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| 1903 || || Organizational restructuring || Bureau of Immigration; modern equivalents are USCIS and CBP || || The Bureau of Immigration is transferred to the newly created Department of Commerce and Labor.<ref name=uscis-organizational-timeline/>
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| 1906 || September 27 || Organizational Legislation, organizational restructuring || Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization; modern equivalents are USCIS and CBP || || The {{w|Naturalization Act of 1906}} (revising the Naturalization Act of 1906) is signed into law by President {{w|Theodore Roosevelt}} after passing both houses of th {{w|59th United States Congress}}. The Act requires immigrants to learn English in order to naturalize, and also makes naturalization a federal responsibility. The Federal Naturalization Service is created, as the setting of policies for naturalization as well as the act of naturalization is now a federal responsibility. The Bureau of Immigration becomes the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization.<ref name=uscis-organizational-timeline/>This is the last named "Naturalization Act" (further Acts in this domain would be called Nationality Acts).
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| 1907 || February 15 || Informal agreement || Executive branch || || The {{w|Gentlemen's Agreement of 1907}} is informally agreeed upon between the United States and Japan, whereby the United States would not impose restrictions on Japanese immigration and Japan would not allow further emigration to the United States. The agreement would never be ratified by United States Congress, and would eventually be superseded by the {{w|Immigration Act of 1924}}.
| 1917 || February 5 || Legislation (landmark) || Executive branch || || The {{w|Immigration Act of 1917}} is passeed by both houses of the {{w|64th United States Congress}} over the veto of President {{w|Woodrow Wilson}}. The legislation expands and consolidates the list of undesirables banned from entering the United States, including "illiterates" over the age of 16 as undesirables. It also creates an "Asiatic barred zone" from which immigration is not allowed; this includes China, British India, Afghanistan, Arabia, Burma (Myanmar), Siam (Thailand), the Malay States, the Dutch East Indies, the Soviet Union east of the Ural Mountains, and most Polynesian islands. The Asian exclusions do not apply to those working in certain professional occupations and their immediate families: "(1) Government officers, (2) ministers or religious teachers, (3) missionaries, (4) lawyers, (5) physicians, (6) chemists, (7) civil engineers, (8) teachers, (9) students, (10) authors, (11) artists, (12) merchants, and (13) travelers for curiosity or pleasure". || China, British India, Afghanistan, Arabia, Burma (Myanmar), Siam (Thailand), the Malay States, the Dutch East Indies, the Soviet Union east of the Ural Mountains, and most Polynesian islands
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| 1918 || || Legislation || Executive branch || || A wartime requirement that visas are required for foreigners to enter the United States is made permanent.<ref name=americanbar>{{cite web|url = http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/publications/supreme_court_preview/BriefsV4/13-1402_amicus_resp_lawprofs.authcheckdam.pdf|title = Brief of ''Amicus Curiae'' Law Professors in Support of Respondent (Kerry v. Din)|publisher = [[w:American Bar Association|American Bar Association]]}}</ref> (not clear which legislation made this permanent?)
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| 1918 || October 16 || Legislation || Executive branch || || The {{w|Immigration Act of 1918}}, also known as the '''Alien Anarchists Exclusion Act of 1918''', is signed into law by President {{w|Woodrow Wilson}} after passing the {{w|65th United States Congress}}.
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| 1935 || || Legislation || Executive branch || || The {{w|Filipino Repatriation Act of 1935}} establishes a program to subsidize the return passage to the Philippines for Filipinos currently living in the United States. This is a followup to the {{w|Tydings–McDuffie Act}} that starts the process of Filipino independence and bans Filipino immigration. || Philippines
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| 1940 || October 14 || Legislation || Executive branch || || The {{w|Nationality Act of 1940}} is signed into law by President {{w|Franklin D. Roosevelt}} after passing both chambers of the {{w|76th United States Congress}}. The Act revises "the existing nationality laws of the U.S. into a more complete nationality code" and provides details on who is eligible for citizenship via birth, who is eligible for citizenship via naturalization, who is not eligible for citizenship, and how citizenship could be lost or terminated.
