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This page provides a timeline of key events related to immigration enforcement in the [[wikipedia:United States{{w|United States]]}}. The focus is on enforcement activities such as those carried out by [[wikipedia:{{w|U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement}} and {{w|Immigration and Customs Enforcement]] and [[wikipedia:U.S. Customs and Border Protection|Customs and Border Protection]]}}, specifically the [[wikipedia:United States Border Patrol{{w|United States Border Patrol]]}}.

The following are ''not'' covered here: processing of entry of people at ports of entry (carried out by the CBP Office of Field Operations), laws and policies affecting visa processing and processing of immigrant and non-immgrant immigrant statuses within the United States (carried out by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services). For these topics, see [[timeline of immigrant processing and visa policy in the United States]]. This timeline also does not go into detail on immigration detention practices, including controversies around family detention, family separation, child detention, and conditions at detention centers. For these topics, see [[timeline of immigration detention in the United States]]. However, exceptions are made when these actions tie in directly with immigration enforcement actions (e.g., in cases where some groups are being protected from immigration enforcement, or databases are set up to allow cooperation between these agencies and enforcement agencies).

| 1891 to (approximately) 1986 1982 || Many people || There is very little ''systematic'' immigration enforcement, either at the border or in the interior (excluding immigrant processing at ports of entry). Immigration enforcement happens in waves, with large, one-off operations such as the Mexican repatriation and Operation Wetback.

| 1983-{{snd}}1992 || President: [[wikipedia:Ronald Reagan{{w|Ronald Reagan]]}}, [[wikipedia:George H.W. Bush{{w|George H.W. Bush]]}}<br/>Attorney General: [[wikipedia:Edwin Meese{{w|Edwin Meese]]}}, [[wikipedia:Dick Thornburgh{{w|Dick Thornburgh]]}}<br/>INS Commissioner: [[wikipedia:Alan C. Nelson{{w|Alan C. Nelson]] }} || The time period begins with the [[wikipedia:{{w|Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986|Immigration and Reform Control Act of 1986]] }} that combines an amnesty with stricter border and interior enforcement. The period sees the creation of SAVE (a program to help determine an alien's eligibility based on immigration status), a deferred action program (the Reagan/Bush Family Fairness Programs), further tweaks to paths to legal status (the Immigration Act of 1990), and significant increases in resources available to the INS.

| 1993-{{snd}}2000 || President: [[wikipedia:Bill Clinton{{w|Bill Clinton]]}}<br/>Attorney General: [[wikipedia:Janet Reno{{w|Janet Reno]]}}<br/>INS Commissioner: [[wikipedia:Doris Meissner{{w|Doris Meissner]] }}|| This period is marked by significant growth of the enforcement machinery as well as enabling legislation. On the legislation side are the [[wikipedia:Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996{{w|Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996]] }} and the [[wikipedia:Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act{{w|Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act]] }} (known as "welfare reform"). Enforcement includes the launch of [[wikipedia:E-Verify{{w|E-Verify]] }} and the expansion of SAVE, as well as border operations such as Operation Gatekeeper and Operation Hold the Line. Toward the end of the period, programs such as [[wikipedia:expedited removal{{w|expedited removal]] }} and [[wikipedia:reinstatement of removal{{w|reinstatement of removal]]}}, authorized by IIRIRA, launch.

| 2001-{{snd}}2008 || President: [[wikipedia:George W. Bush{{w|George W. Bush]]}}<br/>INS Commissioner: James Ziglar<br/>Secretary for Homeland Security: [[wikipedia:Tom Ridge{{w|Tom Ridge]]}}, [[wikipedia:Michael Chertoff{{w|Michael Chertoff]] }} || The [[wikipedia:September 11 attacks{{w|September 11 attacks]] }} in 2001 result in a significant increase in focus on border security, and combating terrorism becomes an important focus of visa policy and immigration enforcement. The INS is disbanded and the [[wikipedia:U.S. Department of Homeland Security{{w|U.S. Department of Homeland Security]] }} is created; functions of the INS are transferred to new sub-agencies of this department. The period sees continued expansion of removal methods such as expedited removal and [[wikipedia:stipulated removal{{w|stipulated removal]]}}, the end of [[wikipediaw:catch and release (U.S. immigration policy)|catch and release]], and a number of enforcement initiatives such as [[wikipedia:Operation Endgame{{w|Operation Endgame]]}}, [[wikipedia:Operation Front Line{{w|Operation Front Line]]}}, [[wikipedia:Operation Streamline{{w|Operation Streamline]]}}, [[wikipedia:Operation Jump Start{{w|Operation Jump Start]]}}, and [[wikipedia:Operation Return to Sender{{w|Operation Return to Sender]]}}. Legislative efforts towards Comprehensive Immigration Reform fail.

| 2009-{{snd}}2016 || President: [[wikipedia:Barack Obama{{w|Barack Obama]]}}<br/>Secretary for Homeland Security: [[wikipedia:Janet Napolitano{{w|Janet Napolitano]]}}, [[wikipedia:Jeh Johnson{{w|Jeh Johnson]] }} || The era begins with continued ramp-up by the Obama administration of policies initiated in the Bush era, such as [[wikipedia:Secure Communities|Secure Communities]]. State governments, beginning with Arizona, pass or attempt to pass legislation that uses state and local government resources to help enforce federal immigration law, leading to lawsuits. Starting with the 2011 Morton memos and the 2012 announcement of DACA, the Obama administration begins to carve out subsets of the unauthorized alien population that it will not try to deport, so that they can continue to live more easily in United States civil society.

| 2017 {{snd}}2020 || President: [[wikipedia:Donald Trump{{w|Donald Trump]]}}<br/>Secretary for Homeland Security: [[wikipedia:{{w|John F. Kelly}}, {{w|Elaine Duke}}, {{w|Kirstjen Nielsen}}, {{w|Kevin McAleenan}}, {{w|Chad Wolf}}<br/>Others: {{w|John F. Kelly]] Stephen Miller (political advisor)}}, {{w|Jeff Sessions}} (Attorney General), {{w|Steve Bannon}} (Senior Counselor to the President) || The election of [[wikipedia:Donald Trump|Donald Trump]] as the President of the United States could yield results in stronger immigration enforcement. , though Trump begins with 's efforts (including the initiative to build a controversial "Muslim ban" that is overthrown {{w|Trump wall}}) are stymied by courtsinsufficient cooperation from Congress.