picture brides”immigratingbecameanimportantwayforJapanesewomentoenterlegally. 1907 Immigration Act: Again expanded excluded groups, and expanded grounds for deportation. Women who entered into prostitution within three years of arrival were now subject to deportation. 1910 Mann Act: Enacted due to fears of “white slave trade.” Furthered bans against women being imported for purposes of prostitution. 1920 “Ladies Agreement”: The agreement between the United States and Japan ended immigration of “picture brides.” 1921 Quota Act: Quotas were set on how many immigrants could enter from any given country, giving preference to immigrants from Northern and Western Europe. Within quotas, family members were given preference. 1922 Cable Act: Ended the practice of American women losing their citizenship upon marrying foreigners, provided the foreigners were themselves eligible for citizenship . Also ended the practice of foreign women automatically obtaining American citizenship upon marrying American citizens. Such women now had to go through the naturalization process. 1924 National Origins Act: Reduced quotas, particularly from Southern and Eastern Europe. Also made Asian exclusion more complete. 1945 War Brides Act: Allowed the foreign wives and fiancées of American servicemen to immigrate. 264 | Appendix C 1952 McCarren-Walter Act: Ended exclusion of Asians, but created very small quotas for immigrants from Asian countries. Also specified “subversives” and gays and lesbians as excludable and deportable categories. 1965 Hart-Celler Act (Immigration and Nationality Act): Ended racially based national quotas. Placed a new emphasis on family reunification immigrants and workplace skills in high demand. 1986 Immigration Marriage Fraud Amendments: Increased penalties for those involved in “sham marriages,” and created a 2-year provisional green card for immigrant spouses of citizens and permanent residents. 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act: Allowed limited amnesties for undocumented immigrants. Also made it more difficult for undocumented immigrants to work in the United States, by requiring employers to check workers’ documents. 1994 Violence Against Women Act (VAWA): Allowed certain battered immigrants to file for immigration relief without assistance of or knowledge by their abuser, in order to seek safety and independence from the abuser. 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act: Limited public benefits available to immigrants, increased deportable crimes, and made it more difficult for poor immigrants to sponsor family members. 1996 Defense of Marriage Act: Not specifically an immigration policy, but impacted efforts of same-sex couples in regards to immigration, by defining marriage as only between male-female couples. 2000 Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (TVPA): Criminalized trafficking in persons, including sex trafficking. Created the T visa, to give interim relief for victims of trafficking, and the U visa, for foreign-born victims of certain crimes. Regulations for the U visa were not released, so applicants could not yet receive it. 2005 VAWA: Reauthorized. 2005 International Marriage Broker Regulation Act (IMBRA): Screens individuals who petition to bring a noncitizen to the United States for marriage, to prevent domestic violence and abuse. Contained within VAWA reauthorization. 2007 Regulations for the U Visa for Victims of Crime: Released, giving applicants access to this visa. 2008 William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA): Strengthened the State Department’s international role and further protected victims. 2009 Asylum: Recommended for Rodi Alvarado, who escaped intimate partner violence. 2009 Widow’s Penalty: Abolished. ...

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