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| 1940 || || Organizational restructuring || Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS); modern equivalents are USCIS and CBP (and also ICE, though most ICE functions do not exist at the time) || || The Immigration and Naturalization Service is transferred from the Department of Labor to the {{w|United States Department of Justice}} (DOJ), where it would stay for the rest of its life (till early 2003).<ref name=uscis-organizational-timeline/>
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| 1965 || October 3 || Legislation (landmark) || Executive branch || || The {{w|Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965}}, also known as the Hart–Celler Act for its co-sponsors, is signed into law by President {{w|Lyndon B. Johnson}} after passing both chambers of the {{w|89th United States Congress}}. The Act would go into effect on June 30, 1968. As of 2020, it is the most recent radical overhaul of the immigration system in the United States. || Differently affects different countries based on their population and existing migration flows
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| 1966 || November 2 || Legislation || || || The {{w|Cuban Adjustment Act}} (CAA) is signed into law by President {{w|Lyndon Johnson}} after passing both champbers of the {{w|89th United States Congress}}. The law applies to any native or citizen of Cuba who has been inspected and admitted or paroled into the United States after January 1, 1959 and has been physically present for at least one year; and is admissible to the United States as a permanent resident. A 1995 revision would create the {{w|wet feet, dry feet policy}} that would ultimately by ended by {{w|Barack Obama}} at the end of his presidency in January 2017. || Cuba
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| 1970 || || Legislation || Immigration and Naturalization Services, U.S. Department of State || H-4, K, L || The H-4, K and L visas are created by a 1970 Amendment to the Immigration and Nationality Act.<ref name=pl-91-225>{{cite web|url = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-84/pdf/STATUTE-84-Pg116.pdf|title = Public Law 91-225|accessdate = June 26, 2020}}</ref><ref name=work-visa-history/><ref name=oig-l-visa>{{cite web|url = https://www.oig.dhs.gov/assets/Mgmt/2013/OIG_13-107_Aug13.pdf|title = Implementation of L-1 Visa Regulations|publisher = Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General|date = August 9, 2013|accessdate = April 7, 2017}}</ref>
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| 1988 || November 18 || Legislation (adjacent) || Executive branch || || The {{w|Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988}} is signed into law by President {{w|Ronald Reagan}} after passing both chambers of the {{w|100th United States Congress}}. The Act, though not focused on migration, introduces the concept of {{w|aggravated felony}} to refer to murder, federal drug trafficking, and illicit trafficking of certain firearms and destructive devices. Aggravated felonies are grounds for removal and exclusion of aliens.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/sites/default/files/research/aggravated_felonies.pdf|title = Aggravated Felonies: An Overview|publisher = American Immigration Council|accessdate = April 7, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = http://trac.syr.edu/immigration/reports/155/|title = Aggravated Felonies and Deportation|publisher = TRAC Immigration|accessdate = April 7, 2017}}</ref>
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| 1988 || || Legislation || Executive branch || || The {{w|American Homecoming Act}} is passed, giving preferential immigration status to children in Vietnam born of U.S. fathers. The Act would be implmented in 1989, and would operate via the {{w|Orderly Departur Program}}. || Vietnam
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| 1989 || January 20 || Leadership change || Executive branch || || Republican politician and incumbent vice-president {{w|George H. W. Bush}} becomes President of the United States, succeeding Ronald Reagan.
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| 1989 || June 16 || Leadership change || Immigration and Naturalization Services || || INS Commissioner Alan C. Nelson is fired, amidst clashes with Attorney General Dick Thornburgh who wants to bring the INS more firmly under his own control, as well as accusations against Nelson of mismanagement.<ref name=uscis-nelson-bio/><ref name=nyt-oblique-attack>{{cite web|url = https://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/14/us/washington-talk-immigration-naturalization-service-s-chief-tilts-against-oblique.html|title = WASHINGTON TALK: IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION; Service's Chief Tilts Against an 'Oblique' Attack on His Policies|last = Berke|first = Richard|date = March 14, 1989|accessdate = October 24, 2016|publisher = ''[[New York Times]]''}}</ref><ref name=lat-fired>{{cite web|url = http://articles.latimes.com/1989-06-26/news/mn-3253_1_justice-department-justice-dept-alan-c-nelson|title = INS Chief Resigns; Under Fire in Justice Dept. Audit|publisher = [[w:Associated Press|Associated Press]]|date = June 26, 1989|accessdate = October 24, 2016}}</ref>
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| 1990 || February 5 || Deferred action || Immigration and Naturalization Services || || The {{w|Family Fairness}} policy is extended to spouses of IRCA-eligible people. The extension serves as a bridge to a legislation that is passed as part of the {{w|Immigration Act of 1990}}.<ref name=prwatch>{{cite web|url = http://www.prwatch.org/files/interpreter_releases_feb_5_1990.pdf|title = Interpreter releases: report and analysis of immigration and nationality law|date = February 5, 1990|accessdate = February 22, 2017}}</ref><ref name=nytimes-2-2>{{cite web|url = http://www.nytimes.com/1990/03/05/nyregion/new-policy-aids-families-of-aliens.html|title = New Policy Aids Families of Aliens|last = Howe|first = Marvine|publisher = ''[[wikipediaw:New York Times|New York Times]]''|date = March 5, 1990}}</ref>
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| 1990 || November 29 || Legislation (landmark) || Immigration and Naturalization Services || H-1 (H-1A, H-1B); EB (immigrant visas) || The {{w|Immigration Act of 1990}} is signed into law by President {{w|George H. W. Bush}}. While mostly focused on legal temporary and permanent immigration, some provisions of the Act are relevant to enforcement. In particular, the Family Unity Policy passed as part of the Act supersedes the Family Fairness executive action.<ref name="Fordham Journal Highlights">{{cite web|last1=Leiden|first1=Warren|title=Highlights of the U.S. Immigration Act of 1990|url=http://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1270&context=ilj|publisher=Fordham International Law Journal|accessdate=September 30, 2014}}</ref><ref name="US immigration legislation">{{cite web|last1=Stone|first1=Stephanie|title=1190 Immigration and Nationality Act|url=http://library.uwb.edu/guides/usimmigration/1990_immigration_and_nationality_act.html|website=U.S. Immigration Legislation Online|publisher=U.S. Immigration Legislation Online|accessdate=September 30, 2014}}</ref>
| 1996 || September 30 || Legislation (landmark) || Immigration and Naturalization Services || || {{w|Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996}} is signed into law by President Bill Clinton after passing both chambers of the 104th United States Congress. It includes a number of provisions facilitating various forms of immigration enforcement that would be rolled out over the next two decades.
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| 1997 || November 19 || Legislation || || || The {{w|Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act}} (NACARA) is signed into law by President {{w|Bill Clinton}} after passing both chambers of the {{w|105th Unitd States Congress}}. || Nicaragua, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala; also, limited provisions for some Soviet Bloc countries|-| 1998 || October 21 || Legislation || || H-1B || The {{w|American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act}} (ACWIA) is signed into law by President {{w|Bill Clinton}} after passing both chambers of the {{w|105th Unitd States Congress}}.
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| 1998 || October 21 || Legislation || || H-1B || The Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act (HRIFA) is signed into law by President {{w|Bill Clinton}} after passing both chambers of the {{w|105th Unitd States Congress}}.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.aila.org/infonet/ins-questions-and-answers-on-hrifa|title = Questions and Answers on HRIFA|date = May 13, 1999|accessdate = July 19, 2020|publisher = American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement ActImmigration Lawyers Associoation}} (ACWIA)</ref> || Haiti
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| 2000 || October 17 || Legislation || || H-1B || {{w|American Competitiveness in the 21st Century Act}} (AC21).
| 2000 || October 28 || Legislation || || T, U || {{w|Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000}}. This would lead to the creation of the {{w|T visa}}, a temporary status for people who are the victims of trafficking and slave-like conditions. The status could lead to permanent residency after a few years. It would also create the {{w|U visa}} that serves a similar purpose.
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| 2000 || December 21 || Legislation || Immigration and Naturalization Services; current equivalent United States Citizenship and Immigration Services || V, K-3, K-4 || The {{w|Legal Immigration Family Equity Act}} is passed. Among other things, the Act allows for the overlooking of unauthorized presence in the United States for people who have been in the queue for permanent residency for a long time. The Act primarily references immigrant processing functions now under USCIS rather than enforcement functions, but also contains some protection from removal proceedings. Specifically, protection from removal proceedings begins ''after'' the Form I-485 (green card application) is filed; people who are eligible for legalization in the future through this Act but are still in the queue may be subject to removal proceedings.<ref name=uscis-green-card>{{cite web|url = https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/other-ways-get-green-card/green-card-through-legal-immigration-family-equity-life-act|title = Green Card Through the Legal Immigration Family Equity (LIFE) Act|accessdate = February 8, 2016|publisher = [[w:United States Citizenship and Immigration Services|United States Citizenship and Immigration Services]]}}</ref><ref name=procon>{{cite web|url = http://immigration.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=000793|title = What Was the 2000 Legal Immigration Family Equity (LIFE) Act?|publisher = [[ProCon.org]]|accessdate = February 8, 2016}}</ref><ref name=uscis-press-release>{{cite web|url = https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/pressrelease/LegalImmigFamEquityAct_122100.pdf|title = Legal Immigration Family Equity Act|date = December 21, 2000|accessdate = February 9, 2016|publisher = [[w:United States Citizenship and Immigration Services|United States Citizenship and Immigration Services]]}}</ref>
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| 2002 || November 25 || Organizational restructuring || U.S. Department of Homeland Security || || The {{w|United States Department of Homeland Security}} (DHS) comes into formal existence. Eventually, the functions handled by the INS (which was under the Department of Justice) would move to the DHS.
| 2011 || January 10 || Visas || || || The {{w|Interview Waiver Program}}, where people applying for a visa renewal can skip the visa interview under some circumstances, is announced.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://photos.state.gov/libraries/nogales/231771/PDFs/Beginning%20January%2010.pdf|title = Beginning January 10, 2011, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates will process visas differently|accessdate = January 29, 2017}}</ref> The program would roll out incrementally over the next several years until being suspended by President Donald Trump's {{w|Executive Order 13769}}
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| 2013 || March 27 to May 21 || Port of entry processing || CBP Office of Field Operations || || {{w|Form I-94}} is made electronic at air and sea ports. The announcement in the ''{{w|Federal Register}}'' occurs on March 27,<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2013/03/27/2013-06974/definition-of-form-i-94-to-include-electronic-format|title = Definition of Form I-94 To Include Electronic Format|date = March 27, 2013|accessdate = December 29, 2016|publisher = ''[[w:Federal Register|Federal Register]]''}}</ref> and the rollout happens from April 30 to May 21.<ref name=nafsa-rollout>{{cite web|title = Updates On DHS Plans To Automate Form I-94 Process|url = https://www.nafsa.org/Resource_Library_Assets/Regulatory_Information/Updates_On_Electronic_Form_I-94_Process/#rollout|date = August 12, 2013|accessdate = December 29, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = https://internationalaffairs.uchicago.edu/news/end-paper-i-94-new-i-94-automation-guidelines|title = End of Paper I-94 / New I-94 Automation Guidelines|date = April 30, 2013|accessdate = December 29, 2016|publisher = [[w:University of Chicago|University of Chicago]]}}</ref>
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| 2016 || || Visas || || || The rules of the {{w|Visa Waiver Program}} (VWP) are modified so that now, a person who would otherwise qualify for visa-free entry under the VWP must still get a visa if that person has visited any country on te list of [[w:State Sponsors of Terrorism (U.S. list)|State Sponsors of Terrorism]] on or after March 1, 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dhs.gov/news/2016/02/18/dhs-announces-further-travel-restrictions-visa-waiver-program|title=DHS Announces Further Travel Restrictions for the Visa Waiver Program - Homeland Security|publisher=|date=2016-02-18}}</ref> || Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen
| 2017{{snd}}2020 || || Quota change || U.S. Department of State || Refugee admissions || Under President {{w|Donald Trump}}, the United States' refugee program is significantly pared back. {{w|Executive Order 13769}} (January 27, 2017) puts a temporary moratorium on all refugee admissions. Refugee admissions are resumed in late October 2017, but refugees are not allowed from 11 countries, and other restrictions are added, causing a drop in the number of refugees. The administration further cuts the refugee quota in 2018 and 2019, and refugeee admissions are effectively halted in 2020 because Trump does not set a quota. Learn more at {{w|Immigration policy of Donald Trump#Travel ban and refugee suspension}} and {{w|Asylum in the United States}}.
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| 2019 || April 7 || Leadership change || U.S. Department of Homeland Security || || {{w|Kirstjen Nielsen}} resigns as Secretary of Homeland Security, with April 10 being her last day. Commentators attribute her resignation to Trump's desire to push harder on immigration enforcement, and his dissatisfaction with what Nielsen accomplished on that front, as well as her pushback against some of his demands. Trump's political advisor Stephen Miller is believed by commentators to be a key opponent of Nielsen in the White House.<ref name=cnn-nielsen-departure>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/08/politics/kirstjen-nielsen-last-days-dhs/index.html|title=How border hardliners nudged out Nielsen|last=Alvarez|first=Priscilla|last2=Sands|first2=Geneva|date=April 8, 2019|publisher=CNN|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kirstjen-nielsen-resigning-dhs-secretary-expected-to-offer-resignation-today-live-updates-2019-04-07/ |title=DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen resigns after clashes with Trump on immigration |date=April 7, 2019 |publisher=CBS News |access-date=April 8, 2019 |language=en-US}}</ref> {{w|Kevin McAleenan}}, then the Customs and Border Protection Commissioner, becomes the next Secretary of Homeland Security; {{w|Claire Grady}}, who would have otherwise been the person to assume the role, is forced by Donald Trump to resign at the same time as Nielsen so that McAleenan can take the role.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://politi.co/2OXDVkD|title=Legality of Trump move to replace Nielsen questioned|last=Gerstein|first=Josh|last2=Beasley|first2=Stephanie|website=POLITICO|language=en|access-date=2019-08-03}}</ref> According to CNN, McAleenan is "a career official who served in the Obama administration and whom a senior DHS official says is "not an ideologue or fire breather" on immigration."<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/07/politics/kevin-mcaleenan-acting-secretary-homeland-security/index.html|title = Incoming acting secretary of Homeland Security 'not an ideologue or fire breather'|last = Sullivan|first = Kate|last2 = Sands|first2 = Geneva|last3 = Acosta|first3 = Jim|date = Aprili April 8, 2019|accessdate = July 5, 2020}}</ref>
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| 2019 || June 10 || Leadership change || USCIS || || {{w|Ken Cuccinelli}} succeeds {{w|Lee Cissna}} as USCIS Director. A Republican politician and lawyer, Cuccinelli had taken hardline positions on immigration-related matters in past jobs. In April 2019, while reporting on the resignation of DHS Secretary {{w|Kirstjen Nilsen}}, ''Politico'' had reported that {{w|Stephen Miller (political advisor)}} had been pressuring Trump to get rid of Cissna.ref name=Kumar>{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/04/07/stephen-miller-trump-immigration-1260431 |last=Kumar |first=Anita |title=Stephen Miller pressuring Trump officials amid immigration shakeups |date=April 7, 2019 |website=[[Politico]]}}</ref> Coverage in the ''New York Times'' of the public charge rule released by USCIS in August 2019 suggests that this replacement helped the Trump administration move forward faster with the public charge rule than they would have bee able to with Cissna.<ref name=nyt-public-charge/>
